Decided to buy an 18 inch rear rim and lace it to the stock hub. basically so I can use the sr44 tire. The only problem I've been looking around and excel don't make a 2.75 rim and the d.i.d rim is a lot more expensive.
Excel make a 2.5 and a 3.0 and the tire I want to use is made for use with rims ranging from 2.5 to 3.0. So either one would do the job. The question is which one is suited to me.

The bike alone is very heavy and I'm well on the wrong side of the bmi scale. Then there is my work equipment that I lug around in my 100 litre metal boxes and the tool box on top. So weight is real issue.

The off road terrain is rocks, rocks and more rocks with the occasional mud bath. But mainly it's a bike that I use to get to and from work. A road bike and a Sunday in the mountains.

So I think (without any good reference) the 2.5 would be more nimble in the rocks. But 3.0 would be a bit more durable.

Any comments would be appreciated. This is all guess work on my part.

Any one know of a good source for stainless spokes.