|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Humpje
a Racer
from Holland
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Brakes everytime, all the time. Stays quite true. Does not care about weather or conditions. | | Weaknesses: | Noisy, especially in mud and wet sand. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | heavily rebuilt Giant Terrago, XT, XTR. | | Bottom Line: | With these rims, i see absolutely no need for disc brakes. more braking power seems not possible, so why bother. Only thing i could do without is the noise but that's a small price to pay. These rims are ideal for those who want to stick with v-brakes but want disc brake power. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Farnham
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere in Surrey Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Super rims, but main problem is that the ceramic coating wears off quickly if you ride in the sort of gritty places where you think you might actually need the Ceramic. - Is it worth the extra? | | Weaknesses: | I use my bike only for commuting to work off road, ~ 10 miles a day. I ride in gritty Surrey Hills. The ceramic on my rims is wearing out (skid marks and small pockmarks all over them now where the alloy is showing through), after only 4 months (ie, ~ 800 miles) of gently rolling terrain. I touch my brakes for a few seconds only each day | | Similar Products Used: | Various non ceramic Mavic rims. Longest any one has lasted in our gritty area is 1 year ~ 2500 miles. (Hence last time I chose Ceramic). | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail MTB with well set up parallel movement XT cartridge shoes. (My ceramic specific shoes wore out in the first 300 miles), so now I'm using standard XT shoes. | | Bottom Line: | Ordinary rims wear out where I ride in 1 year, these might last me 18 months. Is it worth the extra? | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Plianfield, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere in Moab | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Price point | | Strengths: | Stays atraight as an arrow for ever. 1800+ miles solid trails , never needed truing. Best perfoming wheelset I have ever used. | | Weaknesses: | snow+zero braking | | Similar Products Used: | too many to list | | Bike Setup: | Rock Mountain frame, Sram XO, Easton wherever they make the parts, Maxxis tires, fox rear, Marz Bomber front | | Bottom Line: | Superior product to all others. Not too much more than comparable product, spend the extra $$, its worth it, beleive me | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Holliday
a Cross Country Rider
from Baden,Switzerland
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Bike Supply Germany | | Strengths: | Light, strong and really durable.
After 4 years of hard and gritty use the coating on the rear rim is finally going.Probably because I use alot of trailing rear brake. Slight rim buckles haven't given me worries about the coating.
My first Alu rims were paper thin after 18months. | | Weaknesses: | Only big side impacts from rocks may chip the coating but that has only happened once and not the rims fault!!
Word of warning - don't use the set up in winter
snow = no stopping power from the brakes | | Similar Products Used: | Standard metal rims from Specialised.
| | Bike Setup: | XTR V's with XTR ceramic pads.
Aluminium frame bike with all up weight of 10.5Kg.
Schmolke flat bar. Rock Shock SID XC forks. | | Bottom Line: | So good I'm buying another rim and sticking with V-power.
Oh and ceramic rim stoppers are ALWAYS GRABBY. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Essick
a Racer
from Kindsbach, Germany
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | www.pro-sport-bikes.de | | Strengths: | Stops rim sidewall wear and my Magura Ceramic pads will last for over 1 year (about 15,000km on this bike for training)! | | Weaknesses: | As a front wheel, this rim is great. Rear wheel durability becomes an issue though.
Cracks form around eyelets, separation just above the ceramic surface, and cracks develope around the inner wall between the nipple access holes. Braking is less reliable than standard rims with regular brake pads. Sometimes there seems to be no braking at all, then brake "grab" 5 seconds later. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Matrix rims (the only rim I've seen crack like Mavic X517's), Vuelta, other Mavic. | | Bike Setup: | KHS soft tail, Pace shock, everything else is LX quality to allow for "cheap" replacement as things wear out (it is just a commuter bike) | | Bottom Line: | I'd use this rim for a front wheel any day! But this is the second X517 rear rim I've destroyed. The ceramic surface is fine, but on the first rim the drive side eyelets developed cracks and pulled out of the rim. The second rim separated about 2mm above the ceramic surface (on the angled area going towards the eyelets). This time I was pissed at paying such a high price for a rim, and decided to re-lace the wheel, with the damaged part of the rim now on the non-drive side (less tension), and anchored the spokes in the damaged area directly to the outer box section of the rim (just under the rim strip). Finally "retired" the rim after noticing cracks 1/4 around the rim where the nipple access area is (again just under the rim strip). OK, in all fairness, the rim made it a total of about 20 months and 20,000km in all conditions, plus hauling around a loaded BOB Yak trailer once per week and my 175 pound arse! I'm hoping the Mavic X721 ceramic will be a little more durable. If you are a light weight and ride in muddy, sandy conditions and replace brake pads once a month or sooner, then this is the rim for you! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AL Mandell
a Cross Country Rider
from Norwich, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | FLT | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Excel | | Strengths: | Good rim, great braking in the wet, wouldn't use anything else | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Mustang Ceramic | | Bike Setup: | Moots YBB, Avid Arch supreme, RF cranks, etc | | Bottom Line: | The Mavic ceramic rim is the best rim out there period. The braking in wet/snowy/muddy terrain is excellent. I have used 1st generation Mavics, and the Bontrager rim (Mavic lasted much longer) and am convinced that no rim offers the wet weather braking that this one does. I ride 2000 miles/yr on WET, MUDDY, ROOTY, ROCKY upstate NY hiking trails and the Mavic ceramic can stop your wheel whenever you need it to. For those who find the rim gums up with pad/trail residue and the braking fades, simply clean your rims with soap and water & you'll be fine. A little scotch brite twice a season and they'll work like new. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Hatch
a Cross Country Rider
from Guilford, CT, USA
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Westwoods | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Unbelievable resiliance-I did a 4 Ft drop and landed too far on the front wheel, taco'd it. I got it reasonbly straight on the trail and did the drop again. When i went home, somehow i got it perfectly true with all of the spokes tight. It was at least 4 inches out of true after the fall. | | Weaknesses: | The ceramic coating slicks up and is a pain in the ass to clean. Other than that nothing. | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale caad 3 w/xtr hubs, brakes, brake levers, rear derailleur, xt front derailleur, shifters, cranks, bb, x517 rims, easton ea70 handlebar, fatty sl fork. | | Bottom Line: | This product kicks ass! It is well worth the cash! When the braking surface is nice and clean, it brakes just about as well as disc brakes! Incredible! Bravo and 3 cheers for mavic! The only person that i wouldn't recomend this product to is the hardcore freerider and downhiller. I have downhilled at mt. snow twice on these rims, and i kept up with a guy that placed second in the beginner class on a freeride rig, and the rims held up just fine-didn't even have to true them! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Winkfield
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Pocupine Rim, Moab Ut | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | Aardvarkcycles.com | | Strengths: | They're light and strong. I've tread some pretty heavy terrain and had a couple of serious spills. The mavics have held their form | | Bike Setup: | I ride a nishiki hard-tail. | | Bottom Line: | I feel I got the most for my money. The feel of XMavic 517 rims have made a world of difference in my riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rico
a Cross Country Rider
from Angwin, CA 94508
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Palisades | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$95.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Front rim has held up just fine. | | Weaknesses: | Braking surface doesn't seem nearly as powerful as the Bontrager ceramic coating | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Valiant Ceramic | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight | | Bottom Line: | After 2100 miles of riding I would rate this as only an average rim for me. I built up a wheelset 14 months ago with a Valiant rear and the Mavic front because I couldn't find and Valiant front rims anywhere. The Bontrager has significantly more braking power than the Mavic from my experience, I think because the ceramic coating is coarser than Mavic's. I'm not impressed with the rim, but it has held up and stayed true. But of course 4 inches of front suspension would keep most anything true. However I would get a Valiant any day if only I could find one. As it seems that all ceramic rims do, this one has gunked up, even with ceramic specific pads and it seems to decrease braking performance. Maybe I'll pull out the steel wool. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Bottom Line: | Sorry folks. If you read my review directly below, you'll see my maintenance routine for these rims. Well, I'm having some trouble with these rims at the moment. Possibly caused by my cleaning system.
So, as the man says, don't try this at home, kids. For now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Works well. Stays true. Looks good. Costs the same as similar products from other companies. | | Weaknesses: | No info provided by Mavic re: maintenance. No maintenance info or customer service contact info on Mavic website. Had to figure out the brake suface cleaning thing on my own (see below). | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Mustangs, non-ceramic. | | Bike Setup: | Black ceramic 517's on XTR hubs with DT 14/15g spokes and aluminum nipps. (Thanks John) | | Bottom Line: | I really like these rims. I had them trued once (slightly) after break in. Since then they've held their true nicely.
They brake better than non-coated rims and do away with the gronching noise my standard aluminum rims used to make under braking.
The Mavic stickers come off pretty easily (oh well).
Re: the brake fade. the ceramic braking surface does get dirty, and braking performance falls off dramatically. Here's the cure:
1. Go get a Scotchbrite pad (I like the green ones) from the hardware store.
2. Cut two strips to fit underneath your brake pads.
3. Adjust some slack into your brake cable and sandwich the scotchbrite between the brake pad and the brake surface of the rim. (Do this procedure one wheel at a time so you retain useful brakes at one end of the bike).
4. Wet the scotchbrite pads with simple green.
5. Ride the bike while applying the brakes on the wheel you're cleaning. Go about 100 yards or so.
6. Remove the wheel and clean off the soap and residue with a hose (just trickling, no pressure) and a scrub brush.
7. Enjoy your rejuvenated braking performance.
I have used both the Shimano and Kool Stop pads with good results. I'll be trying the WTC abrasive pads and will let you know if anything exciting happens.
I would give 5 chilies for the rims themselves, but Mavic's lack of service will cost them one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Philipp Pischke
a
from NDS/Germany
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | Some people have written in their reviews that the rims are polished by the ceramic-pads until they feel and brake like polished glas:
Not the ceramic-pads polish, but the dirt between the pads and the rims. If you clean them frequently, you will never have problems, you will not be injured because you cannot brake and you'll not die of them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Nottingham.England
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | chain reaction | | Strengths: | lightweight
quite durable and tough
ceramic surface is awesome | | Weaknesses: | for some reason the pads start to glaze quickly
maybe i need some ceramic pads | | Similar Products Used: | x517 non ceramic,f519 | | Bike Setup: | kona hahanna,z3 m80 forks,x517 cd front,x517 cd ceramic rear
both on lx hubs | | Bottom Line: | these are good,even though i only have one of them
i bought a x517 cd (not ceramic) 3 months ago,and the ceramics finish is still better,even though my bro originally bought it over 2 years ago and gave it me this christmas!!!!
it may cost a little more,but it lasts much,much longer.
im now saving up for a pair of d521 ceramic rims
mavic should be proud of themselves | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a Racer
from #Peterborough UK
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Woodston Cycles | | Strengths: | Improved braking, Stronger wheels, light weight and cool looks | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | all mavic and sun rims | | Bike Setup: | GT Zaskar Team, I-drive custom | | Bottom Line: | these are worth the money, yeah they cost alot, but they are so light and strong, i use them for duel, and downhill.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Many of the reviews complain about the polish effect which reduces braking, well, i wokr in a bike shop, i know the score with prooducts, if you neglect your wheels, you'll pay for it, any rim will fail to stop you if you dont clean it, you dont fit a new chain and not oil it then moan becuase it snapped, so cleans your wheels, it doesn't take long. These rims will suit all but the heavest of riders. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Thousand Oaks
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | trails out behind Chesboro Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambira | | Strengths: | strong, been using them for 1 year. I'm not what I would consider to be a hardcore rider, but I do ride some pretty rough trails on occassion and these rims are as true as the day I bought them. | | Weaknesses: | I haven't really noticed any yet. I do noticed improved braking, but not as much as I originally thought I would get. I am concerned about the polish effect, but that seems easy enough to fix with some abrasive material. I think the guy who crashed due to the polish effect neglected to scrape off the excess build up. That isn't the rims fault. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager, Araya | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Specialized M2 frame, speedplay frog pedals, true vativ team cranks, USE XCR suspension seatpost, XTR components, SID XC fork. Lean and mean. | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow up review. I only had the rims for one or two months after writing the first review. Now that I've had some time to get to know them, I have to say I'm impressed. I do appreciate the improved braking, but I think I'm more impressed with the strength and light weight. As true as the day I bought them. Great cross country rims. Just a bit on the expensive side, though. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, Ca.
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Mr Toads, or Coe middle ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | These rims were great when they were new... I got them cause braking is suppose to be improved wet and dry and don't wear out the rim side walls. However... the older they get the worse and worse the braking becomes. Till you have no brakes... the ceramic coating becomes like polished glass, as do the ceramic pads. | | Weaknesses: | These rims are dangerous and should be outlawed. The recommended ceramic pads over a few months polish the ceramic braking surface on the rim. You find yourself applying more and more pressure to get any braking. You have none until the wheel locks up. It's all or none... The causes the front wheel to lock and wash out... and you over the bars. I was cursing these rims, and was going to junk them after I completed a ride... well, I didn't survive the ride. The all or nothing brakes caused me to lose the front end and put me on my head and shoulder. Fractured clavical and a 5 mile hike to the car. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic rims with NO ceramic! | | Bike Setup: | VOODOO Bizango... XT, Judy SL | | Bottom Line: | They Suck! My Shoulder still hurts and I still don't have new wheels yet. Seriously... they can cause injury or death... don't buy em. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cjm
a Cross Country Rider
from Glendale, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Braking | | Weaknesses: | Chips | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossland, Sun CR18 | | Bike Setup: | XTR brakes w/Razor (Red) Pads, DT Rev Spokes, Chris K Hub, Revolt Tires | | Bottom Line: | The braking power is truly amazing. It is very easy to modulate massive braking forces with one finger. Works the same wet or dry.
On a very long steep (paved) downhill, where constant brake is applied, heat builds up rather quickly, and performance deteriorates some. Then again, we only consider MTB use.
The weight is minimal. Wheels still true.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
marco righetti
a Cross Country Rider
from uddingston,lanarkshire,scotland u.k.
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | race circuit aberfoyle scotland u.k. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | lightweight,side walls do not wear down as in non ceramic rims in fact in two years of riding i dont have any bevelling on the side walls at all. | | Weaknesses: | after a year side walls go shiny and not so grippy but this was cured a little by using mavic sandpaper block and rubbing the rims with it but the problem went completely when the lads in the bike shop took away some kind of screw in the xt brake levers, brakes work perfectly now.
i always use ceramic brake pads. | | Similar Products Used: | mavic non ceramic rims. | | Bike Setup: | dna russian titanium hardtail,98 manitou sxti forks,xtr kit,use shockpost,selle italia gel saddle,easton alu bars. | | Bottom Line: | once the bike shop took away the screw things from the brake levers these rims cant be beaten wet or dry,i haven't smacked the rims yet so i dont know if the braking surface would be affected, i'm impressed! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, Calif.
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Middle Ridge at Henry Coe | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light Weight, Handsome looks, Moderate price (as oposed to "Geek" rims). | | Weaknesses: | The braking is inadequate, especially for a high end rim. I changed to WTB Razor brake pads which improved braking. I also had a shop realign and set the brakes with no improvement. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Mustang Ceramic, Mavic Swami | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y22, with Specialized Team Control Team Front, Michelin Wild Gripper rear, Judy XC fork, | | Bottom Line: | I was shocked with how poor the braking was with these rims! Especially because braking is supposed to be one of the features of ceramic rims. I tried other pads and had my brakes reset up in a shop (rare, usually have no problems). The real kicker was when a friend of mine and I went on a killer down hill and swapped rims. He has Bontranger Mustang Ceramic on a similar Y22. It was like flipping a switch. Huge improvement in braking. The increase control made technical parts of the descent easy. Half way down we switched rims back and I went OTB and got pounded
(Thanks @$@#*&@!! Mavic)
I'm tapped out now, but next season I ride Mustang Ceramic! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Lightweight, Strong, and look great | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 231CD, 217CD, 517 | | Bike Setup: | Super V | | Bottom Line: | I've tried ways to remove the irritating squeek on my front rim brakes, replaced pads, rims brakes to no avail. Finally upon trying ceramic rims, the 2 year old squeek I've been facing went away. I got myself the 517CD ceramic rims instantly and was finally freed from the squeek and increased braking power. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trev
a Racer
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | The rim is very expensive, it eats up loads and loads of pads, the spokes pull through after less than 12 months use - I say forget the rim and buy something with double eyelets from Mavic or leave Mavic completly. If I could I would give this rim zero chillis! Oh by the way they are light! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig Tangner
a
from Thousand Oaks, CA USA
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | depends on my mood | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light, stong. Good braking surface | | Weaknesses: | Aside from the price, none so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Araya, Bontrager | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper M2Comp. Speedplay Frog pedals, USE XCR suspension seat post, Tru Vativ Team Cranks, Mavic 517 CD Ceramic w/ alloy nipples and DT double butted spokes, XTR hubs. SID XC fork | | Bottom Line: | So far, I really like them. I've taken them on some pretty rough trails and they haven't been phased at all. I'm sure a lot of this has to do w/ the wheels being built up properly, though.Got them from Cambria. I noticed the decreased weight right away. Seem to brake a litte better in dry conditons. Haven't used them too much in wet conditions yet,but they definetly stop quicker than my old Bontragers. My answer to those thinking of gettting disk brakes is to seriously consider ceramic coated rims. In all but the gnarliest conditions, these things shine. Less weight and less money than disk. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Salmon
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapel Hill, NC
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Light
Strong
Same breaking, wet or dry | | Weaknesses: |
That's an expensive taco! | | Similar Products Used: |
Other Mavics, Specialized, Bontrager | | Bike Setup: |
Merlin Fat Beat
King hubs, 32 hole (both)
DT spokes, radial front, 3X rear
Alloy nips | | Bottom Line: | 15 minutes into my first ride on my new Merlin (oh yes...) I picked up a stick in the wheel and tore the rear derailleur apart, breaking 2 drive-side spokes. The rim had a gentle hop which came out easily. Two rides later, I picked up another big stick in the rear wheel, locking it up and breaking another spoke. This time, the wheel stayed true and I rode it on home. Despite much abuse and continued kamikaze stick attacks, the wheels are both dead-on true. The breaking in the wet is unchanged from the dry. I will not be able to go without ceramics now. The coating does have to break in - they squeal like a pig for a ride or two when new. Mavic has a new coating which is heavier and more durable than in the past. I am not using ceramic break pads, and they have been fine (Avid cartridge pads). These are the benchmark for rims, although they are heavier than the Valiants. Just remember - they will be an expensive replacement if you fold one up in a crash. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a Racer
from Ann Arbor, Mi
Date Reviewed: December 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Potowatomi | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Light as hell
no rim wear
did I mention light as hell
Brake great in wet. | | Weaknesses: |
When you find one let me know | | Similar Products Used: |
Bontrager Mustangs
Bontrager Corvair | | Bike Setup: |
'00 S-Works FSR XC, XTR/King, King Hubs
RS SID XC | | Bottom Line: | Great rims. Accelerate like a champ. Ceramic coating is great in the wet, saves my A$$ when I am riding in Poto's sandy mud. Don't buy em if you taco alot, they're only worth it if you kill your rims with your brakes. Buy 'em if you can afford it. | | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$ 99.00
