Submitted by
CrashT
a Cross Country Rider
from Missoula, MT Date Reviewed: September 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
They've run true for the past 2 years. Have had them checked up & bearings adjusted twice; bearings still feel great. No squeeking. I weigh 180 with gear and do trail riding without a lot of drops. They can be run tubeless and I run them that way when riding in the desert - they do well with some Stans and Spec 2bliss tires. Normally run them with light-weight tubes and Conti Mountain King 2.4's. Great combo.
Weaknesses:
The main weakness is that they have the propriatary Mavic aluminum spokes. So if you break one in the boonies you could have a tough time finding a replacement. Need to pay attention to bearing adjustment.
Similar Products Used:
American Classic 26 disc, Mavic 224s, Bontrager
Bike Setup:
08 Titus ML2, Fox Talas 140
Bottom Line:
These wheels have taken a beating due to my questionable skills and are still going strong. No detectable flex as in the American Classics. These are a little heavier but still a light, strong wheel. Will get another set with the QR/15mm front hub and pair with the Talas 15 mm thru axle.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alexandermarin
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Monte Tamaro Switzerland
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
Great if you really like to ride tubeless. Get some real UST tires add Stan and enjoy riding. With the right tire (e.g., Swalbe UST) the tires will pop into place even with a hand pump.
Weaknesses:
free wheel: A terrible design. Even when new you can feel the large play of the free wheel body when you try to "wiggle" the cassette. After a bit more than a year, something snapped in the free wheel mechanism. One of the pawls broke into pieces messing things up. I had similar problems with my XT wheels, having similar play, and developing the dreaded squeal from hell. Worst of all, when this happens you are being recommended to buy a new wheel because you need to replace the complete hub with will result in a lot of labour swapping all the spokes out and back in.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bottom Line:
Do not buy this product unless you have the extended warranty.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GlazedHam
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas Hill Country Date Reviewed: February 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Flat Rock Ranch
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
I have not had any problems with the hubs at all.
After the initial break-in period, the wheels have been extremely tough.
Weaknesses:
A special spoke hub is required to true the wheel.
After the first major ride, one spoke disengaged from the hub, but I just popped it back on and tightened it up. Later, I noticed the wheel was not totally true, but not messed up either.
Not the lightest considering the are CrossMax, but not bad at all
Similar Products Used:
I've had about 15 MTB wheelsets and Mavics have been the most trouble free.
Most of the other wheelsets have been custom, but I do have a set of NoTubes ZTR Race 7000s.
Bike Setup:
5 inch All Mountain. I run big tires with low pressure in these wheels. I usually run 24psi in the front and 28-32 in the rear.
Bottom Line:
These have been very reliable for me. I've taken them to ski-lift access parks and I don't shy away from airing it out with these wheels. I've also used them in for Super-D and XC races.
You could probably get lighter wheels for less money (hence not the greatest value) but I've had great luck with Mavic lasting for a long time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Exsurfah
a Cross Country Rider
from Anacortes, Wa. Date Reviewed: February 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
ACFL
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
E-BAY
Strengths:
Light,tough and sharp.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found any yet.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Pro XT,BB 7's, Rock Shox Recon
Bottom Line:
I'm a very aggresive rider who rides in rough terrain i.e. hilly, wet, muddy, rocky, rooty. I am only a buck fifty though. I've put 1700 miles all XC with no issues whatsoever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trogdor The Burninator
a Weekend Warrior
from Yokosuka, Japan Date Reviewed: January 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Hayama
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light, Strong, Tubeless.
Weaknesses:
Seating pings. I have had these for a while and haven't had any problems as far as function.
Similar Products Used:
Mavic 819 UST, WTB Laserdisc Trail,
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Rush Carbon 3z, xtr crank, ritchey carbon seatpost/handlebar/stem, x0 shifters/rear d., xt brakes, Fox 120rlc fork, RP23 rear shock.
Bottom Line:
I weigh in at 260lbs. and these wheels hold true. I do a lot of all mountain and rough cross country, they stay true. Other than the seating pings that went away after tightening the spokes, I have no complaints. I think these are great for any weight rider. They are not heavy and they don't flex very much. 5 chilis all around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
love2ridemtb
a Weekend Warrior
from Foothill Ranch, CA Date Reviewed: August 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, Stiff, Strong, 20mm front hub
Weaknesses:
none so far, just make sure the spokes are tensioned correctly from the beginning.
Similar Products Used:
dt240/819, hope proII/823, XT/717, misc other wheelsets
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Epiphany, pike 454, juicy7, xo/x9/xt, 2.5 ust high rollers
Bottom Line:
I've had these for a few weeks and have put a little over 100 miles on them. After a few rides I could feel the spokes getting a little loose, so I brought them back in to have everything re-tensioned and they've been perfect since. They roll great and the susp feels more active with the lighter wheels. I've been riding on hope pro II's laced with 823's for about 2 years and they've proven to be bullet proof, so I guess only time will tell about the ST's. So far, I'm very happy with them. They're a great buy for someone looking for a little more than your average wheelset.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fulltilt73
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: July 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Climachx
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Mavic's agent in the
Strengths:
Low rotational mass, light weight, great looking, stiff
Weaknesses:
not at all strong, in fact for the money they might as well be made of cheese
Similar Products Used:
custom wheels usually, shimano deore hubs with mavic rims
Bike Setup:
Kona chute, XT/hone, XT brakes, RockShox forks, Thomson seat post and stem.
Bottom Line:
So very disappointed, I bought these wheels expecting them to be up to the task, I have never been hard on my equipment in fact never replaced anything through breakage (apart from consumables) but these wheels have let me down so chronically, that I will never buy Mavic again. I have popped a spoke on the back wheel four times now, not though jumping or dropping but just normal single track, I am not the lightest guy around but I expected better for this kind of dosh. All I can say is stay away from these wheels, they are about as reliable as a teenager that has rubbish parents and a drug habit.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Faulk
a Weekend Warrior
from Okla City, Ok Date Reviewed: April 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Clearbay
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
BikeOne Okla City
Strengths:
Have hammered them for 2 years. Lots of ugly crashes and side impacts. A spoke came loose after about a year but I wasnt suprised after all the abuse Ive laid on them.I screwed it back in and finished the ride.I've only had them serviced a couple times for minor adjustments.
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
Reign O XTR components
Bottom Line:
They originally came on my 06 Trance. I got an 08 Reign 6 months ago and put them it and they still going strong. They are well worth the money. The roll true and you just have to point and go over any terrain. These wheels are great for anyone who rides hard and they are virtually maintenance-free. Other than the one time no problem with the spokes coming loose.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kurt
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA, USA Date Reviewed: January 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Tanasi Trails, TN
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
They look great, they're lightweight and durable, holds a tight seal with the USTs
Weaknesses:
Rear bearings need to be tightened occasionally, paint on spokes chips off easily
Similar Products Used:
bontrager race, xt/mavic
Bike Setup:
IF hard-tail, I am rolling Maxxis Ignitor USTs on them right now
Bottom Line:
The main reason I am posting is people are complaining about the rear hub making a noise under brake- or pedal load. This means you need to tighten the bearings! It comes with a handy little tool! This only needs to be done once or twice a season. These are professional-level wheels and you need to service them properly.
These are a good deal if you find them for $600/pr like I did. Mavic's MP3 program is awesome so definitely buy the warranty (I accidentally over-tightened and broke the rear axle and they sent a new one no questions asked). I ride LOTS of cross country and light downhill and these things are light and stay true, and hold air really well too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dan ver
a Cross Country Rider
from france Date Reviewed: October 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
single
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
TNC Hamburg
Strengths:
good looking, stiff (laterally), smooth bearings, solid, reasonnably light
Weaknesses:
bad factory assembly/tensioning, paint on spokes not so tough, inertia could be better
Similar Products Used:
Rholf Dolomite disc
Bike Setup:
BMC FS01, XTR, Hayes, Thomson, Reba
Bottom Line:
Bought those wheels for the "all round" capabilities, and i haven't been disappointed. lateral stiffness is excellent, making for some very precise riding. Bearings are top too. And i can tell you that the material those wheels are made off is highly impact resistant.
Inertia could be better (but i was used to much lighter/narrower wheels), and the paint on the spokes get off easily. the rear bearing need tightening every now and then, no big deal really.
I had problems with a spoke coming out on the rear wheel (to be specific, it happened twice when the bike fell flat on one side, never happened in "normal use"). I just put half a turn on all spokes (non drive side) and a quarter of a turn on the drive side. and that was sorted. I guess bad tensioning is the root of the problem.
Anyway, I really like those wheels, and my guess is that they will last long. they look nice too, without being too blingbling on the eye.
5 chilis for value, because i really think those are excellent wheels (design, materials). 3 chili for mavic not shipping correctly build wheels.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from North Carolina, USA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Patapsco State Park, MD
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$699.00
Purchased At:
Competitive Cyclist
Strengths:
Strong. Maintenance free. Have stayed very true. Able to take rider error
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Industry Nine All Mountain wheelset
Bike Setup:
Ells Epiphany, 07 Talas RLC, RP23, Thomson stem and post, RF Deus XC LR, Juicy 7's(185f and 160r), 990 cassette, Stylo cranks, Candy C's, X9 triggers and rear derailleur, XTR front derailleur, Intense System 2.25f and Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1r
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is this wheelset has been solid for me. I had an Industry Nine All Mountain wheelset and 2 spokes that would not stay tensioned correctly. I had them trued 3 times within a 1 month period and still no luck(two different mechanics). I have been pounding on my ST's for 3 solid months and they are still running smooth. I guess you could call the places I ride "trail" riding. I hit some small jumps and a couple of drops(4 feet or less). I ride in a very wet/muddy enviroment and I have had no problems with the hubs. I am a set it and forget it type of guy and this wheelset has lived up to my expectations. They get 3 chilis for value just cuz they are not cheap but 5 for an overal rating cuz they rock!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ted Knecht
a Weekend Warrior
from Pasadena Date Reviewed: August 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
el Prieto
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
CynergyCycles
Strengths:
UST Tubeless system is easy to mount and fill. Very stiff lateraly. Fairly light. Look burly.
Weaknesses:
Rear hub/spoke interface makes a "creaking" sound under load. Front seems fine, but the rear makes all kind of noise.
Similar Products Used:
Crosslands and older mavics.
Bike Setup:
Med Turner Burner/Reba/Fox rp23
Bottom Line:
I really liked the look of these rims and had high hopes when I got them. I'm really dissapointed. The first rides were simple trail rides with my wife. I ran them at Mammoth on the XC stuff (no DH). All seemed well till I noticed creaking coming from the rear of my bike on a short brakey slow drop in. I stopped.. held the rear brake and rocked the bike back and forth and the hub was creaking. Seems the way the spoke ball rides in the hub's cavity isn't up to the stress of braking or even pedaling. I'm no tuff guy either. I'm pretty easy on gear but these rims did'nt last for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
one2five
a Cross Country Rider
from LAS CRUCES, NM Date Reviewed: July 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
PORCUPINE RIM
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
CRAZY CAT
Strengths:
STIFF, SMOOTH, FAST, LIGHT
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
CROSSMAX XL'S
Bike Setup:
S-WORKS STUMPJUMPER FSR, 08 FOX TALAS FORK, XTR DERAILER,MONKEYLITE DH BAR, THOMPSON SEATPOAST AND STEM,CHRIS KING HEADSET, EGGBEATER SL PEDALS, FIZIK GOBI SEAT, XT CRANK/SHIFTERS, AVID BB7 DISC BREAKS
Bottom Line:
THESE WHEELS ARE AWESOME. I WEIGH 240 BUT RIDE FAST,HARD, JUMP AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THEM SO FAR. I HAVE TAKEN THEM ON SOME OF THE ROCKIEST TERRAIN AND THEY ARE TRUE AS THE DAY I BROUGHT THEM HOPE. I DONT KNOW WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPOKE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN OR IF MAVIC HAD ALREADY FIXED THE PROBLEM BEFORE I GOT THESE BUT I HAVE YET TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE. THEY ARE AMAZING!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Woody
a Racer
from Toronto Date Reviewed: July 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Highway 102, Sunshine Coast
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Strengths:
Durable, light, stiff.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XTR Wheelset
Bike Setup:
Kona The King, Fox 100 RLC, SRAM X.O, Race Face
Bottom Line:
Night before I left for a week of racing in British Columbia at the www.bcbikerace.com, my old wheelset pulled up lame. My bike shop came through with a great deal and put these on my bike, mounted the tubeless CrossMarks and shipped it off to BC. Bad idea, right?
At the end of more than 500 Kms of singletrack, high speed gravel roads with potholes, boulder fields with babyheads, insane North Shore style trails in Whistler (Thrill Me, Kill Me, Comfortably Numb) and some pretty hard crashes...they are as true as they were in the showroom, with a few bites and nicks.
If your a racer who rides hard on trails with some freeridish terrain, these things are for you. I weigh 170 with my gear on and I found them plenty stiff and durable. And the weight penalty over the CrossMax SLs is hardly worth talking about.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
oggie sokolovic
a Cross Country Rider
from toronto, canada Date Reviewed: June 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
albion hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
jensonusa
Strengths:
lighweight, strong, quality built...
Weaknesses:
too many stickers... skewers could be lighter
Similar Products Used:
Crossmax SL, Mavic 717, 819
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth, Sram XO, Race Face, Thomson, Fox 100X
Bottom Line:
Solid wheels!! i weigh 215 with gear and am yet to hear a creak from these wheels... i have been using Crossmax SL for couple of years now for racing 24 hour events and other sprint and endurance races and although solid, SLs started to creak under maximum torque... STs are as light as SL, but stronger... no doubt... i subjected them to some controled abuse but wheels didnt even break the sweat...
i dont really know what happened to those riders whose spokes fell out.. it seems next to impossible to me after what i have subjected my pair to...
i will be taking them to Transrockies Challenge this year... they have passed my test of strength..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Sullivan
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, Texas, USA Date Reviewed: May 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cinderella
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Cumberland Transit
Strengths:
You can get a warranty, they look awesome
Weaknesses:
spokes coming out of hub
Similar Products Used:
Mavic 819, Crossmax XL
Bike Setup:
Yeti 575 Race Carbon
Bottom Line:
Get the warranty!!! At 800+, these things should be solid... they aren't. I went through three pairs of 819's before finally getting the ST's. I only got the ST's because they had a warranty. Man am I glad I got it! These things lose spokes like it's their job. I've had them retentioned, balanced, and serviced repeatedly (for free) since I got them. I always lose spokes, and sometimes they get wrapped up in my frame. Mavic is great about the service, and these things rock when they work. They are so solid and stiff when they work! Land one hard jump and things change... I've had three spokes come out at times. That's never a good thing.
The XL's were so much better. I'm happy with the wheels, but only because I got the warranty. I plan on having them replaced due to failure at least 4 times in the next two years. In fact, I'm sending them in as soon as I get done with my San Francisco trip. I'm not even done with my trip and these wheels are loose. Thanks Cinderella trail :).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a
from Longmont Date Reviewed: April 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Hall Ranch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, tubeless
Weaknesses:
Pricey, major design flaw in hub/spoke
Similar Products Used:
Mavic Deemax
Bike Setup:
Titus 07 Motolite
Bottom Line:
The wheels seem pretty nice and I've heard nothing but good reports from their other products. I actually only rode the wheels one time after buying them but won't use them again. Why? A rear spoke came off the hub on the first substantial jump! My previous cheap Mavic Crossrides have hit the same jump many times without incident. I looked at the design of the hub/spoke connection and could see that the slightest compression load on a spoke could release it from the hub. The spoke ball barely has any recess to hold it in place. That is different from the other Mavic straight pull spokes which all seem well designed.
A call to Mavic resulted in this response: "You hit the rim so hard that you flexed the hell out of the it". It seems they are a little touchy about this subject, but blaming the problem on customers is not going to go over well. They really need to recall all of this model of wheel or offer some fix, as they are opening themselves up to a lot of liability if they try to ignore it.
So my test did run short, but I'm not going to find myself an hour or two from the trailhead with a broken spoke/wheel on a 24 spoke system. You really can't lose a spoke with this few spokes supporting the rim...it was really out of round with the one missing. Mavic, do the right thing and recall these wheels back to the factory!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Cormack
a Cross Country Rider
from South Africa Date Reviewed: January 11, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Stiffness Looks
Weaknesses:
Strength Spares (spokes)
Similar Products Used:
Mavic Crossmax XL
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic S Works
Bottom Line:
Don't go near these until Mavic sought the problem with spokes coming lose. The first time I rode with my new wheels a spoke popped off the hub on the non-drive side of the rear wheel. Every time I ride a spoke pops off. The bike shop is now trying to fix the problem and they say it is a waste of time to send it back to Mavic for repairs or exchange. I'm very disappointed, what a pity.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO Date Reviewed: November 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
My Backyard - Horsetooth & Lory
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Full Cycle Old Town Fort Collins
Strengths:
They're light, stiff and feel great. A huge improvement in lateral stiffness from the SL's at the same weight with no harsh ride penalty - they feel and roll great. Very impressive - Mavic's best all around wheel yet!
Weaknesses:
Hey Mavic - can you please include a smaller tool (see Park) for the splined nipples? The flower shaped spoke wrench seems excessive to carry in my pack.
Similar Products Used:
Crossmax XL, Crossmax SL and Crossmax Enduro - swapped these out from stock XM 321's with Hugi 240 hubs.
Bike Setup:
These are on a Blur LT - I'm 6'1, 210 lbs - the local trails are hard on wheels.
Bottom Line:
I was a little reluctant to put these on as I did not have a good experience riding a set of SL's last year - It was no fault of the wheels, I'm just too big for SL's and felt that I was flexing them to the point that hitting the front brake on the steeps was downright scary - but since these are the same weight as SL's, I was having a hard time believing Mavic's claim that they were stiffer than the super duty XL's which have supported my weight and riding style nicely for a few years now...
Well, I am happy to report that I am now a believer. These wheels are the shiznit. They have a great feel, they roll easy and they are LIGHT! I don't know where MTBR is getting their prices - these things cost $700 but they made an immediately noticeable improvement on a bike I already loved so they get five stars. I'm going to allow durablity to be a foregone conclusion because they came with Mavic's MP3 warranty plan. I hope they hold up but if not, Mavic owes me.
I'm happy to post the first US review of these wheels on this site and am confident that these hoops are destined to become the wheelset of choice for all of the 5 inch travel, standard QR trailbikes on the market. I think you'll see lots of press on these wheels in the mtb rags in the very near future. If you like the best stuff on your bike, you will eventually own a set of these wheels.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dan dan
a Cross Country Rider
from montpellier Date Reviewed: November 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
tnc hamburg
Strengths:
strong (apparently), stiff, techy, visually nice
Weaknesses:
inertia, weight
Similar Products Used:
Rolf Dolomite, Cross max enduro
Bike Setup:
anthem, XTR, Reba, race face, thomson, formula
Bottom Line:
Bottom line, I have not tried those whells for long, but they seem to be strong and laterally stiff, no worries on this side. we ll see in few month if they are up to mavic quality. However, if you are looking for low inertia wheels, choose something else (17mm wide rims are much better). Weight also, is far from what Mavic annouces (1660g), closer to 1950 with skewers. Thsy look nice though, but that not so important to me. I which i had a better feel for those wheels, I dont recommend those for XC. but they should be very effective for light enduro.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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