|   Wheelset - Kings and Mavics | Font
Jun 14, 2002 6:28 PM | | I'm going to buy a wheelset soon and I'm definitely going with King Classics for hubs, but I'm still deciding about the rims. I'm leaning towards Mavic X517s (non disc) but does anyone have any other suggestions? I am 140lb and do mostly XC riding with moderate freeride and dirt jumping on the same bike. It's a hardtail. Thanks for input, and visit my website if you have a second
http://njbike.tripod.com |
| Mavic 517s blow | Johnny_5
Jun 14, 2002 8:39 PM | | 517s are one season racing rims. They are super light and great for racing, but...... Use them and then plan on buying a new pair for next season. The sidewalls wear out extremely fast and I have managed to pull spoke eyelets through the rear rim on some pretty tame rides (this happened on two seperate rims, a 517 and a 317). I don't do much XC racing anymore, so I don't know what the new craze is, but stay away from those 517s (and 317s).
Good choice with the Chris King hubs, I have a set of C.K. Disc-o-teks laced to Sun Rhynolites. The Rhynolites would be a bit overkill for you. Make sure you buy the C.K. cone tightening tool and some C.K. hub lube. |
| Mavic 517s ROCK! | AesopRock
Jun 14, 2002 8:41 PM | | Definitely go with the 517s this guy is obviously a clydesdale or a downhiller, you are tiny so you're good. I'm 180 and they have been fine for 2 seasons with no problems, mine just happened to be anodized, but I would opt for the ceramic if i was you. good luck, king/517s are the best ever. maybe get some xtr/517s for your training and keep the kings for race. they definitely can take it but it's fun to switch for race day, a mental boost if you ask me. |
| If built correctly, 517's are as strong as anything. | Chip
Jun 15, 2002 6:07 AM | | I've had a King classic/517 wheelset for 2 years. I weigh about 220 pounds, ride agressive XC (no racing) and do the occasional urban ride involving stairs 2-3 foot drops etc... Never had a broken rim, never had a cracked eyelet, never had to true them. Oh yeah, and the sidewalls are still going strong, even with Magura HS33's. |
| Mavic 517s blow | Utah CragHopper
Jun 15, 2002 1:12 PM | | If you get the 517s, or any other rim for that matter, don't
get hard anodizing. The type of anodizing used to make parts
purple, or red, or whatever is okay. The thick black stuff will
crack and then the crack will propagate into the metal of the
rim. |
| Like I said... If built correctly........ | Chip
Jun 15, 2002 6:02 PM | | I've had a King classic/517 wheelset for 2 years. I weigh about 220 pounds, ride agressive XC (no racing) and do the occasional urban ride involving stairs 2-3 foot drops etc... Never had a broken rim, never had a cracked eyelet, never had to true them. Oh yeah, and the sidewalls are still going strong, even with Magura HS33's.
Machine built (handbuilt as said from Superslow, Performance, etc....) don't get built properly. Light XC wheels truly handbuilt by a quality wheelbuilder will last a long time.
If you're having problems, try a competent wheelbuilder. |
| Like I said... If built correctly........ | Utah CragHopper
Jun 17, 2002 11:00 AM | | Machine built (handbuilt as said from Superslow, Performance, etc....) don't get built properly. Light XC wheels truly handbuilt by a quality wheelbuilder will last a long time.
I only use handbuilt wheels. But no matter how they're built,
Mavic's hard anodization produces an inferior product that is
liable to crack and the only advantage is that some people
like black rims. To add insult to injury, their have been
times where Mavic has charged more for the hard anodization
than the silver versions of their rims. More money for a worse
product; neat trick. |
| Agree... | kokothemonkey
Jun 16, 2002 6:54 AM | | Mavic 517's are extremely weak, I know wheel strength is highly dependent on the build but I find it too coincidental that 3 different wheels from 2 bike shops all pulled the spokes through. I used them for racing and decided Mustang's were the way to go. I am about to try out a Ryno lite wheelset and have heard they are great also. I would not waste a beautiful hub like King on any type of mavic.
Just my $.02
P.S. Look at the reviews of the 517 |
| Bontrager Valiants, perhaps... | Ralph
Jun 14, 2002 9:22 PM | | I just did the same thing, had universalcycles.com build me some wheels with King hubs. (Pewter to go with my Gray Ellsworth Truth - mmmm...) I chose Valiants, because they seem to be highly regarded and I like the asymmetric spoke drilling on the rear rim. I weigh 160 and mostly do XC - they've been great so far, still true after 3 months. I bet they would work well for you, you could also go for the slightly burlier Mustangs depending on how much freeride you actually do. |
| Mustangs vs Valiants... | JmZ
Jun 14, 2002 9:34 PM | | It is a tossup between the two rims. The Mustang is supposed to be the heavier and more durable rim, but...
Below is for front rims... It's all I've personally seen.
Valiants are supposed to come in lighter, (Sun Sub IV, Mavic 517 - 390g level), but often don't. I had a Valiant come in at 374g a year or two ago, and one recently at over 430g. Both were non ceramic, and both were front rims.
Mustangs are supposed to be 400g. I've had several of these. All have been within 24g of the 400g. The tolerances seem to run closer than the Valiants.
I've had several Rear Mustangs too... all of 'em came within a few grams of 420. Very consistent. Not sure why, but not complaining.
I don't like mail ordering rims for this very reason. If I'm going to worry about weight I want to get it from a shop where I can see what I'm going to get before I plunk down the credit card.
JmZ |
| love my king/mavics. | radarbuddy
Jun 15, 2002 5:02 AM | | I have Mavic 517 rims mounted to King classic hubs on my ride. I've had these wheels for about 6 months now and have no complaints. they are light and strong. I weight 190, and ride moderate xc, with short 1-2 ft drops now and then. like I said, no problems here, hope this helps! |
| re: Wheelset - Kings and Bontrager Mustangs... | Jrm
Jun 15, 2002 7:14 AM | | Stronger then the 517, better braking surface then the 517 and only weigh about 20 grms more. Great wheels. |
| re: Wheelset - Kings and Mavics | FFJ
Jun 15, 2002 9:48 AM | | I have xt/517 factory built wheels on my Kona hardtail. After 8 months of riding (4 months of real riding excluding injuries), I developed stress fractures aroung all the eyelets front and back. This may have been due to over tensioning, but the spoke tension seemed fine to me, but what do I know. In their favor, they needed truing, and I am 210 lbs and slightly abusive (not really a freerider). Replaced with rhinolytes and have had no problems. If I ever were to race, not likely, I would have a set built up by someone who really knows wheels.
John |
| My similar situation - read this | jared
Jun 16, 2002 9:25 AM | | I'm also looking at Kings + 517s, but I have a Trek 4500 w/ a Z3, XT rear, lx front, deore levers, and everything else stock. Is there a different answer for me? 500 dollar wheels seem like overkill on my 500 dollar bike. |
| Bontragers rule | ftlrider
Jun 16, 2002 12:32 PM | | I weigh 145 and do mostly XC with some freeriding. I had a pair of 517's and they always needed trueing and dented easily. I have a pair of Bontrager Mustangs now and haven't had to true them yet. Plus they have a much more solid feel to them.
Don't waste your money on Chris King hubs, XT are a much better value. |
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