Cycling UK Forum

Is it worth getting the CD version of the Mavic Pro Rim?
What brake pads work best with these rims.

http://www.cyclebasket.com/m9b99s436p23 ... RS_GB/6106

They don't seem to be that much more expensive than the Mavic Pro.

Many thanks in advance.

I've not tried this particular rim model but if it is like previous mavic CDs then it is more likely to crack, and the brakes don't work properly until the black stuff has worn off the braking surface.

cheers

Oh - not impressive so far.
Hopefully the modern version have been updated?

My experience is that Mavics don't last long enough to be worth buying nowadays. Time was when they were good, but I'd try anything but Mavics now. I have had the CD finish on earlier Mavics, but I didn't notice that braking was impaired - of course, the CD coating doesn't take a lot of miles to wear off. I think that the only benefit was cosmetic.

Reading the reviews that were all very positive I thought I would see what real life experience was like. I have been thinking about the Exalb rims at Spa. When I looked at the Spa web site they had coated Grizzly rims for touring but I don't need touring rims and I wasn't sure about the finish.

only a few rim coatings are really there to resist abrasion for the life of the rim. The Mavic CD coating may as well be 'decorative' given how long it lasts. Whilst it is there, it ruins wet-weather braking more than dry weather braking IIRC.

Open pros are very strong (for their weight) lightweight rims and of course will wear out on the braking surfaces. They do heavier rims that last longer; whether (at any given weight) mavic rims are any less durable than others I don't know, but they are usually as light or lighter than others of similar type and I suspect that this is where part of the trouble lies, at least.

cheers

It's interesting what you say about lightness. There must be someone making road/audax type rims which are hardier than Mavic Open Pro even if there is a weight gain?

Note that Chickens, who used to import Mavics, have switched to Rigida.

Mavic Open Pros are certainly light and certainly responsive, but there's more to wheels than lightness. Considering the cost of buying a rim, and having them built onto a hub - can I afford Mavics any longer, I ask myself? At one time they were worth the extra, but in my experience and opinion not any more. What a shame.

This is a facetious comment I know, but here goes - if I were up to doing, say, the PBP, I'd not start out on Mavic Open Pros, because I'd worry whether they'd last the course.

Wow!
But what would chose over them?

garygkn wrote:Wow!
But what would chose over them?

Ah - well - that is the question - my latest rims are drc - Swiss I believe - but they've not done enough miles to really judge by - but if Chickens import Rigidas, and if Spa use them, they must have something going for them.

MickF may say something different.

Mick F please tell us your views?

Chickens no longer sell mavic as Mavic they distribute themselves. Madision still distribute Mavic but thats partly becuase they use the rims in the M part wheels range.

Nothing wrong with rigida though.

garygkn wrote:Mick F please tell us your views?

MickF will do, but he found slight differences in size and sometimes a tyre would go on/off easily and sometimes it was a struggle. I don't think there was anything else.

Someone else on that thread had found the same - and Mick pulled my leg a bit because I posted that I'd never heard anyone having a problem with Rigidas, after he'd posted his misgivings.

Just a bit of friendly banter.

So many people buy built wheels nowadays (they always did of course, but the ready-builts were usually at the bottom end of the market) - cycling colleagues report that Hope wheels are good, for example, but I will have my wheels hand-built at my LBS as long as he does the service. A lot of good bike-shops build their own wheels. Spa do have a good reputation.

I might try Spa or Harry Rowland?

garygkn wrote:I might try............Harry Rowland?

Impressive web-site - just be careful you don't try the other Harry Rowland!