How strong are Crossmax SL's?

On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 17:59:54 +1300, "Westie" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Managed to buckle the rear wheel and the disc rotor enough so that the tyre knobs just rub the
>frame and the rotor binds slightly in the calliper. I don't recall any one major hit that would
>have done it. While I'm no lightweight at 190#, I hope that I've just been unlucky this time. I'm a
>bit disappointed as I expected better than this at this early stage. Has anyone else had problems
>with Crossmax wheelsets?

I'm 230, and my Crossmaxes have needed only one minor truing in a few hundred hours of riding. I
think you may have gotten a lemon.

Barry

"Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Have had the new bike (an 04 VT) a couple of weeks and finally got to stretch it's legs out today
> on a favourite rough trail. An old access
track
> along a hillside. Overgrown clay sheep-track with lots of ups and downs
and
> lots of rubble, sandstone rocks and baby heads. Hard technical
leg-emptying
> work but great fun.

Yes, a trail one loves to hate!

> Managed to buckle the rear wheel and the disc rotor enough so that the
tyre
> knobs just rub the frame and the rotor binds slightly in the calliper.

I'm probably off base here, but have you removed the wheel and then reset it in the dropouts to
be sure it is in straight? Only reason I mention this is your rotor issue. I guess you have
made sure the rotor is indeed bent instead of just off line with a hub that's not in place
correctly? If you know for sure the rotor got smacked too, ignore my suggestion, but you said
you don't remember any one major hit, and it usually takes a good hit to bend a rotor. If it is
bent, hopefully you can straighten it enough to run clean again. Sorry for the bad luck on a
pricey wheel.
--
Off to ride the mountains, D H Reply to newsgroup. Spam is out of control.

"Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> While I'm no lightweight at 190#, I hope that I've just been unlucky this time. I'm a bit
> disappointed as I expected better than this at this early stage. Has anyone else had problems
> with Crossmax wheelsets?

Prefab **** like Mavic's (rolf, etc.) selection suck for any real riding conditions for anyone over
180 lbs. I have seen lighter riders (that ride smoothly) demolish all variations of Mavic's
selection in six months under the riding conditions here. Do yourself a favor and get a reputable
wheelbuilder to lace you up a nice set of 3x.

JD

"JD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > While I'm no lightweight at 190#, I hope that I've just been unlucky this time. I'm
a
> > bit disappointed as I expected better than this at this early stage. Has anyone else had
> > problems with Crossmax wheelsets?
>
> Prefab **** like Mavic's (rolf, etc.) selection suck for any real riding conditions for anyone
> over 180 lbs. I have seen lighter riders (that ride smoothly) demolish all variations of Mavic's
> selection in six months under the riding conditions here. Do yourself a favor and get a reputable
> wheelbuilder to lace you up a nice set of 3x.
>
> JD

Absolutely. Don't confuse 'old and boring' with 'tried and true'. Nothing like a well built
set of 3x's.

Mike

"D H" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... <snip>
>I'm probably off base here, but have you removed the wheel and then reset it in the dropouts to be
>sure it is in straight?

Yes. The same thing occurred to me when I realised that the rotor was bent.

Only reason I mention
> this is your rotor issue. I guess you have made sure the rotor is indeed bent instead of just
> off line with a hub that's not in place correctly? If you know for sure the rotor got smacked
> too, ignore my suggestion, but you said you don't remember any one major hit, and it usually
> takes a good hit to bend a rotor. If it is bent, hopefully you can straighten it enough to run
> clean again.

The rotor had quite an obvious wobble in it.

I still don't know how i managed to buckle everything but I've discovered that the little plastic
Mavic spoke key makes a great tool for gripping and twisting disc rotors without harsh scratching. I
spent two hours truing the wheel last night in front of the TV and I've got it pretty sweet. I'm no
expert at this so may blow itself apart next time I ride it. XX - fingers crossed.
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.)

"JD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > While I'm no lightweight at 190#, I hope that I've just been unlucky this time. I'm
a
> > bit disappointed as I expected better than this at this early stage. Has anyone else had
> > problems with Crossmax wheelsets?
>
> Prefab **** like Mavic's (rolf, etc.) selection suck for any real riding conditions for anyone
> over 180 lbs. I have seen lighter riders (that ride smoothly) demolish all variations of Mavic's
> selection in six months under the riding conditions here. Do yourself a favor and get a reputable
> wheelbuilder to lace you up a nice set of 3x.

Seeing how I've got the things, I'll see what happens. When they destroy themselves I'll ask for
advice on the components for a better wheel. Thanks.
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.)

"Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "JD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > "Westie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > While I'm no lightweight at 190#, I hope that I've just been unlucky this time. I'm
> a
> > > bit disappointed as I expected better than this at this early stage. Has anyone else had
> > > problems with Crossmax wheelsets?
> >
> > Prefab **** like Mavic's (rolf, etc.) selection suck for any real riding conditions for anyone
> > over 180 lbs. I have seen lighter riders (that ride smoothly) demolish all variations of Mavic's
> > selection in six months under the riding conditions here. Do yourself a favor and get a
> > reputable wheelbuilder to lace you up a nice set of 3x.
>
> Seeing how I've got the things, I'll see what happens. When they destroy themselves I'll ask for
> advice on the components for a better wheel. Thanks.

I've seen nothing but bad stuff from crossmaxes of all kinds of vintage and type. A friend of mine
rode over my crossmax rear rim as the bike was laid down flat after a wipeout. It fractured in 3
places and the rim sheared off the sidewall for about 6 inches. I've seen a freewheel that has just
twisted off like it was made of putty, and quite a few hub problems, including seized bearing rings
that make the hub unserviceable because you cant get any real power into the silly pin holes. When
you break a spoke the tension is so high and the spokes so few, that the whole wheel goes hugely out
of whack, in my case it was hitting the frame so hard that the bike was unrideable. Plus, if you
damage them the parts are specific and pricy, when you can get them. On top of that for the same
price you can get a set of Chris King hubbed ,hand built 3 cross wheels that are easy to repair,
lighter , stronger and cheaper.

gaz

"gazzer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On top of that for the same price you can get a set of Chris King hubbed ,hand built 3 cross
> wheels that are easy to repair, lighter , stronger and cheaper.
>
Much cheaper. During a fit of insanity (rare for me), I was considering Crossmax wheels. I let the
guy at Universal talk me out of it, and decided on a set of King ISOs laced to a set of Mavic X3.1
UST rims. A much better set of wheels, servicable at pretty much any bike shop, and a lot less than
even the Crossmax XL disc wheels. They sure look cool too.

"Mojo Deluxe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news%[email protected]...
>
> "gazzer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On top of that for the same price you can get a set of Chris King hubbed ,hand built 3 cross
> > wheels that are easy to repair, lighter , stronger and cheaper.
> >
> Much cheaper. During a fit of insanity (rare for me), I was considering Crossmax wheels. I let the
> guy at Universal talk me out of it, and decided on a set of King ISOs laced to a set of Mavic X3.1
> UST rims. A much better set of wheels, servicable at pretty much any bike shop, and a lot less
than
> even the Crossmax XL disc wheels. They sure look cool too.
>

I'll second that recommendation - Mike at Universal Cycles makes a nice wheel at a good price!

http://universalcycles.com/

--
DTW .../\.../\.../\...

I've spent most of my money on mountain biking and windsurfing. The rest I've just wasted.