Mavic rims

mavesyn

Hi all.
Could anybody tell me, what year 36 hole mavic ma2 rims first came out. Also the year ma3 rims came out.
Thanks in advance
Mike...

Pullman1937

MA2s were on the go in the late 1970s and were a soft rim. The MA40 was a much better and more durable rim. Sadly no longer available.

mavesyn

Thanks pullman.
Always liked MA2, never tried MA40's.
The real reason for the question, is that i have purchased a late 80's frames. Colombus SLX, would have been equiped with 1st generation C Record group set. I wondered what quality rims, would be period correct for the late eighties.
Mike.

Pullman1937

I would suggest for clincher tyres MA40s -grey anodised rims or if using sprints Mavic GP4s.

If you can't get Mavic MA40s try DRC Classic rims available from Hewitt Cycles. Good quality silver alloy clincher rim in older profile so will look right with your bike.

mavesyn

Thanks again pullman.
Anymore suggestions, from anyone......
Mike

peejay78

reiterate:

ma40s are a terrific wheelset. i had gp4s on a 1979 colnago super, didn't want to be riding sprints, so swapped the rims out for ma40s, very cheap, maintained classic look.

for a while i ran a gatorskin tub on the back on a gp4, with clincher front.

mrchuffy

The original MA2 was a red label and non-anodised rim? The later were anodised, I think.

mavesyn

Thanks guys..........
Shopping trip to e-bay, i think....
MA40 rims first on the list......
Mike

Tom753

The MA2 first came out in the early 80s. The MA2 was either "polished", it wasn't bare alu but was anodised in a high shine silver, or anodised "argent" which had a dull satin silver colour. The MA40 was the same as the MA2, same shape and weight, except that it was "hard" anodised in a dark grey colour.

"Hard" anodising was claimed by Mavic to increase the stiffness of a rim, but I reckon it's just a marketing gimmick, and their "hard" anodised rims did cost a lot more than their silver versions.

For a late 80s bike, the MA40 would have been the top narrow clincher rim, only because it was more expensive, it wasn't any better than the MA2. The early ones had a red label, around the late 80s they changed over to a green and yellow label.

The MA2 was discontinued I think in the late 90s and was replaced by the MA3, which is a very different rim.

Pete Beer

I've got a spare brown MA40 rim for sale, good and straight but some rust on the eyelets,

mavesyn

Thanks for the extra info, Tom.
Mike