Crossmax wheels

The secret rider
The secret rider Posts: 812
edited February 2014 in MTB buying advice
Ok so not even had the cannondale a week and already I'm looking at big new bits

The bike is hailed for its relative lightness the other day I took the wheels off and wow it really is not that heavy

Anyway I digress but I LOVE the look of the minimal spokes on the cross max SLRs and I hear they are lights and strong , well ok for the usual light DH trials and xc stuff like Cannock chase

Any one use them ? Anyone got any for sale :)

For a set what sort of money should I be paying for a used quality set ?

Any other alternatives ?

Thanks

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Good god, why would you buy factory MTB wheels. When you break a spoke you'll be charged an arm and a leg.

    Get some bad-ass handbuilts, some arch or flow ex rims onto hubs that excite you. Standard spokes, better hubs and tougher rims.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
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  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Appreciate that ... This is all new to me

    I'm embarrassed to say I like them because they look nice :)

    Do you run some of what you mention any pics !
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    They don't look nice, looking nice means expensive spares.

    Traditionally spoked wheels with 32 spokes all look pretty similar (sure you can get coloured rims, hubs and spokes) but they basically all look the same but the performance is considerably better than factory wheelsets.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
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  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Sorry for a silly question but what is meant by a factory wheel set ?

    I am almost set on the minimal spokes :(
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    generally a factory wheelset is one where the entire wheel is from one manufacturer and uses non-standard parts. They may be hand or machine built

    Handbuilts are built with standard parts, some are machine built and hand finished but use standard spokes, hubs and rims which means spares are super easy to get hold of.
    Neeermad
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  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Ahh ok

    Guess its all new to me but seems spokes can be brought for about £4 each ?
  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Also you mention stronger ? Is the slr not a wheel suitable for cannock etc ?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Depends, how often do you crash??

    Seriously, factory wheels really aren't a good idea for MTB. Just get some flow ex on hopes or superstar hubs with 32 3x double butted spokes and you'll be a far happier cyclist in the long run.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    IMO factory wheels on the MTB are pointless these days. The lights of Light Bicycle doing carbon rims for £120 or so are far more versatile, stronger and often lighter.

    SLRs got better in the last couple of years when Mavic refreshed their hubs (replacing their 20 year old design), but for the money it's a no from me. I've just built some LB rims on American Classic hubs which are 1370g and less than £600. Off the shelf spares, lighter, stiffer.
    Just get some flow ex on hopes or superstar hubs with 32 3x double butted spokes and you'll be a far happier cyclist in the long run

    Unless you vaguely appreciate light weight, in which case a full on DH rim is massively overkill...
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    The secret rider wrote:
    well ok for the usual light DH trials and xc stuff like Cannock chase


    I'd stick with the flow ex... Plus the tyre profile is a lot better.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
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    White Inbred
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    You don't need a Flow Ex for riding around Cannock!
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    No, but wider rims are nicer than skinny ones. Even if you end up running lightweight rubber...
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Opened a can of worms here :)

    Really disappointed to hear they might not be up to the job :(

    Look at them :D

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mavic-Crossma ... 27df0d6e06

    Beauties !
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    They're not not up to the job, there are just better alternatives for less money. If you want something that looks pretty then go nuts. I'm not certain, but think that's the older hub design, which would put me off even more.

    Bear in mind for that budget you could get some DT 240s on Stan's rims, or some Hopes on LB carbon rims. Wide ones to keep R_W happy if you so desired.
    No, but wider rims are nicer than skinny ones. Even if you end up running lightweight rubber...[/img]

    You'd actually run a rim used for World Cup DH racing on a bike with lightweight tyres? How wonderfully pointless!
  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    An alternative ? Not quiet such a nice spoke design ....

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-42789/

    Any other minimal spoke options ?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Why not go the whole hog:

    $_12.JPG
    Neeermad
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    The secret rider wrote:
    An alternative ? Not quiet such a nice spoke design ....

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-42789/

    Any other minimal spoke options ?

    Right... you're now comparing the budget version. Seeing as you are clearly driven by the aesthetics rather than the actual product, I'm out. Buy the Crossmax, they'll look pretty and work acceptably, there are just better alternatives for the money.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Get some snowflakes
    2000582581_d7c461390f.jpg
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Right - I guess this is a tad confusing for people to follow sorry.

    I'm sorry for the confusion. I thnk being only one week into all this I should probably wait although I've done a few rides I probably need to get a good feel for what I want / need.

    I would not say the money was a huge deciding factor and yes I guess at the moment I am driven by aesthetics but I am sure that will all change the moment I encounter a problem.

    It's all a learning curve at the moment and a ideally do appreciate all your and others advise ... Even if I seem to be not taking it in I am .

    Thanks
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    three leading three trailing:

    3Leading18.jpg
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    The secret rider wrote:
    Right - I guess this is a tad confusing for people to follow sorry.

    I'm sorry for the confusion. I thnk being only one week into all this I should probably wait although I've done a few rides I probably need to get a good feel for what I want / need.

    I would not say the money was a huge deciding factor and yes I guess at the moment I am driven by aesthetics but I am sure that will all change the moment I encounter a problem.

    It's all a learning curve at the moment and a ideally do appreciate all your and others advise ... Even if I seem to be not taking it in I am .

    Thanks

    Just give some thought to what you actually want, aside from the looks. Do you want lighter, stronger, or just to look better? If the latter than you may as well just get the Crossrides and save the money, but they'll likely be heavier than what you have and no stronger.

    As I said there's nothing inherently wrong with the SLRs, but there's little right with them either.

    The Crossride and the Crossmax SLR are a bit like looking at an Audi R8, then comparing it to an A1!
  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Thanks for the reply ....

    I think after a few more rides I will be getting to grips with my riding style etc then I should know.

    No point spending £500 on wheels for them to be the wrong thing .....

    Cannock next weekend so that should help, as well as some reflection time with the info from this thread,

    Tar
    njee20 wrote:
    The secret rider wrote:
    Right - I guess this is a tad confusing for people to follow sorry.

    I'm sorry for the confusion. I thnk being only one week into all this I should probably wait although I've done a few rides I probably need to get a good feel for what I want / need.

    I would not say the money was a huge deciding factor and yes I guess at the moment I am driven by aesthetics but I am sure that will all change the moment I encounter a problem.

    It's all a learning curve at the moment and a ideally do appreciate all your and others advise ... Even if I seem to be not taking it in I am .

    Thanks

    Just give some thought to what you actually want, aside from the looks. Do you want lighter, stronger, or just to look better? If the latter than you may as well just get the Crossrides and save the money, but they'll likely be heavier than what you have and no stronger.

    As I said there's nothing inherently wrong with the SLRs, but there's little right with them either.

    The Crossride and the Crossmax SLR are a bit like looking at an Audi R8, then comparing it to an A1!
  • appy
    appy Posts: 408
    What about the cheaper cross rides? ive got them on my Norco SIght 2 and the other halfs Ghost AMR. Never had any issues.
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    ride_whenever wrote:
    Why not go the whole hog:

    $_12.JPG

    No idea what those are, but I like 'em :D
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    cyd190468 wrote:
    I know a few guys with SLRs and the older versions hubs require regular maintainence bit it is easily done. Regarding the spokes, they are often hard to get and expensive but on the other hand I don't know anyone that has ever broken one, so it probably doesn't matter. But as njee said, it's alot of money for a "look". But if you've got the money, why not, i say.

    You can pop them out of the hub shell relatively easily, a friend managed that several times! you end up replacing them because the alu threads on the nipples get chewed.
  • chrisw333
    chrisw333 Posts: 695
    Just ride with the wheels already on your new frickin' bike.

    Once you've got a feel for what is good or bad on it, then look at upgrades.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    chrisw333 wrote:
    Just ride with the wheels already on your new frickin' bike.

    Once you've got a feel for what is good or bad on it, then look at upgrades.

    This. It astonishes me how people with little experience of MTBs just throw money at new bikes they've barely ridden, you might as well just take a couple of hundred out of the bank and burn it. Take the time to learn the bike, what you like and don't like about it. If you blow £XXX on a set of wheels then realize you want new forks but can't afford it because you blew all your cash on fancy wheels you'll look and feel like a bit of a chump.
  • The secret rider
    The secret rider Posts: 812
    Solid and sensible advise thanks.

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