Crossmax VS hope/mavic

[Bruno]

I want to buy a new wheelset for my Cannondale, and I don't know which to chose!! (I need a lefty hub)

1) Mavic crossmax SL Lefty
700euro

2) Woodman front hub, Mavic 717, DT swiss spokes
Tune rear hub, mavic 717, DT swiss spokes
eclipse tubless system
TOTAL WEIGHT IS 240gr LESS THAN CROSSMAX!!
700euro

CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME TO MAKE A DISCISSION???
thanks!! greets from Belgium!

[elendil]

I would go for tune/woodman: lighter and stiffer, easier to get a service.

[limba]

That's easy,get the tune/woodman.

[yoko]

I agree with Elendil & Limba. Tune/Woodman combo!

[520 Dan]

i'm going to agree with everyone above, but only for weight/coolness factor.
However, how would this wheel be stiffer than arguable one of THE best ever factory wheels? Those wheels are pretty stiff and pretty tough, albeit heavy.

also, how would these wheels be easier to service? Every bike shop just about is a mavic dealer, plus these wheels come with their own service wrenches, so how could that be harder to service than 2 small manufacturer hubs that are suberlight?

I might be totally wrong in my assumptions, so don't jump on me for niavete, but i actually would like you guys to quantify your statements so I know. Thanks

[elendil]

Well, a good handbuilt wheel with Tune hubs, Mavic X717 and DT spokes IS stiffer than a Crossmax SL. The Crossmax SL isn't that stiff.

If you have a problem with a handbuilt wheelset, e.g. a spoke is damaged, every shop will have a DT spoke. But a Crossmax spoke? Or a Crossmax rim? Every shop has X717s...

And I'm sure you find more Tune hubs out there than Crossmax SLs.

[limba]

Well, a good handbuilt wheel with Tune hubs, Mavic X717 and DT spokes IS stiffer than a Crossmax SL. The Crossmax SL isn't that stiff.

If you have a problem with a handbuilt wheelset, e.g. a spoke is damaged, every shop will have a DT spoke. But a Crossmax spoke? Or a Crossmax rim? Every shop has X717s...

And I'm sure you find more Tune hubs out there than Crossmax SLs.

What he said.

[520 Dan]

I still disagree about the stiffness thing, i've ridden those wheels and they seem pretty stiff to me. (I am pretty light though 68 kilos)

however, I used to work in a shop, and we stocked both ksyrium and crossmax spokes, which rarely broke. (they usually bend, and when I have seen bent spokes, it never threw the wheel out of true, which shows me that the wheels were pretty tough) YOu rim comment does ring true though, and although i forgot to look at the original posters location, if he is in the US, there are about 10x more crossmax hubs here than tune hubs, but that doesn't mean that tune hubs aren't easy to service.

[nzkiwiguy]

I have a set of crossmax sl's and love them. they are stiff but it's a brittle stiff, if that means anything. If you do go with the SL's make sure you get spare spokes (I think you need three lenghts) I broke a spoke on my rear wheel in the transalp last year in the back of Austria. Still was able to race for another three hours on the wheel. Had the wrong spare. Ended up being lucky that the only shop in town when I got there had a new bike on the floor with the SL's on it. He took two spokes off it for me. (very cool). Otherwise i was up the creek without a paddle.

However my favorite sets of wheels are my customs, so go with them.

[elendil]

Oh, I didn't know that there are so many Crossmax in the US. Here in Germany you find much more Tune wheel sets than Crossmax, I don't know what's the situation in Belgium. So you can't compare the situations (regarding service in shops and so on). That's just what I've experienced here.

Well, for a light rider Crossmax may be stiff enough, that's true. So if you're around 70kg stiffness won't matter. But if you trust in tests of magazines the Tune Superlight wheel set is much stiffer.

[carlos]

crossmax wheels are flexy, heavy, leak air, have weak hubs... but hey, all the pros ride them! theyre expensive!they looks cool! who cares about performance?.... for me, those are the only reasons to buy crossmax wheelsets, or if you know nothing about building a wheel.

tune, king, dt,xtr, phil, any of these hubs with dt or mavic rims and dt or sapin spokes will be lighter, stiffer, cheaper and more durable than costmax wheels.

but who is going to spend U$700 on a boutique wheelset and say that its heavy, flexy and have cheap quality hubs?