Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Mavic Crossmax ST VS Stans Flow
  • oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    i know the price is much more for the ST’s (i can get them at a good good price), but are they really that much lighter/faster/better?

    they do look mint in the flesh if that counts for anything thats for sure, and they are proper UST, which at the minute the tape has been causing me issues on my flows, its a pain when it gets a kink in it etc, where as UST is obviously just fit and forget

    the only major thing that worries me is the rim width? the mavics i believe are 19mm internal but not sure what the new flow ex are? my flows i think are 22mm internal and it does seem to make the profile of the tyre wider/generally sit better, but i never had issues when i rum mavic xm819 ust rims, so it cant have been that much of a problem

    ive heard/read/been told that they are mighty quick as well the ST’s is that just due to lightness of them? or is it due to a better a hub than the hopes?

    sandal100
    Full Member

    I’ve used crossmax st on my tracer 2 with hans dampfs for nearly a year now. They are incredibly light which is where the speed comes from, they pick up pretty quick as well. However, I have just sold them and bought some flow ex/ pro 2 evo wheels. The wider rim really makes the tyres sit better, the internal width of the flows was quite a lot bigger than the external of the crossmax. My bike now feels a lot better on cornering due to the extra support from the flows and while there is a weight difference, I don’t really feel it!

    I’ve not had any bother with the tape in the flows, I fitted a tyre and tube before fitting tubeless to squash the rim tape down into the rim.

    If I had the choice again, I would’ve bought the sx over the st, or just gone straight for what I have now.

    ae212060
    Free Member

    I have just replaced my ST’s with some SX’s. If you are more of a descender I would definitely advise the SX route.

    Saying that, the ST’s have ran faultlessly for well over a year with minimal maintenance. They are still running well on my second bike having seen numerous gravity enduro’s and mini DH races.

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    dan45a
    Free Member

    I swapped my flow/pro2 on my enduro to ST’s for trail riding. They are definitly faster engaging and quicker rolling but like sandal100 says the tyre profile is not quite as good on the flows.

    For me I prefer the speed of the ST’s for trail centre riding, especially longer routes, but swap to the flows for uplift days and holidays.

    Perhaps SX’s are the middle ground, but I dont think they are much wider than ST’s. Easton Havens could be a good option, they are wide, UST, strong and the newer ones don’t suffer the hub issues…

    tasteslikeburning
    Free Member

    +1 for Flow Ex. Exactly what sandal00 says. I think Flow EX have 24mm internal width. They are mighty strong, I’ve recently got them on Am bike but have had them on my DH bike for a year and not a single ding so far, including 1 week of DH in the Alps. If weight is an issue, Stan’s Arch are lighter and still have 21mm internal width. I’ve used Mavic 819’s and they are also superb but I’m now convinced a 2.3+ tyre works better on a wider rim.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    hmmm interesting stuff here!

    i do like the way bigger tyres sit on the flows, thats for sure….but i like the weight saving/speed of the crossmax, im not into anything like ‘proper’ downhill, just many rocky descents, woods, few smallish jumps and xc/am riding i guess

    im running a HD front tyre (2.35) and a Racing Ralph rear (2.25)

    its more so the ease of UST again, but it is a shame they crossmax arent slightly wider for the tyre profile – that said mavic must be happy with it as theyve not changed it at all

    ive not seen the havens are there any good offers around on them?

    scruff
    Free Member

    I’ve always been a Mavic 819 user until I got Flows but wouldnt go back, had one ding in 2 years inc Alps & uplifts. No problem tublessing with a well prepared rim (rough up, degrease) using good quality tape (I use Gorilla tap from screwfix). If your lighter then Arch EX would be fine I guess, newer Flow EX pretty beefy rim although still light enough for a bigger rider.

    If I had more money Id chuck some DT 240/ CK etc hubs on Flows, would still compare pricewise with SXs.

    butterbean
    Free Member

    I’d build a set of Arch EX onto a set of DT 240S’s.

    Use a sensible spoke to increase stiffness, then it will be as light as a set of ST’s with a wider rim & far superior hubs, with no issues of getting spares.

    danielgroves
    Free Member

    Flow EX on Pro2 Evos here. Love them, wouldn’t change them for the world right now. Can change the hubs to what ever I like and all tyres are a breeze going up on the rims.

    I don’t use rim tape on mine, so no creasing issue. Instead I put three layers of insulation tape over the entire internal width, being careful not to go up onto the walls at all, makes getting tyres on/off a breeze, seals perfectly and doesn’t effect the performance/tyre pressures or anything at all.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    what weight is a st crossmax wheelset? what weight is the flow ex wheelset with tubeless tape in?

    anyone have any idea?

    d45yth
    Free Member

    the tape has been causing me issues on my flows, its a pain when it gets a kink in it etc,

    That sounds like the tape hasn’t been stretched properly when fitted.

    Why the Flow EX’s too? There are other rims in the NoTubes range that are more comparable to the ST rims.

    The Mavic rims (ST and SX) are solid and can take some abuse…I sold mine though, due to the poor hubs and spokes that many places don’t stock.

    EDIT: The ST’s are supposed to be 1650g…I can’t confirm that and don’t know if that is with the valves. I do know the Flow Ex’s on CK hubs with DT Swiss DB spokes, brass nipples, tape and valves would be about 1900g.
    The Arch EX rims would be 180g lighter (90g per rim).

    This might be of use too: Stan’s rim comparisons. 😉

    dan45a
    Free Member

    2012 onwards ST’s are actually 1590g, which is very light for how strong they are. Mine stand up well in gravity enduros.

    I would say it all depends on the OP’s intended use. Why would you run a 1900g wheelset if you are not doing gravity type riding.

    Oscillate Wildly – if you are concernded about tyre profile and wider rims perhaps look at other rims that are lighter than flow ex’s. Arch ex could be it..

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    cheers dan45a – lovely enduro BTW 😉 looks much nicer with the crossmax on!

    1590grams, jeez that is pretty light really, guess thats why they are almost double flow/pro2 price….

    i can get them for a stupid price at the min, but its a one off pair due to a little scratch, which im not arsed about at all! its just justifying the extra money!

    jairaj
    Full Member

    I’d consider the ST to be more of a trail wheel where as the Flow is much stronger can be used for DH.

    A fairer comparison would be the ST verses a Crest or Arch EX.

    I’ve always found Mavic wheelsets are way over priced compared to what you can get with a custom build.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    never even gave the sx’s a thought, they are still ligther than the flow/pro2 option

    i think to be honest the ST’s would be plenty, just general peak rides, some xc routes in white peak etc and odd trail centre, nothing my old trusty xm819’s couldnt deal with really!

    the only off putting thing really is the rim width, everything else is favourable to the ST’s (price aside of course ha!)

    ae212060
    Free Member

    ST’s would be more than enough for what you need then!

    butterbean
    Free Member

    the only off putting thing really is the rim width, everything else is favourable to the ST’s

    Apart from the price, spares, questionable Mavic hub reliability, etc.

    Far better to get an off the shelf built wheel where you can get all the bits anywhere, that will be comparably as light too.

    d45yth
    Free Member

    Far better to get an off the shelf built wheel where you can get all the bits anywhere, that will be comparably as light too.

    The reason why I sold my ST’s…I’d had to sent them off to the Mavic service centre, as nowhere local had any parts.

    sandal100
    Full Member

    Oscillate Wildly – Member
    never even gave the sx’s a thought, they are still ligther than the flow/pro2 option

    i think to be honest the ST’s would be plenty, just general peak rides, some xc routes in white peak etc and odd trail centre, nothing my old trusty xm819’s couldnt deal with really!

    the only off putting thing really is the rim width, everything else is favourable to the ST’s (price aside of course ha!)

    If that was all I was doing I would have stuck with the ST’s but I also ride downhill on my Tracer and race gravity enduros and while they are good enough, I wanted wider. I am quite big though, probably 15 stone kitted up so exert a lot of downward pressure.

    I raced Hamsterley enduro two years on the trot, 1st year I had flow on superstar and I was quicker then than I was this year with the crossmax due to, I think, the bike feeling like it was going to wash out on most corners. It was the same tyres and partly put it down to the width causing tyre roll.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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