Hi
I have a pair of Mavic Crossmax ST wheels that came on my Giant trance x0.
I have been riding these for about 3 years in which time they have remained perfectly strait and have never needed to be be trued (even after being hit head on by a car).
Whilst riding the other day I snapped a spoke on the rear wheel. I took it my local bike shop to have a new spoke put in. I went to collect the wheel a couple of days later and have been told that all the spoke nipples have seized and are snapping instead of turning. They tried drilling some out to no avail. I have been quoted £170 for a full rebuild which includes a new rim, spokes and bearings/free hub service or £310 for a new wheel.
I had the wheel back to try and remove the seized nipples, I have sprayed a penetrating fluid on the front and rear and left it for a few days but it’s made no difference, the nipples still snap instead of moving.
I have bit the built and taken the wheel in to be rebuilt but I’m concerned that the same will happen again.
Can anyone offer advice on how to prevent this in the future. One of the staff in the shop says he sprays his from the outside with wd40 every now and then to hopefully stop it but he isn’t sure if it will work or not.
I spoke to the Mavic service centre who said it’s a common problem due to the way the thread is formed (punched with a rolled edge to give more area to thread) and that I could occasionally spray into the valve hole into the inside of the rim profile with a penetrating fluid but again he couldn’t say if this would make any difference at all. He mentioned that it is less likely to happen when running UST as most of the water enters through the valve stem hole, the Mavic UST valves have a rubber washer externally which should help prevent this.
So, my question is, can anyone offer any better advice on how I may be able to prevent this happening again?.
Otherwise it’s a bit expensive every time a spoke breaks.
It’s definitely work considering and checking if looking to purchase second hand crossmax wheels.
It will make me think twice about buying anything that uses proprietary parts in the future.
Many thanks
Andy
It will make me think twice about buying anything that uses proprietary parts in the future.
This.
Nowt you can do, be glad you've not got an 8 month wait for spokes!
Never had nipples seized in a mavic rim before, most common for us is the nipple seizing to the spoke preventing truing i think you have been unlucky there, every time i wash a my bikes mavic wheels or not i spin the wheels up in the workstand and spray then with GT85 and wipe off access, keeps them trouble free and brings them up like new.
I have the same wheels on my Yeti.
Had it serviced at LBS a few weeks ago who noticed the same thing with twisted spokes and when trying to true the wheels 2 snapped.
Mechanic managed to lube the rest to allow him to sort it but he said the Mavic wheels have a 3 year life and I should start thinking about a rebuild.
I was planning it for later this year anyway but unlikely to be buying Mavic but mainly because I want something a bit lighter.
They've served me well and came in a build kit.
Thanks to all who replied.
I should be getting the wheel back in a couple of days with the new rim and spokes.
I have been using the wheels intended for my cove stiffee which are hope pro2 evo hubs on mavic 819 rims. I really like these wheels and am considering selling the crossmax st's to fund a second pair for my giant.
How much do you reckon i can get for the crossmax's?
Andy