Hi all
Am in the process of building a bike up (Mega AM) and have the option of some secondhand Mavic Crossmax SLR wheels for £300.
I was going to get some Hope Pro2 or Superstar Switch Evo hubs with Flow rims for same price??
Are the SLR robust enough for Alps/Scotland/Wales/Calderdale or basically a race/XC rim?
Any advice gladly received.
Oh BTW Pike or Lyriks??

Don’t think mavic crossmax slr fit your type of build or alps riding. Would be thinking mavic crossmax st or sx.

Hope pro2 flow are a safe option. I have set for alps trips and uplift days, I find them slower longer uk trail centre ride so have some crossmax st’s for that.

The Hope/flows will definitely work for you. I have them and have been very happy and they’ve had some abuse (poor riding technique) and been on a couple of Alps holidays. So question is why risk it ?

How heavy are you and what is your riding style like? I only ask because I have Stans Arch Ex on Hope hubs on both my bikes. I’ve smashed them about (literally, given the number of crashes I’ve had) in North Wales, the Lakes and the Peaks. Not doing any massive drops or anything, maybe 2-3 foot at best, but I ride reasonably hard and fast. I’m 6’4″ and the wrong side of 16 stone and they’v never missed a beat and are as true as the day I bought them.

Conversely a good mate of mine is of a similar size and weight, generally rides trail centres and is a more cautious rider. He had some Crossmaxes (not sure which ones but they were more xc orientated) and had no end of problems with them (bearings in the hub and spokes IIRC). Upshot is they now sit in the garage and he’s got the same wheels as me.

Hardly a scientific cross section, but nless you weigh 20 stone and/or are going to be hucking the bike off 6 foot drops I’d go with Arch Ex on Hope.

Ahem… http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fsswap-hope-hoops-pro-2-evoflow-26

Or look for a secondhand set of Crossmax SX (not ST) if you want the ultimate bombproof AM wheels. The SLRs would be hopelessly flimsy on such a butch, manly frame.

And I’d get a Pike or a Marz 55 RC3ti.

Cheers guys
Think it will be the hope/stan combo.
And pikes!

Building my Mega AM, I had the same dilemma. Have arch ex/hope on other bikes. There are some good 26inch wheel deals in the classifieds like those above. I looked at crossmax as well, but decided I wanted something with standard spokes/easy to service if it all went wrong when in the alps/away and tough as old boots.

I’m sure the SX’s would be fine if you could find a cheap set (!) but I’d stay well away from the SLRs.

Oh and Deville’s not Pikes 🙂

Used to run sx’s, good strong wheels if you don’t set out to charge rock gardens with total abandon.They are more than up to the task for UK riding as long as you aren’t the king of crap tail whip landings.

Almost the same question I asked a few days ago on another forum. I couldn’t decide between Crosstrails or Hope/Crests/Flows. In the end I got a set of Hope/Crests due to them being £180 rather than £350 plus new!

I’ve also got a set of Pikes on mine, obviously I can’t comment on how good they are but going on general reviews you can’t lose!

Take the option that doesn’t bind you to silly spokes and incompatible rims, imo. Mavic are fine day to day but in the long term the lack of adaptability of any “wheel system” is a bollocks.

Alex-
wish i could stretch to Devilles but pretty limited budget
Like the look of pikes too!