Mavic CrossMax SX - Beauty meets Burly.
Jun 23, 2009
Mavic has been in the wheel game for a while now. Everything from XC, to Enduro, to DH wheels have been manufactured in Mavic's factory, and they all seem to include some pretty cool technologies. Recently we picked up a pair of the Mavic CrossMax SX wheels. They feature some previous, along with some new technologies from Mavic that make them a unique wheelset.
Read on for more information...
Read on for more information...
The CrossMax SX wheels are some of the flashiest I've seen to date, but that is a Mavic trademark if you think back to the original Yellow and Black DeeMax when they hit the scene years ago. Attention to detail and graphics is a Mavic trait, and the CrossMax SX follows that trait to a T.
Weighing in at 1755 grams for the pair, the CrossMax SX wheels feature a chemical anodization process Mavic calls CD. CD is a process that forms a micro-hardness on the surface of the rim, which slows down the wearing application of breaking, improves the characteristics of the aluminum alloy application and the rims last longer, and makes the wheel easier to build and true. With a 21mm internal width the CrossMax SX wheel was designed to run a 2.0" - 2.5" tires. The rim has also been shot-peened, and anodized Grey for a dull, durable finish. The CrossMax SX wheels feature a white decal job, with some fancy swirls, and nice logo detail.
Not only does Mavic use some unique technologies on the hoop, but the spokes and nipples are pretty fancy to. Laced with 24 grey spokes in the front and the rear, which are made out of Zicral, the CrossMax SX wheels are designed to be light, and minimalistic. For those of you who don't know, Zicral is a manufactured form of 7075 Aluminum. The spokes are straight pull, round, and lace directly into the rim. During the manufacturing process the CrossMax SX hoop is machined with "chimneys" for the M7 nipples to go into. Basically, Mavic forges a hole in the rim, then threads it, and puts one of their massive nipples in it. This process is referred to as FORE. It allows Mavic to build a stiffer wheel, which provides better power transmission. The rim has better fatigue resistance (Mavic claims 4 times stronger), and seeing as it's part of the rim's hollow portion, it makes the CrossMax SX tubeless ready.
The hubs on the CrossMax SX are machined out of aluminum to fit a 135x10, and 20x110mm sizing. Mavic uses the ITS4 system(instant transfer system 4), this consists of 4 pawls, working 2 by 2 in order, and each pawl has its own spring. This side by side pawl placement makes for a really responsive drive mechanism, while the separate spring for each pawl reduces the risk of failure. The hubs use QRM+ bearings which are sealed cartridge bearings, but with high precision adjustment rings. This allows you, the user, to tighten any play in your bearings extremely easily, and adjust bearing tension by using the provided tool.
On the trail we were very pleased with the CrossMax SX wheels. They did show signs of a little drag when we originally mounted them up, but after the first ride they were worn in, and ready to plow! Once worn in, the CrossMax SX wheels seem to have very little rolling resistance and spin forever.
The overall "wear" on these wheels was a bit noticeable near the end of our test. We had beat the CrossMax SX wheels pretty hard on some different terrains and even bogged them in the wet and cooked them in the dry. At the end of our test, a small amount of lateral play in the rear wheel was present. This could be caused by a couple things. The two main ones that come to mind are the adapters for the axle were loose, or the bearings were loose. The bearings are adjustable using the provided wrench, however, if the adapters were bent or warped that could cause possible future issues. We weren't able to determine the final issue before the wheels had to go back. All the spoke tensions remained tight, and the rim still rolled true while being boxed up for their trip home.
All in all our riding experience on the CrossMax SX wheels was awesome. They have their own unique sound, thanks to the ITS4 engagement system. Not only did they perform up to snuff, but they look super hot, and have a great durable finish. At the end of our time spent riding the wheels, we're happy to say that the rims remained dent free, which I think is a success in itself.
We never ran the CrossMax SX wheels and tires as a tubeless combo as we never had a set of UST tires here at the office. But in 5 weeks of riding we only suffered one flat tire and it wasn't the hardest tube to change despite the UST bead on the rim.
The CrossMax SX wheels break down to 825 grams for the front, and 930 grams for the rear. They come in International Standard Disc mount, and Center-Lock. Mavic also has adapters for the front wheel so that you can swap it from a 20mm thru axle down to a regular QR axle. This is something that many wheel companies are doing and we're not complaining! It's one less wheel set we have to purchase.
You can get your hands on some Mavic CrossMax SX wheels by visiting your local shop and have them contact the distributor in your country. Check out www.Mavic.com for more information.
In Canada, Mavic is distributed by Outdoor Gear Canada.
Weighing in at 1755 grams for the pair, the CrossMax SX wheels feature a chemical anodization process Mavic calls CD. CD is a process that forms a micro-hardness on the surface of the rim, which slows down the wearing application of breaking, improves the characteristics of the aluminum alloy application and the rims last longer, and makes the wheel easier to build and true. With a 21mm internal width the CrossMax SX wheel was designed to run a 2.0" - 2.5" tires. The rim has also been shot-peened, and anodized Grey for a dull, durable finish. The CrossMax SX wheels feature a white decal job, with some fancy swirls, and nice logo detail.
Not only does Mavic use some unique technologies on the hoop, but the spokes and nipples are pretty fancy to. Laced with 24 grey spokes in the front and the rear, which are made out of Zicral, the CrossMax SX wheels are designed to be light, and minimalistic. For those of you who don't know, Zicral is a manufactured form of 7075 Aluminum. The spokes are straight pull, round, and lace directly into the rim. During the manufacturing process the CrossMax SX hoop is machined with "chimneys" for the M7 nipples to go into. Basically, Mavic forges a hole in the rim, then threads it, and puts one of their massive nipples in it. This process is referred to as FORE. It allows Mavic to build a stiffer wheel, which provides better power transmission. The rim has better fatigue resistance (Mavic claims 4 times stronger), and seeing as it's part of the rim's hollow portion, it makes the CrossMax SX tubeless ready.
The hubs on the CrossMax SX are machined out of aluminum to fit a 135x10, and 20x110mm sizing. Mavic uses the ITS4 system(instant transfer system 4), this consists of 4 pawls, working 2 by 2 in order, and each pawl has its own spring. This side by side pawl placement makes for a really responsive drive mechanism, while the separate spring for each pawl reduces the risk of failure. The hubs use QRM+ bearings which are sealed cartridge bearings, but with high precision adjustment rings. This allows you, the user, to tighten any play in your bearings extremely easily, and adjust bearing tension by using the provided tool.
 |  |  |  |
On the trail we were very pleased with the CrossMax SX wheels. They did show signs of a little drag when we originally mounted them up, but after the first ride they were worn in, and ready to plow! Once worn in, the CrossMax SX wheels seem to have very little rolling resistance and spin forever.
Spinning out of the corner
The overall "wear" on these wheels was a bit noticeable near the end of our test. We had beat the CrossMax SX wheels pretty hard on some different terrains and even bogged them in the wet and cooked them in the dry. At the end of our test, a small amount of lateral play in the rear wheel was present. This could be caused by a couple things. The two main ones that come to mind are the adapters for the axle were loose, or the bearings were loose. The bearings are adjustable using the provided wrench, however, if the adapters were bent or warped that could cause possible future issues. We weren't able to determine the final issue before the wheels had to go back. All the spoke tensions remained tight, and the rim still rolled true while being boxed up for their trip home.
All in all our riding experience on the CrossMax SX wheels was awesome. They have their own unique sound, thanks to the ITS4 engagement system. Not only did they perform up to snuff, but they look super hot, and have a great durable finish. At the end of our time spent riding the wheels, we're happy to say that the rims remained dent free, which I think is a success in itself.
Getting some drift on
We never ran the CrossMax SX wheels and tires as a tubeless combo as we never had a set of UST tires here at the office. But in 5 weeks of riding we only suffered one flat tire and it wasn't the hardest tube to change despite the UST bead on the rim.
Dropping in
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $899.9 | |
| Weight | Front: 825g. Rear: 930 g | |
| Color Options | Grey anodised | |
| Hub Dimensions | Front: 20mm x 110mm. Rear: 12mm x 135mm (9mm QR with adapter) | |
| Wheel diameter | 26" | |
| Riding Genre | Freeride | |
| Tire Rating | UST Tubeless & Tubetype. Recommended tire sizes: 2.0 - 2.5 | |
| Rim width | 21mm c (internal) | |
| Spoke Count | 24 | |
The CrossMax SX wheels break down to 825 grams for the front, and 930 grams for the rear. They come in International Standard Disc mount, and Center-Lock. Mavic also has adapters for the front wheel so that you can swap it from a 20mm thru axle down to a regular QR axle. This is something that many wheel companies are doing and we're not complaining! It's one less wheel set we have to purchase.
You can get your hands on some Mavic CrossMax SX wheels by visiting your local shop and have them contact the distributor in your country. Check out www.Mavic.com for more information.
In Canada, Mavic is distributed by Outdoor Gear Canada.
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64 Comments
- + 8
dabomb666
(Jun 23, 2009 at 0:22)
these are a bit pricey, but they do look pretty sweet!
mmmm) if i had the money, i wouldnt know wich one to take: Crossmax SX vs. DTSwiss EX1750....hard choisse!
did you read there add for their reasoning for that?
i dont know much about it but it sounds pretty cool, and solid!
i dont know much about it but it sounds pretty cool, and solid!
Just saying the DT would be more appropriate for DH-applications than the Mavic. Isn't the SX made for xc~all mt?
I bought a pair 2 months ago. Immediately I was blown away with their stiffness, tracking and performance. I am 100% satisfied with them, and feel that they will last this fat ass of mine a long time.
i want them.... but i was gonna build up so green atom lab rims on green chris king hubs... =( now i don't know what to do...
Its a bit pain in the ass that U can't buy the rims from this wheelset sperately as the aftermarket rims. I really miss an UST disc rim from maxtal at around 550g or a bit lighter, and I bet these on crossmax SX are like that.
Thing is; where would you find a 24 spoke hub and the spokes with nipples specially made for the flow drilled rim? It is a wheel system rather than components.
spokes is no problem, as u can use the ordinary ones, U just need nipples. And yea 24 spokes is the problem, so would be good to see a rim like that in 32/36 option. Thing is, Mavic has no strong, lightweight aftermarket Allmountain rim. No one else has...
You have to use Mavic's proprietary spokes and nipples with their Crossmax SX, ST, SL, and SLR wheels.
them rotor tabs look like the same cheese on my old deemax, dont immagine the new freewheel mechnism is any better than the last version, the ust threaded nipples pull outta the rim just like before....atleast theese new versions cant loose the spoke at the hub connection....only decent mavic products are non-ust rims and road skewers, if you value your hard earnd money stay far away from these and build your own wheels that weigh less, with better components for less money....but then again there is a sucker born everyday...
I'm not disagreeing with you, but what wheelset could you build that could take the same beating and weighed LESS than these ones? I built a DT Swiss 340/5.1d set that is probably similar in performance, but weighs more, and is close in price, so I'm wondering what you'd use?
HOPE PRO2 front 20mm +rear 135 9spd + DT db spokes and nipples =755g.
halo Excite/Mavic X317 440g ea. =1635g 80g less
WTB speed disk 500g ea. =1755 equal
WTB Lazer disk 475g ea. =1705g 50g less
considering its an XC wheelset, I'd feel way better on DH proven hubs than mavics famous garbage hubs, yes these are XC rims but they are comparable if not stonger than 24 aluminum spokes on the mavic rim, pro2 weight is on 32 steel spoke build and any sub 500g rim will build a set weighing less than these and last way longer, work better and cost less call me crazy, but if I were after a stupid light wheelset this would not be it, the french can keep'em
halo Excite/Mavic X317 440g ea. =1635g 80g less
WTB speed disk 500g ea. =1755 equal
WTB Lazer disk 475g ea. =1705g 50g less
considering its an XC wheelset, I'd feel way better on DH proven hubs than mavics famous garbage hubs, yes these are XC rims but they are comparable if not stonger than 24 aluminum spokes on the mavic rim, pro2 weight is on 32 steel spoke build and any sub 500g rim will build a set weighing less than these and last way longer, work better and cost less call me crazy, but if I were after a stupid light wheelset this would not be it, the french can keep'em
More spokes doesn't mean stronger wheel. The Deemax only has 28 spokes and it is ridiculously burly.
not from my personal experiances, my nipple inserts pulled outta the rims, rotor mounts cracked, and the freewheel blew up, I cant think of anything else that coulda possibly gone wrong with a set of wheels. I've had better results on rhyno lite XL's... mavic sells MP3 insurance at your expense with there wheels because there garbage- you have to pay extra for them to stand behind their product....if you think otherwise, you dont ride hard enough, can afford new wheels all the time, and/or are a victom of clever marketing, and I'l take 32 steel spoke over 24 aluminum spokes anyday of the week.....ridiculously burly?... not the case, go ahead and waste your time and money, I know where its at for me
I've never seen you ride so I wont argue, I've had enough comments on how smooth I ride that I am confident in my abilities to ride smooth, I have a set of rhynolites that are still tru since they were built in 1996, I got less than 2 years outta my deemax so your point is irrelivant, as much as I'd like to have a pissing contest I'l save my time and just give the facts as based on my experiance as I see it....and I'l let you spend your own money as you see fit....only thing worse than being a sucker is to let a sucker keep his money
Well everyone seems to have different experiences with wheels, so this whole argument is moot. My Deemax wheels were very strong, as were my Crossmax SX wheels. My current 5.1D rims are quite strong, as have been most of my wheels except my Dual Duties (WTB wheels are a load of shit). I've seen almost every wheel in both extremes, either perfectly straight, or tacoed beyond repair.
I doubt its 21 - Their top of the line aftermarket xc rim [Xc717] is 22mm wide, the internal width is for the rim tape, Mavic don't quote the external widths of their stuff
If it is 21'' then they're more for CX ain't they? You can still run 2.5 tyres in those but the more width you get the more stable you're ride is going to be.
BTW, I am on DTs (the EX 5.10 ones) laced onto Pro IIs (Hope) and overall weigh is still under 2k. These are probably lighter and if I am to go by the review, they seem to be as noisy as the ones I've already have (this is due to the rachet's mechanism). To be honest, these rims had been put down in my shopping list, but in the end I bought the other ones just because of how dear they are.
"I doubt its 21 - Their top of the line aftermarket xc rim [Xc717] is 22mm wide, the internal width is for the rim tape, Mavic don't quote the external widths of their stuff"
You are just trolling, right? You have to be...
Personally I'd take a couple extra hundred grams, if need be, for a wheelset where I get to choose my hubs, rims, spokes and nipples. System wheels are fine until something goes wrong; even something as minor as a broken spoke.
You are just trolling, right? You have to be...
Personally I'd take a couple extra hundred grams, if need be, for a wheelset where I get to choose my hubs, rims, spokes and nipples. System wheels are fine until something goes wrong; even something as minor as a broken spoke.
I've had them XC717s, but in the end I traded up to what I am on now, most particularly, because of what you are saying. Price was one of the things, but the fact you can choose your individual setup acording to your likes got me around in the end. I am not saying them ones don't look goods, but you cannot base the whole thing on looks can you?
BTW, my old XC717 wheelset came with my RM Slayer as stock setup, but they're only 17mm (I believe) and came running some 2.35 WTBs, which is ridiculous.
BTW, my old XC717 wheelset came with my RM Slayer as stock setup, but they're only 17mm (I believe) and came running some 2.35 WTBs, which is ridiculous.
Gosh
- I wasn't disagreeing to the 21mm internal width, that's quite plainly written up there!
When 'smeckma' asked for the width of the crossmax SX rim, most people want the external width when they ask this question, not the internal width that 'truffles' quoted - The old X317's [which I believe to be identical to the Xc717's] are 22mm wide from edge to edge - the Crossmax SX is a much more heavy duty wheelset, so is no doubt wider!
so no 'rexluthor', I'm not trolling, merely trying to help!
- I wasn't disagreeing to the 21mm internal width, that's quite plainly written up there!When 'smeckma' asked for the width of the crossmax SX rim, most people want the external width when they ask this question, not the internal width that 'truffles' quoted - The old X317's [which I believe to be identical to the Xc717's] are 22mm wide from edge to edge - the Crossmax SX is a much more heavy duty wheelset, so is no doubt wider!
so no 'rexluthor', I'm not trolling, merely trying to help!
I was actually coming from internal width which, like I said, is only 17mm: I've already measured it up.
The rim width on the inside is 21mm which means that it should have around 26 - 28mm wide external measurement. They look nice and I was going to buy a set but I went for the Easton Havoc AM, and so far they have exceeded my expectations..
"the CrossMax SX wheels feature a chemical anodization process Mavic calls CD. CD is a process that forms a micro-hardness on the surface of the rim, which slows down the wearing application of breaking"
Very useful, for all 0 of us still running rim brakes... 'spose if it helps stop them getting scratched it's not a bad thing mind.
Very useful, for all 0 of us still running rim brakes... 'spose if it helps stop them getting scratched it's not a bad thing mind.
been running mine for a month now on my enduro. great wheels. took them to highland bike park and the wheels stayed true. recommend going for the mp3 program from mavic juuust in case you manage to roast one. im 200 lbs and havent yet well see.
[Reply]
mavic is rad,this kind of strenght at 24 spokes is crazy,makes the old 45 spoke bombshells a little overkill lol
[Reply]
i have a pair of the previous model SX, i weigh 16 stone and only had the rear tweaked once. no problems as of yet except clearance issus with the rotor catching my post mount... 15 month old and going strong.
i've been on mine for about 3 months now and have been totally satisfied until i weighed them against my 2009 deemax and there was almost no weight difference. so now i wish i had just bought another pair of deemax since they look way cooler and are a lot stronger.
its been awhild but i'll put them on my scale again but i remember thinking that i was ridiculous that there wasn't much difference in weight.
There's a 405 gram difference between the new Crossmax SX wheels and the new Deemax wheels. That's almost a pound.
The review said they had them for 5 weeks? Hardly long enough to make a determination on durability and yet they developed play in rear? That needs to be followed up on before I would be willing to consider. Way to pricey for so little real world knowledge.
Just picked up a pair for my Mission! I didn't base my purchase on this artical but on years of being a mechanic and servicing Mavic product, it's good stuff for sure!
[Reply]
hopefully the hubs are better than what's out there for xl's right now, they suck. mavic wheels are awesome, hubs, not so good.
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