Mavic MA40 vs G40
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Mavic MA40 vs G40
Does anyone remember what years Mavic MA40 and G40 where in production? Velobase is quite loose about them.
Which came first? And what are the differences?
VeloBase - Mavic G40
VeloBase.com - Component: Mavic G 40
VeloBase - Mavic MA40 - red label
VeloBase.com - Component: Mavic MA 40
Which came first? And what are the differences?
VeloBase - Mavic G40
VeloBase.com - Component: Mavic G 40
VeloBase - Mavic MA40 - red label
VeloBase.com - Component: Mavic MA 40
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
No sign of them in Mavic catalog 1980:
MAVIC catalog (1980)
MAVIC catalog (1980)
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Found some more info:
Velo-Retro: Mavic Timeline
1982
Introduction of G40 hard-anodized clincher rim.
Introduction of G40 hard-anodized clincher rim.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,874
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1856 Post(s)
Liked 664 Times
in
506 Posts
I bought my first Mondonico in about 1986, it had been built about two years earlier with MA-40 rims. I think they were state of the art at the time, at least for Mavic?
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
What is the recommended spoke tension for Mavic G40? Sometimes vintage rims are rated as being a bit weaker than modern, but G40 are famous for being sturdy clincher rims. G40 is also hard hard-anodized. Is 100–110 kgf resonable spoke tension for rear drive side? Please share if you have Mavic's data on this.
I could not find any info about spoke tension in the Mavic catalog 1984/1985:
The Bicycle Info Projet: Mavic
I could not find any info about spoke tension in the Mavic catalog 1984/1985:
The Bicycle Info Projet: Mavic
Last edited by 1987; 08-02-22 at 04:21 AM.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,448
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 874 Post(s)
Liked 2,287 Times
in
1,278 Posts
I am not sure about spoke tension but I’m sure one of the many wheel builders will chime in. I just got a nice set of the G40 wheels built up with Phil hubs . The guy I bought the bike they came on (donor bike) did not know very much about mechanics had let them go without tuning. A few rotations and my spoke wrench and they came right in . Mine have a grey or lighter anodize than my daughter’s MA40 wheels. I tuned both sets of her wheels and they stayed true so I don’t know how the G40’s got out of true. He must have done some rough roads, it wasn’t his weight , he was skinny and only about 5’3” tall. They came with 28c tires and I have 25c tires waiting on them. Both the MA40 and G40 have a good reputation for being strong wheels though. I also have a set of 32h Mavic Open Pro on my Medici that has been ridden a lot and they are very nice wheels.
#10
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,987
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1174 Post(s)
Liked 2,569 Times
in
1,073 Posts
Dunno, I don't use a tensiometer, but if you have numbers for the Module E2, that should work for G40 too because it's the same rim. The G40 was just dark anodized, some say "hard anodized" and that might even be so, depending on your definition of hard ano. I wore out a pair of G40 rims and I'd say the ano isn't anywhere near as thick as I've seen elsewhere, like Calphalon pans or Zebralight flashlights. I'd call it decorative ano. But I'm no expert on anodizing, just a guy who builds wheels and rides them. Someone here knows more about it no doubt.
But even a decently thick ano layer isn't going to change the spoke tension, right? I mean I'm open to ideas, feel free to clue me in if you know otherwise, but my flabber will be gasted if someone here thinks dark ano rims are actually any stronger/stiffer etc. They might last a little longer if thinning from using the brakes is what kills rims in your usage. For me though, it's more likely to be denting the rim that does it in. Now their ceramic coating on the other hand, that really did extend the lifetime against braking wear, again if you avoid denting them. I'd guess the ceramic coating is maybe ten times more durable than any anodizing I've seen on rims. Still wouldn't change the spoke tension though!
As G40 is to Module E2, so is MA-40 to MA2: same rim, dark anodized.
E2 originally was polished with no ano, but then later they started silver or clear anodizing thhe E2, calling that "Argent". Not all Argent rims say Argent on the label though.
I don't remember ever seeing the MA or MA2 rims unanodized (just polished), I think those got the Argent treatment from the get-go. Anyone remember? They hyped ano as an upgrade, but I think it was cost-saving, cheaper than polishing. Polished rims can start to look bad when the alloy gets oxidation or other corrosion on its surface, but it can be re-polished fairly easily. When anodized rims look bad, there's no polishing that out without removing the ano first, which is kind of a big hairy deal with strong chemicals. And dark-ano rims look HORRIBLE when the brakes start to wear through the dark and show the silver underneath. It's never even, it's all blotchy with worn spots showing up adjacent to each spoke hole. Well everbody here knows what that looks like, I doubt there's any huge fans in the house, fans of half-worn-out dark ano rims. Fashion-conscious types would throw away those wheel when the ano got ugly, or sell them cheap at a swap meet, though they were still fine for riding on.
So for me, I'd pay extra for polished, i.e. gimme a Module E2 over a G40 any day, for a bike that's going to get ridden.
At some point they started using stainless ferrules at the spoke holes, but early E2 rims usually have rusty ferrules when you find them now, with typical outdoor all-weather usage. Even NOS examples depending on how they were stored. Or is that only here in the Pacific Northwet? Anyway the best rims are polished/unanodized, with stainless ferrules. Oops but nobody asked me! There I go again...
I will say, I dearly loved my G40 rims, until I wore them out. I thought they looked awesome — for a while I drank the hard-ano kool-ade at the time. No wait, I just remembered, word on the street was they were "heat treated". I only heard dark rims called heat treated (even though that wasn't true) — nobody used the term anodized at first, in the bike shops I went to or racers I heard from. I don't think Mavic advertized them as heat-treated, but they were slow to get the word out that they weren't. Or to be fair, all rims get some form of treatment involving heat, so you can say they're heat-treated, but the dark ones didn't get a different heat-treatment or "more" heat treating. That was just color.
Mark B
But even a decently thick ano layer isn't going to change the spoke tension, right? I mean I'm open to ideas, feel free to clue me in if you know otherwise, but my flabber will be gasted if someone here thinks dark ano rims are actually any stronger/stiffer etc. They might last a little longer if thinning from using the brakes is what kills rims in your usage. For me though, it's more likely to be denting the rim that does it in. Now their ceramic coating on the other hand, that really did extend the lifetime against braking wear, again if you avoid denting them. I'd guess the ceramic coating is maybe ten times more durable than any anodizing I've seen on rims. Still wouldn't change the spoke tension though!
As G40 is to Module E2, so is MA-40 to MA2: same rim, dark anodized.
E2 originally was polished with no ano, but then later they started silver or clear anodizing thhe E2, calling that "Argent". Not all Argent rims say Argent on the label though.
I don't remember ever seeing the MA or MA2 rims unanodized (just polished), I think those got the Argent treatment from the get-go. Anyone remember? They hyped ano as an upgrade, but I think it was cost-saving, cheaper than polishing. Polished rims can start to look bad when the alloy gets oxidation or other corrosion on its surface, but it can be re-polished fairly easily. When anodized rims look bad, there's no polishing that out without removing the ano first, which is kind of a big hairy deal with strong chemicals. And dark-ano rims look HORRIBLE when the brakes start to wear through the dark and show the silver underneath. It's never even, it's all blotchy with worn spots showing up adjacent to each spoke hole. Well everbody here knows what that looks like, I doubt there's any huge fans in the house, fans of half-worn-out dark ano rims. Fashion-conscious types would throw away those wheel when the ano got ugly, or sell them cheap at a swap meet, though they were still fine for riding on.
So for me, I'd pay extra for polished, i.e. gimme a Module E2 over a G40 any day, for a bike that's going to get ridden.
At some point they started using stainless ferrules at the spoke holes, but early E2 rims usually have rusty ferrules when you find them now, with typical outdoor all-weather usage. Even NOS examples depending on how they were stored. Or is that only here in the Pacific Northwet? Anyway the best rims are polished/unanodized, with stainless ferrules. Oops but nobody asked me! There I go again...
I will say, I dearly loved my G40 rims, until I wore them out. I thought they looked awesome — for a while I drank the hard-ano kool-ade at the time. No wait, I just remembered, word on the street was they were "heat treated". I only heard dark rims called heat treated (even though that wasn't true) — nobody used the term anodized at first, in the bike shops I went to or racers I heard from. I don't think Mavic advertized them as heat-treated, but they were slow to get the word out that they weren't. Or to be fair, all rims get some form of treatment involving heat, so you can say they're heat-treated, but the dark ones didn't get a different heat-treatment or "more" heat treating. That was just color.
Mark B
Last edited by bulgie; 08-02-22 at 05:02 AM.
Likes For bulgie:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,448
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 874 Post(s)
Liked 2,287 Times
in
1,278 Posts
The anodizing is a surface treatment that can be up to .010” thick and very hard depending on the application. It is a hard surface compared to raw alloy. It would definitely keep the wheel from being scratched or dinged easily but also corrosion. As Mark pointed out, that is until the coating wears out. If spec’s as a “hard anodize” it can be quite resilient. The early to mid Trek’s came with the hard anodized Matrix wheels that were almost black and , to me , seemed to have thicker coating. But, in time, the brake wear become visible and some don’t like the effect . I doesn’t bother me any more than the patina that comes with a bike that gets ridden a lot.
#12
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,987
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1174 Post(s)
Liked 2,569 Times
in
1,073 Posts
Oh wait, Mario Emiliani wrote in Bike Tech Magazine (April 1984) that anodized rims are stiffer! He made some assumptions and cranked some numbers, came up with 21% stiffer than the same rim with no ano. I don't think he measured the stiffness of any actual rim, in anodized and unanodized variants, to confirm that 21% number, so it seems very suspicious to me. Call me unconvinced.
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
Likes For bulgie:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,401
Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 375 Times
in
162 Posts
This is from the Spring 1991 Colorado Cyclist catalog.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: EagleRiver AK
Posts: 1,306
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 60 Times
in
33 Posts
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Mark B
Mark B
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,448
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 874 Post(s)
Liked 2,287 Times
in
1,278 Posts
Oh wait, Mario Emiliani wrote in Bike Tech Magazine (April 1984) that anodized rims are stiffer! He made some assumptions and cranked some numbers, came up with 21% stiffer than the same rim with no ano. I don't think he measured the stiffness of any actual rim, in anodized and unanodized variants, to confirm that 21% number, so it seems very suspicious to me. Call me unconvinced.
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,401
Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 375 Times
in
162 Posts
I have built maybe a dozen sets of wheels over the years and never used a tension gauge.
When the rim is round and straight- it’s good to go.
#18
Bike Butcher of Portland
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,637
Bikes: It's complicated.
Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4680 Post(s)
Liked 5,798 Times
in
2,283 Posts
Dunno, I don't use a tensiometer, but if you have numbers for the Module E2, that should work for G40 too because it's the same rim. The G40 was just dark anodized, some say "hard anodized" and that might even be so, depending on your definition of hard ano. I wore out a pair of G40 rims and I'd say the ano isn't anywhere near as thick as I've seen elsewhere, like Calphalon pans or Zebralight flashlights. I'd call it decorative ano. But I'm no expert on anodizing, just a guy who builds wheels and rides them. Someone here knows more about it no doubt.
But even a decently thick ano layer isn't going to change the spoke tension, right?
Mark B
But even a decently thick ano layer isn't going to change the spoke tension, right?
Mark B
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#19
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
Oh wait, Mario Emiliani wrote in Bike Tech Magazine (April 1984) that anodized rims are stiffer! He made some assumptions and cranked some numbers, came up with 21% stiffer than the same rim with no ano. I don't think he measured the stiffness of any actual rim, in anodized and unanodized variants, to confirm that 21% number, so it seems very suspicious to me. Call me unconvinced.
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
So let's say the G40 may in fact be stiffer then the E2, but so what? That doesn't by itself mean you'd use different spoke tensions, does it? In my understanding, you basically want the highest tension the rim can sustain for the long haul without either buckling or developing cracks. Such thin-wall rims as these, the limiting factor was cracks 9 out of 9 times in my experience — never heard of anyone taco-ing one from over-tension. And ano'd rims do not have a better track record against showing cracks at spoke holes.
In fact, didn't Jobst Brandt actually claim the opposite, that ano was making rims crack? Sorry I don't have a reference to cite, maybe the rec.bikes.tech newsgroup? He said photomicrographs or microphotographs (whatever ya callem) showed numerous cracks in the ano layer (because it's brittle) that could propagate into the metal below. I don't remember the outcome of that argument, but at least some people though ano made rims more likely to crack. If so then maybe the spoke tension should be lower on the G40.
Well I'm not helping to answer this question at all, am I? I'll shut up now.
Mark B
The bike industry survives on a thin veneer without much science. That's why
it takes Darwinian time to sort out what's good. There are always new moths
to fly into the flame of the candle of research, as they crash in flames...
it takes Darwinian time to sort out what's good. There are always new moths
to fly into the flame of the candle of research, as they crash in flames...
__________________
RUSA #7498
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
Last edited by ThermionicScott; 08-02-22 at 07:05 PM.
#20
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,193
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1565 Post(s)
Liked 1,295 Times
in
865 Posts
My experience with building and maintaining G40-rimmed wheels was very good, their shape structure and metallurgy allowed building to relatively high tensions (100+kg) with nary a hint of instability pushing the rim out of true at higher tension levels.
Other narrow rims might begin to show instability at lower tensions.
With 36 spokes, no need to reach for much higher spoke tensions than 100kg imo.
The later MA40 rims did turn up with cracked inner walls too often, but it was always later in the rim's life (the hard-anodization seemed to be a requirement for this malady to turn up).
I do think that their hard-anodizing added structural bending resistance (having straightened many of these period rims using force when needed).
The sidewall anodization of the MA40 was pretty thick and resisted wear for quite a while. It was also extremely slippery when wet if high-performance urethane pads were used (red/salmon pads improved on this, slightly).
Inside width of the E2/G40 rims was under 13mm, while the boxier MA2/MA40 rims were about 1mm wider internally.
The earlier E2/G40 rims better match the classic shape aesthetic of period tubular rims for what that's worth.
I think that the competing Super Champion Gentleman rim offered the best of all worlds, shapely like the G40 and a bit wider like the MA40 (though at a perhaps heavier weight by 10 grams or so?).
Other narrow rims might begin to show instability at lower tensions.
With 36 spokes, no need to reach for much higher spoke tensions than 100kg imo.
The later MA40 rims did turn up with cracked inner walls too often, but it was always later in the rim's life (the hard-anodization seemed to be a requirement for this malady to turn up).
I do think that their hard-anodizing added structural bending resistance (having straightened many of these period rims using force when needed).
The sidewall anodization of the MA40 was pretty thick and resisted wear for quite a while. It was also extremely slippery when wet if high-performance urethane pads were used (red/salmon pads improved on this, slightly).
Inside width of the E2/G40 rims was under 13mm, while the boxier MA2/MA40 rims were about 1mm wider internally.
The earlier E2/G40 rims better match the classic shape aesthetic of period tubular rims for what that's worth.
I think that the competing Super Champion Gentleman rim offered the best of all worlds, shapely like the G40 and a bit wider like the MA40 (though at a perhaps heavier weight by 10 grams or so?).
Last edited by dddd; 08-03-22 at 01:02 PM.
Likes For dddd:
#21
tantum vehi
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,440
Bikes: More than I care to admit
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1167 Post(s)
Liked 992 Times
in
491 Posts
Eight year old zombie thread! But then classic rims never go out of style and the added info is great!
So did we ever determine which was the better rim? I have a tendency to collect these rims if they look decent - they build easily (even used, as long as they haven’t been abused) and stay true nearly forever. And they are some of the easiest rims to true. They are nearly bomb proof.
I wish Mavic hadn’t destroyed their 650b dies… They truly made some of the best rims on the planet.
So did we ever determine which was the better rim? I have a tendency to collect these rims if they look decent - they build easily (even used, as long as they haven’t been abused) and stay true nearly forever. And they are some of the easiest rims to true. They are nearly bomb proof.
I wish Mavic hadn’t destroyed their 650b dies… They truly made some of the best rims on the planet.
__________________
1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
Likes For mountaindave:
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,448
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 874 Post(s)
Liked 2,287 Times
in
1,278 Posts
Eight year old zombie thread! But then classic rims never go out of style and the added info is great!
So did we ever determine which was the better rim? I have a tendency to collect these rims if they look decent - they build easily (even used, as long as they haven’t been abused) and stay true nearly forever. And they are some of the easiest rims to true. They are nearly bomb proof.
I wish Mavic hadn’t destroyed their 650b dies… They truly made some of the best rims on the planet.
So did we ever determine which was the better rim? I have a tendency to collect these rims if they look decent - they build easily (even used, as long as they haven’t been abused) and stay true nearly forever. And they are some of the easiest rims to true. They are nearly bomb proof.
I wish Mavic hadn’t destroyed their 650b dies… They truly made some of the best rims on the planet.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,905
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4806 Post(s)
Liked 3,928 Times
in
2,553 Posts
That G40 looks like an early GP4 with horns. I built a pair of GP4s mid '80s and put 17,000 PNW miles on them - completely trouble free. I think I tweaked a spoke or two twice. They died from the rims wearing clear through; that super abrasive lava dust. In places I could have read a newspaper line through the sidewall. (Try that with clincher!)
Building up those GP4s and various GELs as a I swap back to sewups and glue.
Building up those GP4s and various GELs as a I swap back to sewups and glue.