[DirtEveryDay]

I've run Arrow DHXs, MTXs, and Bomshell FatDaddys over the last 2-3 years. The Arrows were a great rim to learn on, but a little too heavy for my widely varied riding styles(and trail choices in my neck of the woods). The MTXs seemed great but very easily aqired small dents, dings, and folded bead lips. The FatDaddys have been pretty decent up until today. Just fully hacked a gap today between two grounded boat docks were near our trail let out(they were just sitting there...what was i supposed to do, ignore them?), cased HARD and gave the rim a really nice pucker! Rim was buckled out enough to nearly hit the seat/chain stays! HOWEVER, I managed to not even flat the tube, rode as hard as ever the rest of the day. That's pretty cool. Rim didn't even crack. But, I like to run a fair amount of tension on my spokes, and the spokes are actually pulling through the rim. The rim is puckering at several eyelets and the powder coating is flaking off in those spots, which is why I noticed in the first place.

So, with a little less spoke tension, I'm thinking that the Fat Daddys are still in the runnings, as well as the MTX rim. But I'm looking at the mavic Dee Max as well. What's the other mavic that everyone seems to love. I don't want the 321(or whatever it's called now, as it's just as heavy as the Arrow, which I know 1st hand is stong as f__k). DT Swiss claims the FR 6.1d is supposed to be so badass, but the reviews on it say otherwise.
Help me out again boys, my threads are always fun...

 

[Bicyclist]

Mavic 721s are popular.

I run either Singletracks or Rhyno Lite XLs and like them. The Singletracks dent but don't pinch and the Rhyno Lites don't dent but they pinch.

I'm gonna try 721s next I think.

 

[Thrillkil]

I've been running fat daddies, and I found them to be cheap, reliable, and at a reasonable weight. good stuff all around.

 

[RD3]

Can't go wrong with Mavic 729s or 721s.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

I've been running fat daddies, and I found them to be cheap, reliable, and at a reasonable weight. good stuff all around.

That's kinda where I'm sitting on them as well. Hell, $100 easily buys two rims, I buy the polished and then drop another $15 to powdercoat them my color of choice(I'm a princess, what can I say? My stuff is purdee).
As for the Singletracks/Single Wides(they ARE the same, aren't they?), I've got a pair in the basement with 17 cracks in the rear and 12 in the front. Ran them for less than one month! GRANTED, that there were a few stair gaps in there as well... Add that to a low tire pressure and it can prob happen to ANY rim...?

 

[bballe336]

If I were going to buy a new wheelset right now there are only 3 rims I would consider: 721's, 729's and MTX's.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

What's the difference between the 721s and the 729s? I'm loading the Mavic site right now, but my computer is slooooow, so it'll be tomorrow before I can answer my own question!
What are the weakness of the Mavics? MTXs have the weak rim lip, but somethin I can work with as well...

 

[skinny mike]

get some 721s built up by a really good wheelbuilder and you will have some sturdy wheels.

 

[Bicyclist]

The 721s are 21mm wide and the 729s are 29mm wide. The 721 gives a pointier tire profile, the 729 is flatter and therefore dents easier.

 

[vtminuteman]

DT swiss is now using a harder alloy on the fr6.1d rim; (late 06 and on) that will stop the bead lip from folding in so easy. With that sloved it would be a nice rim.

 

[jake133]

I want 721's, but i can only find then for 65 and i am kinda cheap, especially when i can get singletracks for 20 each.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

There's a reason they're $20 each...and I'd keep the $20.

It seems a LOT of pros are running the new FR 2350(?) wheelset. I LOVE that red, wish they sold just the rim!

 

[DirtEveryDay]

And I would prefer BURLY over LIGHT any day of the week. Hell, I've gotta push now, might as well push a slightly heavier bike up and feel more confident on the way down!

 

[jake133]

They are 20 new.

 

[RaID]

DT swiss is now using a harder alloy on the fr6.1d rim; (late 06 and on) that will stop the bead lip from folding in so easy. With that sloved it would be a nice rim.

thats good news, hopefully it fixes the problem. Im suprised how straight my rims have stayed vs how easily they flat spot. If they stop them flat spotting they should be a much better wheelset especially for the weight

 

[Bicyclist]

They are 20 new.

He's saying they're crappy, not that they're jacked up by someone.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

ONLY my opinion, take it with a grain of salt! As stated, there were a few "conditions" that may have contributed to my experience with them!

 

[Wayne]

Mavic 721's are awesome, but they dent much easier than 729's, which are another very good rim. I'm riding Atomlab Pimplites right now and so far no complaints. They weigh about as much as the 721 and thus far seem strong.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

So, what was the verdict on the new DeeMax rims? No good?

 

[S.K.C.]

As for the Singletracks/Single Wides(they ARE the same, aren't they?), I've got a pair in the basement with 17 cracks in the rear and 12 in the front. Ran them for less than one month! GRANTED, that there were a few stair gaps in there as well... Add that to a low tire pressure and it can prob happen to ANY rim...?

Negative:

...and believe it or not the Single Track has a wider inner width @ 25.64mm compared to the Single Wides' 22.22mm

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Singlewide=crap.

 

[phlegm]

In my experience... rims are the least worried about part on my bikes. They come, they go. Cheap and staying true are my concerns. S-Types do that for me for the time being... they're dirt cheap, and they stay true for the most part. Yes they dent easily. No matter. For the price they're a throw away item anyway.

 

[davep]

So, what was the verdict on the new DeeMax rims? No good?

There is no such thing as a 'Dee Max' rim. DeeMax is a wheel set. The current consumer version uses a custom 823 rim with 28 spokes, painted yellow. This wheel set is ridden by some pros, but many of the Mavic riders use other mavic rims (721s a few 729s) on different a variety of hubs, painted yellow to resemble what is sold as 'Dee Max'. If you got a true rim off of the wheel set, you would not be able to mount it as it would only have 28 spoke holes.


So I guess the closest answer, the rim that is used for the Dee Max, is the 823, but you cannot get them in yellow.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Ahhh. Thanks for the clarification. I knew they were 28 spokes, so I'm not sure what I was thinking...

 

[julian_dh]

whats the word on the 823 is it the best if tubeless is your thing and if your light on wheels?

 

[PatBranch]

729's and 721's are really good. Singletracks came with my bullit. I had no idea how strong they would be. I have done a few stupid things riding street and they are still perfect. Singletracks are about 50-100g heavier than 729's.

Maybe, mine were built up REALLY well.

 

[dexter]

729, 823 and 721 all you need to know

 

[Jin]

721!!! deemax are overpriced

 

[no skid marks]

The 823 is strong as a wheel and dosen't dent easy,probably the best rim I've run in that regard. The screw in nipple retainers are rumoured to strip out easily although I've had no problems and I smashe a wheel to far from round and they stayed in. They are heavy but with a tubless tyre they're not much heavier as a complete wheel than the other Mavics tubed. They're in between the other two Mavics for width.
I had a single track fold chip shaped very easily,I'm trying one again on the front only(for weight)but only cause I had it and I am scared.
Stick with Mavc,you can't get better.
Oh yeah,the 521's don't like old Maxxis(and possibly others)in 2.5,the tyres can come off the rim and for this reason I don't really like them.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

So I'm down to the following 4:
Bombshell Fat Daddys- $50 for a rim, mid weight class, and actually pretty damn burly.
Sun-Ringle MTXs- Cost about the same as the Bombshell, mid weight class, strong, but with a weak bead lip.
Mavic 729
Mavic 721

The Mavics are fairly expensive, really. Considering that ANY wheel would not have survived my super-case into the boat dock, but ya' gotta pay a toll for stupid actions, right? I'm more concerned with everyday wear and tear. Eyelets, small dings and dents, trueness.
I went from a Demo 8 to a short travel bike and I think it may take a few bad ideas to get me to smooth out a little, so I'm gonna hammer my FatDaddy back into a donut and see how long it survives while I learn!

BTW- Anyone know the weights of the Mavics?

 

[kidwoo]

So I'm down to the following 4:

Mavic 729
?

Those are the 321s you said you didn't want because they were as heavy as the arrows. But you're in luck!! They're not as heavy as the arrows and they're some of the best rims made. And unlike the 721 that pinches a 2.5 tire into a roadie profile, they're wide enough to put on a real tire and not have it fold over on you in turns.

729: 675g

arrow dhx: 820g

 

[Mugger]

I run Rhino Lites on my hardtail (mmmm light), but they buckle too easy. I've got 721 on the front of my DH bike and looking to replace my 10" hucking rear rim with another one.

I've seen a few 729's dent really easy, few of those flatspots have started to develop a crack, but problem was also poor maintance....

721's are the hot rims.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Can't go wrong with Mavic 729s or 721s.

agreed. have 729s on my DHR and 721s on my RFX.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

OK, been doing my homework and I'm def going right back to the FatDaddys!
Check this out:
Mavic 729= 675g
Mavic 721= 590g
DT Swiss 6.1d=595g
Arrow DHX= 820g
Arrow FRX= 640g
SunRingle MTX=640g
Bombshell FatDaddy=560g

And I'm NOT a smooth rider. They've lasted me a solid year with no issues other than a few stretched spoke holes, but I will call that my own fault until I see what the next pair look like in a year. As I said, I like a LOT of spoke tension. I cased my rear one so hard yesterday that the buckle it caused in the rim hit both seatstays. I had to then wail the piss out of it on both sides to get it to clear and rode it pretty damn hard all day, like harder than I've ridden most of the summer. Didn't even pinch flat, didn't pop the bead or nuthin. I can't think of much more a rim could be expected to do, right? So, that tough of a rim at 560 grams? Done deal. Oh, and $50 a pop. I'll go for the black ano'd this time, but if you order them polished, scuff the surface for 30 seconds, you can have them powdercoated and built in a day. That, and if they're good enough for the Claw, I should be alright!

 

[Cave Dweller]

Those bombsheel rims are as wide, if not wider then a 729. No way they come in at 560grams. If they do they must be a thin rim.

And they are a pinned joint, and it looks like they don't have eyelets from the pictures.

I wouldn't use them, but if it rocks your socks then by all means go ahead.

EX721's are the hot rims IMO. 1 1/2 years on my DH bike and still going (with a few flat spots but still true), and i ride rocky trails, weigh 95kg and am by no means smooth.

 

[Cave Dweller]

Download the catalouge dude

http://www.bombshellparts.com/bombshell_catalog_2006.pdf

Page 5, bottom right hand corner, Fatt daddy rim = 726 grams

Your research skills need some work

 

[J5ive]

DT swiss is now using a harder alloy on the fr6.1d rim; (late 06 and on) that will stop the bead lip from folding in so easy. With that sloved it would be a nice rim.

Close, but not the right information.

The 6.1 has changed shape, not material. Obviously they found that the old model dented stupidly easy. So much so that they started to advertise it as a feature- comon now... GOSH!

Pros switched to the 5.1 and found it dented less due to shape. They share the same material. So they have adopted the shape over to the 6.1 and apparently it has fixed the issue. Guess we'll see.

I'm going to give the 5.1s a shot next year. So far they have held up on the hardtail. I'm happy to do a few rebuilds on the dh bike for the weight benifit.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Download the catalouge dude

http://www.bombshellparts.com/bombshell_catalog_2006.pdf

Page 5, bottom right hand corner, Fatt daddy rim = 726 grams

Your research skills need some work

Got my weight off BTI's page. My bad for believing what I read on the internet. Of course...maybe YOUR info is wrong! And If I remember correctly, the Fat Daddys are 1mm narrower(is that a word?) than the 729s. Or maybe it was the DHXs...I'm goin nuts.

And rim joints do not fail any more than welded joints do. The weld, in my opinion, is just a cover up. A bandaid. I would prefer a welded joint over a pinned, but joints can really only fail if the wheel build does. Maybe like a front clasp bra accidentally popping open easier than a rear clasp because the straps are too loose? Hell, I don't know...but now I gotta go play with some boobies.

 

[In8Racing]

If you've got $$ get the 721's.

If you're a broke ass biotch get the Singetracks.

Thank you and good night.

 

[JohnnyBoyDH]

32 hole Mavic Deemax's

Tires mount up easy, strong and light.