Cyclocross - would this be a good cross wheelset?

ultegra/openpro?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=19730&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=5320&CFID=88948709&CFTOKEN=13762711

i need to replace my stock wheels, and i plan on racing this next season... would they hold up? thoughts concerns suggestions on what else i should do?... ... i want black rims.

Well, it depends on the quality of the spokes they use to build them but in general you can't go wrong with these hubs and rims. I used exactly those wheels with Sapim "Race" spokes for seven or eight years before I switched to Campagnolo. Still use the Mavic rims (Open Pro for clinchers and Reflex for tubulars) but now with Campa Record and Chorus rims.

I have 105 hubs/ 32-spoke open pros on my beater rain bike and they never let me down. But aren't most XC bikes spaced 135 in the rear?

Actually all European cross bikes use 130mm spacing as they run complete road gruppos - except for the canti brakes and smaller chainrings. 135mm spacing is typical for American bikes which are usually more a mix of road and MTB parts (cranks, hubs, cassettes, v-brakes, disk brakes). I suppose it's a matter of traditions. The old vs. new world :)

I'm thinking about those wheels as well, and I can even imagine, from the Performance shop in Rockville. I talked to the guys there about the wheels, and the main thing they pointed out is that since these are low-profile rims, Mavic makes 'em extra strong to compensate for the lack of a V-section that usually toughens up cyclocross-esque rims like the CXP 33s.

I've heard mixed reviews about them, but I've still seen 'em used at cyclocross races. I've heard that since the hubs aren't sealed that they won't hold up under dirty muddy rainy icky exposure. Either way though, cyclocrossworld.com does also sell this same wheelset, so they must be good. I'm actually contemplating getting them from cyclocrossworld.com as they might be more properlly built.

What do you all think?

Don't listen to all the crap you might here about the wheels. They wiil be fine for both cross and road. If you progress and do really well at cross you might start to think about some deeper rims, but that would be far down the road. I think the wheels would be a good decision. Ron

Why is the CXP33 considered "cyclocross-esque", given the fact that both Mavic Reflex (tubular) and Open Pro (clincher) have been a standard in the European cyclocross scene for decades? I've never ever seen anyone use the CXP33 overhere.

High profile rims have become the standard over the past decade because they slide through mud better, but for that purpose the you need something like 45mm or higher in carbon and not the heavy CXP33.

This would be a beefier version that would ideal for cyclocross or anything else you throw at it.. 36 hole / 105 hubs on Mavic A719 rims.. for 235.00

http://performancebike.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=a719

When it comes to stiffness, I don't feel CX demands much more than
a road bike due to its wider tires and lower pressure and lower speeds.

A mavic 719 would be nice for a studded tire on a trip around the south
pole, but man that rim is heavy. CXP33 (455), Open pro (430) or even
the IRD niobium (sub 400) is more than enough.

I agree with Lectron. Two 719's and a pair of 105 hubs are probably the heaviest wheels one can build and in cyclocross - due to the big tires and low tire pressure - there is absolutely no need for them.

I ride 36 hole DT spokes with 3x lacing Mavic open Pros with Daytona hubs on my cross bike. No problems at all. The wheels have heldup extremely well.

ultegra/openpro?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=19730&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=5320&CFID=88948709&CFTOKEN=13762711

i need to replace my stock wheels, and i plan on racing this next season... would they hold up? thoughts concerns suggestions on what else i should do?... ... i want black rims.

Open Pros are very good sets. Last year I used a set of Performance Titans.......no issues, a very strong wheel set.

I am having a set of Mavic A719's built up on XT hubs and DT 3 crossed spokes, with Kenda Kross Extreams 700 x 35 and yes they are heavy... but so am I (220lbs). I picked the 719's because some of the Mtn bikers I know, who are running on 29er's are using the same rims, and I ride my cross bike on some really rocky trails (I use it more like a road/mtn bike than a cross bike). Since the only cross race I'm doing this year is the IRON CROSS 2007 (62 miles, 6500+ feet of climbing) I can afford to run heavier rims. I usually trash wheels because of my size and and limited abilities. For true cross racing I would go with Open Pros and you should be fine. Just my 2 cents.

Just recently bought a nice set of handbuilt wheels via ebay. They were built on Shimano LX/Disc Compatible Hubs with Mavic A119 rims.. 36 hole and will work with both rim and disc brakes.. I found this to be a nice feature since I am using rim brakes now but disc is always a possibility in the future..

The build was solid, the wheels a little heavier than my stock Open Pro - 36 hole wheels but that is what I expected. I initially bought these for more offroad use on the Cyclocross bike with the thought that I may do some light touring later in the summer.. Being a heavier rider over 200+ pounds I have found that using 36 hole rims give your fewer problems down the road, so that is what I was looking for..

The seller shipped the wheels the same day I paid and they arrive to me California 2 days after purchase.. Overall super satisfied.. With expedited shipping/insurance they were right at 161.00 total.. Here is a link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200075287705