I got new wheels today-- Mavic A319's on XT hubs, replacing the same set ($200). I got 20,000 out of the old set. I don't know if I should be happy with that performance or not, though they went about triple the distance of the stock Bontrager set.

The old Mavics are still true and all spokes are fine, but the rear rim has several hairline cracks at the eyelets. They may go a while, but they don't inspire confidence on the long rides.

So, what is your expectation as you put on a new set? If it's a big number, what wheels?

I built a set of wheels about 20 years ago (Wolber TX rims, Dura-Ace 32H hubs, straight 2.0mm spokes). I've ridden on those wheels part time for the past 20 years, could be 20k miles. These are freewheel-type hubs and I break axles frequently. I've noticed in replacing axles that the bearing races seem to be worn a lot so I decided to build new wheels.

Shortly after I built those wheels I bought a used bike on consignment. Its wheels have Campy Athena 32H hubs, Mavic Open4 CD rims, spokes unknown. I've ridden those wheels a lot over the past 20 years also. I've found a new rear freehub and I bought new spokes so I'm going to rebuild those rims shortly. Those wheels are still working fine but the front wheel has some loose spokes. I haven't ridden the rear wheel in a couple of years so offhand I don't know what the status of its spokes are.

My feeling is that if you get GOOD wheels, meaning good components and built by someone that knows how to get the proper tension, then they will last a long time.

~ 9,000 miles

But I ride a lot in the winter and we use sand and volcanic cinder for road traction around here. It gets on the rims and acts as a grinding paste when you hit the brakes.

Until I do something stupid.

Every rim I've had to replace was my own falt.

This will come as a surprise to most of the C&V folks, but I have a set of Matrix Safari wheels, with a Malliard Helicomatic rear hub with 26 years and between 10,000 and 20,000miles still going strong.

20,000 miles is a long way, brake tracks don't usually last that long. You must ride on clean roads. If your hubs are good, the spooks are good, and you can get the identical rim, you can lace the new rim on the old spokes. (I'd use new nipples). That's something you ahve to do yourself, as no shop will do it, because they can't guarantee the work, not knowing the spoke history. But if the wheels were built properly, the spokes will last longer than several sets of rims.

I put over 20,000 miles 4 (years) on my Deep V. The brake surface wore down and blistered. So it was retired for safety purposes eventhough the sucker never went out of true. But I do build my own wheels. I've built another with over 6,000 in the last year with no problems. My weight is anywhere from 230-245 running 700 X 23's. Make sure to retension ANY/ALL wheels after 200-300 miles, makes a big difference in wheel life.

I do ride in Califronia, lots of climbs and fast downhills but no moisture which really helps preserve the brake surface/brakes etc.

FTR, I had 3 Mavic OP's built, one by a trusted wheel builder along with 2 others and none lasted more than 2,000 miles when I weighed 230 lbs.

This is what I do, since I wear through rims like a madman. As long as the ERD is the same it works fine.

Just zip-tie the new rim to the old one, making sure the valve holes are matched up, and that the off-centering is the same if you're using an OC drilled rim. Loosen the spokes evenly around the old rim until it is detensioned, and then transfer the spokes over 1-by-1 to the new rim into the corresponding holes, this way the spoke crossings are preserved on the new wheel.

I have disc brakes, so no rim wear. I guess I got my money's worth out of the wheels. But I may try the re-lace trick to have a back-up set; rims only aren't too much. I like Clifton's zip-tie trick, where you would not even have to learn how to lace.

I commute all weather (except snow - I'm in Utah so the weather is mostly hot and dry). I've ridden on cross, mountain, and road bikes - 46K miles so far. I'm 200-230 lbs. My shortest wheel life was 500 mi (mavic rims (mtb) - the sidewall cracked), my longest is the wheels I'm on now (Velocity aeorhead). I've ridden LX hubs (1-2K miles then ratty), XT hubs (3-6K then ratty), and the speedcific ones that Mike Garcia sells (11K just starting to get ratty). I'd be way happy with 20K miles

I've popped spokes by the dozen, cracked rims at the spoke holes, and blown out sidewalls. I hate wheels. I've been on Mavic (I can't remember which one but it was a common mtb rim - sucked big time), Sun Ryno-lite (mtb) (heaver then neutron stars but totally bombproof), Velocity aeroheat (mtb) (great, loved it), the Velocity aerohead (road) I'm on now is also great.

Don't know. Heavy steel Worksman 26" wheels, 7,000+ miles with nary a problem other than replacing or lubing bearings or brake. Raleigh Sojourn- about 4,400 miles on the stock rear wheel, 511 miles on the Weinman rim they replaced it with under warranty, and still going on the hand-built wheel I replaced that with. Front Sojourn wheel is doing fine at 5,500 miles or so.

If 20,000 miles is considered poor performance, you may need consuling.

It depends. The Shimano Wh500 wheels only lasted 500 miles - they just wouldn't stay true. Some skinny guy uses them now.
Neuvation M28 Aero2 - 12k miles and counting. These are now my backup wheelset, and I also use them on the trainer. I've broken a couple of spokes on the rear wheel.
Mavic Ksyrium SL - I had 6k trouble free miles on them when I sold them with my Kestrel.
Handbuilt, DT Swiss 1.1 rims, 240 hubs, comp. spokes - I'm up to 8k miles on these. They rear needs to be trued, so I'll also take care of hub maintenance at the same time (regreasing).

OP - those are mountain bike wheels? I really don't know how long I'd expect them to last - I have a mountain bike but like most SUV's it rarely goes off the road. I mostly use it for tooling around with my kids.

JB

I don't keep track of how many miles I log on a wheel set but I've ridden between 6k-10k miles/year for the last ten years(for those math challenged that's between 60,000 and 100,000miles on these wheels).
All of my wheels are listed below and their ages and any problems I've had with them. Some of these wheels I use on the tandem and single bike and I still use all of them.
2000 Mavic Open Pro Ceramic 32 spoke (probably my least used wheels since 07. Schmidt dyno hub laced to the front) two broken spokes when the wheels had less than 500miles on them. None since it was re-laced.
2000 Shimano Dura Ace 16 spoke (relaced two months ago, first broken spoke)
2003 Zipp 404 28spokes No broken spokes
2007 Topolino AX 3.0 carbon/kevlar spokes (used on the tandem occasionally). These have been my main wheels since I got them. One broken spoke on the front wheel after hitting a pothole at 50+mph
2010 Zipp 404 32 spoke tandem wheels. No broken spokes, one cracked rim hitting a pothole at 50+mph.

The usual cause for me to replace some wheels is rim wear from braking. If you're using disc brakes and riding on roads, I'd think 20000 miles was OK but not necessarily exceptional.

If your don't use your brakes so much they won't wear out your rims so fast! My Op's that I usually use If I know there will be weather are ceramic coated. I don't know if they'll ever wear out... I know they are popular up in Clifton's neck of the woods where it rains a lot.