Bike reviews
You are looking at: Home : Bike reviews

Mavic Open Pro Ceramic clincher rim

Powerful, predictable braking is just one of the benefits of Mavic's ceramic-coated road rim

Posted: 9 February 2007
by Richard Hallett

Mavic Open Pro Ceramic Rim £74.50 each

mavic open pro ceramic

Winter cycling plays havoc with lightweight bicycles. Water, full of grit and salt, does the damage. Any moving part that gets splashed wears out sooner, either through corrosion thanks to the salt, or abrasion due to the grit. Regular cleaning helps to keep corrosion at bay. Using mudguards keeps most of the grit off everything but aluminium rims, which inevitably wear out more rapidly in wet conditions. Grit lodges in the rubber brake blocks, and simply scratches away the softer aluminium whenever the brakes are applied. It is possible to wear through the braking surface in one winter’s riding. The end result is potentially dangerous. As the rim wears away, it gets thinner and weaker just where the hooked lip keeps the tyre in place. Eventually air pressure breaks the lip away from the rim, allowing the tyre to break free and perhaps resulting in a locked wheel.

Besides the risk involved, rim wear is expensive and dirty. That foul grey muck coating the tyres after a wet ride is abraded aluminium, not rubber from the brake blocks. Replacing a worn rim means paying for a wheelbuilder’s time as well as for the rim and tape. Here are three good reasons, then, to invest in a pair of the ceramic-coated version of Mavic’s Open Pro clincher rims, which suffer none of the above problems. Sure, at just under 75 sovs each, they are not cheap. On the other hand, they last for years and remove the need to start worrying about a rim explosion as the braking surface wears. They also cure that ‘grey finger’ syndrome associated with fixing a flat in bad weather. Don’t they wear brake blocks super-fast? No; save the first ride for a really wet day. The grit in the road splash quickly knocks the high points off the roughened ceramic surface until it is smooth. From now on, brake block wear is about the same as for a normal rim, even in dry weather.

There is, or course, one other benefit. Braking even in the worst downpour is powerful and predictable. 32 or 36 hole, 650c size also available.

score 10

Verdict

There’s nothing like them, and nothing to beat them for winter riding.

  • www.mavic.com
  • www.chickencycles.co.uk
    • Previous article Previous article:
    Roberts fixed wheel    		 Next article:Next article
    Langkawi back in Credit

    TwitterStumbleUponFacebookDiggRedditGoogle


    Discuss this story


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi
    Is there anyone out there that can offer advise ?
    I purchased a set of Mavic Open Pro Rims as I liked the idea of not having my rims chewed up when braking.I started with the front wheel and did a radial lace using DT Swiss Revolution Spokes.The Park Tool Calculator gives a recommended spoke tension of 80 to 140kgf so I was working on a tension of 100kgf
    When I got to about 75kgf went for a brew and when I returned to complete the tensioning I noticed small dimples raised from the rim at the spoke holes on one side of the rim so i am reluctant to proceed,Is the rim defective?
    I built a set of Mavic A119 the other week with 3 cross to a tension of 95kgf and there was no sign of deformation on the rim.
    Any comments would be appreciated.
    Regards Mike
    Posted: 12/02/2007 09:58


    phil parker
    I built my 'Mavic Open Pro Ceramics' using 100kgf with no problem whatsoever - in fact I've taken the spokes to a higher tension and back again, using Sapim D/Bs. If anything the spokes are likely to be the weakes link and not the rims.

    What tensiometer are you using? and has it been calibrated?
    Posted: 12/02/2007 10:08


    Richard Hallett
    Radial lacing is always likely to deform the rim more for a given spoke tension than tangent lacing because there is no angular component to the pull on the eyelet. If you notice the rim start to deform as you describe, you have got about as much tension in the spokes as the rim will take without splitting sooner or later. My suggestion would be to avoid radial lacing of conventional box section double- or single-eyeleted rims for precisely this reason. You will get a longer-lived wheel with tangent spokes on these rims.
    Posted: 12/02/2007 10:19


    Odd Brown Mutt
    Two cross, or even single cross will give you a lighter wheel than 3 cross, yet still retain the qualities of a crossed spoek patterned wheel.

    Radial spoke paterns put more stress on the rim and hub, do not have much in the way of give from road vibrations, and will have less lateral stiffness for cornering and stuff.

    Well thats my opinion anyway.
    Posted: 12/02/2007 12:22


    Richard Hallett
    I tried building a Ceramic rear 3x non-gear and 2x drive side and had to rebuild it cos I could not get the tension I wanted in the drive side spokes without early signs of rim stress. OBM's observation re weight is true, but the difference is small. Rims and hubs need to be designed for radial spokes. Shimano hubs for example do not permit them. Cue anti Shimano posts...
    Posted: 12/02/2007 13:23


    Neil H
    What about brake blocks?
    Would you go with "stock" shoe inserts, or spring for the more expensive "ceramic-specific" blocks? Do they justify the added cost, or will standard blocks do the job?
    Posted: 12/02/2007 14:14


    Richard Hallett
    I have stuck with standard Shimano blocks (Dura-Ace replacement block type) with good results. Some people find they are disappointed with wet weather braking using standard rubber blocks on ceramic. However, the braking effect is consistent, wet and dry, which is also important. I haven't tried ceramic-specific blocks, but I tend to swap wheels around so being able to leave standard ones in place is useful.
    Posted: 12/02/2007 14:54


    phil parker
    Likewise - I just use standard blocks (campag) I also swap wheels often, no problem at all with the braking.

    Just out of interest, Michael, what hubs are you using and how many spokes?
    Posted: 12/02/2007 16:05


    Peter Lambton
    I had a pair of wheels built with these ceramic rims a year and a bit ago. As far as wear is concerned they're brilliant, but I have a very different experience with braking. In the wet they can be lethal.

    I was using (I'm fairly sure) Dura Ace ceramic-specific blocks and initially braking was great. By the summer though, and I guess due to a build up of glaze, the braking power was almost non-existent in the rain - rather like using the chrome rims we had to suffer once upon a time!

    I tried Mavic's Rim eraser block to try and roughen up the surface a bit with minimal success. However there has been some improvement during this winter with the grit of the Shropshire lanes doing it's best.

    Do the people who use standard brake blocks think that these maybe actually work better than "cermic" blocks as the rim becomes smoother.

    Also does anyone have any tips on how to better remove the glaze build up?

    Cheers.
    Posted: 13/02/2007 13:17


    Richard Hallett
    When I first got a pair of wheels with Ceramic rims I found the standard rubber blocks wore like crazy, and it was only by luck I found out the rims needed wearing in. (I lent them to someone who did that bit). Have you gone back to conventional blocks, Peter? If so, how do they compare on worn rims with the ceramic-specific blocks? Maybe the harder ceramic block compound in time smooths the surface off too much? You could try fitting those leather blocks (Clarks) suitable for chrome rims as a deglazer
    Posted: 13/02/2007 16:40


    phil parker
    I can't compare against the 'ceramic' blocks because I've not used them, but same as Richard I have found that the normal blocks wear at a quicker rate, in fact I've just replaced the blocks this weekend, but not bad for 3 years and the braking is marginally less effective at the moment.

    I haven't really noticed a build up of glaze, but it does get washed regularly. I use the Mavic rim eraser on my Ksyriums and other rims, but wouldn't use it on the ceramics!
    Posted: 13/02/2007 17:27


    Richard Hallett
    One other point: I don't mind using the Ceramics on a dry winter day, but they will be temporarily retired during the drier seasons unless some really filthy weather comes along.
    Posted: 13/02/2007 17:53


    Peter Lambton
    Thanks for the tips. I think I'll try swapping over to standard blocks. If that doesn't improve things I'll maybe try and track down some leather blocks to see if that'll clean them up a bit. The rim erazer barely touched them!

    Incidentally, I did have a warranty claim on one of the rims where small flakes of the ceramic coating were lifting off, and gradually getting worse over time. No problems on the replacement thankfully so I guess it wasn't just down to overly hard "ceramic" blocks. Still, something to look out for perhaps.
    Posted: 13/02/2007 21:32


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi Phil
    Thats Dura Ace Hubs(literature says they are radial compatable)and 32 hole rims,tension gauge is Park Tool.
    Finished the rear wheel yesterday (drive side 150Kgf)3 cross and marking is evident but not as bad as the front.I was of the opinion that the eylets transmit the spoke tension onto the inner part of the extrusion and the reason I was seing deformation was because the eylets were not correctly installed @ manufacture
    (bear in mind this has only happened on one side on the front wheel)causing it to pull through and impinge on the rim ?
    On a different topic the Dura Ace hub I purchased is 10 speed specific and my bike is rigged 9 speed,thought it might have just been a matter of adding a shim to the back of the cassete but when I came to fit the block the diameter is different ie freewheel larger than the bore of the 9 speed block.
    Stripped the freewheel assembly, set up and machined to the correct diameter for the 9 speed block but had to removed 1mm from the face of the rear collar to get the last sprocket to engage on the splines,assembled up OK but if I need to go to a 10 speed setup is the alloy splined bit available as a spare ?
    Sorry for not replying sooner but I never got e-mail notification that there was a response to my enquiry.
    Thanks guys
    Posted: 14/02/2007 08:27


    Neil H
    Try this. Put some Scotchbrite between the rim and the blocks. Apply fairly stiff pressure on the brake and pull the wheel by hand past the Scothchbrite for a while. That should roughen things up a bit on a new/shiny rim. It's how I clean up my rims come bath night for bikes.

    Another thing I'm going to chuck in here. Avoid those cheap after-market blocks. You get what you pay for - buy the 'genuine replacement' stuff. Cheap blocks are a false economy and potentially hazardous - shell out a couple of extra squids for the real deal.
    Posted: 14/02/2007 08:50


    Ricco Zona
    Up until the 10spd generaion of SHIMANO (the only choice) you voided any warranty on building the hubs radially. Although this has been a common way to drop weight, it certainly does not improve comfort. Since the introduction of the 10spd stuff you can radially spoke Shimano hubs. I would recommend something like a CX Ray or a Dt Aerolite spoke. Both are bladed but have regular hooks on the spoke. As they are high quality hubs they will be able to take the higher spoke tension, never use cheap spokes. Gerolsteiner have been using a regular hub laced to the deep section Shimano carbon rim since the Tour, no issues or breakages.

    On the brake block front try using Swiss Stop Green pads. They are designed for crappy wet wintery weather. Although conceived for Alloy non ceramic braking surfaces I should think that they would work very well as they keep the rim free from the black sludge that covers rims at this time of the year. Not cheap at around £20.00 for a bikes worth but an excellent brake block. They do make a ceramic version, speak to Extra Richard to get some on test.


    Posted: 14/02/2007 09:43


    Richard Hallett
    I'll give the green blocks a go. Dura Ace freehub bodies 9 and 10 speed are available as a replacement part, but wouldn't it have been better to build up a 9-speed hub and fit a 10-speed cassette later if needed? No probs fitting a Dura-Ace 10-speed cassette plus spacer.
    Posted: 14/02/2007 10:49


    TCx
    Where do you get hold of the green pads had a look on the Swissstop website and it lists Extra (UK) Ltd as the UK distributor but there is no reference to this on their website that I can see.
    Cheers, m

    Posted: 14/02/2007 11:30


    phil parker
    Hi asked the question about the tensiometer because I have recently purchased the Park tool and have doubts about the accuracy/calibration. I will be carrying out a calibration by comparrison at the end of this week with a tensiometer calibrated for use on aircraft. Previously I have built all my wheels by 'feel' and using the Park tool set 100kgf feels far more taut than I have previously tensioned spokes. I don't get much time to experiment with radial and other patterns of spoking, but I heed the advice of friends and colleagues with many years' experience with old and new technology. In the last 12 months I've come across a broken hub and broken spokes, and I've furthered my reading on fault diagnosis of common problems.

    I would have thought the front rim would be sufficiently strong enough to accept a radial pattern - the hub obviously is if Shimano say so. Under heavy braking, the spokes would come under far much more stress than a cross-3 pattern; I could probably work this out if I could be bothered to dig out my old maths books! I personally wouldn't have even tried DT Revolutions for such a task - what do DT Swiss recommend? Their Aero spokes would probably be up to the task. Out of interest, did you use spoke washers? I will let you know the findings of my Park tool calibration check.
    Posted: 14/02/2007 11:49


    Richard Hallett
    Use spoke washers only if the flange is too thin. With the spoke in its hole and the head firmly against the side of the flange, the section of spoke just beyond the bend should rest snug against the flange. If not, pack the head of the spoke with a washer. Never put the washer on the side of the flange away from the head. I built up a SRAM 3-speed hub (for a joke) and had to use washers because the flanges, being steel, are made thinner than would be the case in aluminium and do not match DT spokes.
    Posted: 14/02/2007 12:55


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi Phil
    The holes in the front and rear hub were a good tight fit with the spokes.
    About bladed spokes I am not a weight weenie (no option @ 86kg)and am a liesure cyclist not the ball's out type.Also I am a novice @ wheelbuilding and like yourself relly on info from others.
    Will await your results regards the acuracy of the park tool tensionmeter
    Regards
    Mike
    Posted: 14/02/2007 13:27


    phil parker
    Hi Michael, I couldn't complete an accurate comparison because the aircraft tensiometer only had conversion for Steel Wire Gauge cable - I did give it a try. I was dubious about the accuracy of the Park tool because of 2 pairs of wheels I own, but haven't built myself (Zipps and Ksyruims) have quite taut spokes, but gave such a low reading after conversion with the tool. i.e. less than 20 on the tool and under 75Kgf when converted. So I'm going to continue building by 'feel' and use the took only to confirm consistency.

    I haven't used spoke washers neither, Richard, but when investigating a broken spoke (at the elbow) problem I was advised that spokes should be used when the difference in the hole-spoke diameter was greater than 0.3mm!! again I am only going by others' expereience.
    Posted: 16/02/2007 12:05


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi Phil
    Just went and checked the original Shimano WHR 550 (front)that was original fit on my bike.
    Park Tool nearest size of bladed steel spoke is 2.6 x 1.4 I get a reading of approx 17.5 0n the tension meter(similar to your reading) relating to 93kgf.
    Checked Shimano spec and it shows 100-143kgf
    So the tension meter might not be that far out.Pity I wasn't still working as I could have had a proper cal done on it.
    The reason I did the mod to the free wheel was that the Dura-Ace Hubs I got were off e-bay,so was stuck with 10 speed.The mod worked out OK
    and I am eagerly awaiting a run if I can just shake off this cold.
    Regards
    Mike
    Posted: 17/02/2007 13:26


    phil parker
    Hope the cold gets better! I'm just back from a mammoth hilly 80-miler (in prep for an end-to-end)to find that I've won a bid for a DT Swiss tensiometer off Ebay, which looks high calibre so I'll make a comparison. If not I was going to visit my lbs to see if they had a decent one to make a comparison.

    If the Park tool is accurate then most of the wheels I have built in the last 3 years (6-7 a year) have probably been closer to 75 kgf than 100!! but worse than that - cheap factory wheels, on mates' bikes, that I've re-tensioned must have been way too low!!
    Posted: 17/02/2007 17:07


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Congrats on winning the tension meter Phil.
    My summer riding budy also makes the comment that my wheels are bar tight,but from the information I have gleaned it's low tension that causes the failure @ the bend in the spoke.Could you keep me advised when you receive the DT Tool,if there is a difference between the two I might try a high end tool myself.
    Good luck with your end to end,and hope you have some decent weather
    Mike
    Posted: 18/02/2007 09:51


    Richard Hallett
    Fatigue failure at the spoke bend is caused by omitting to straighten the spoke during building. If you don't do this, tension in the spoke only makes it look straight. As the wheel rotates the spoke loses a tiny bit of tension when its section of rim touches the ground. this lets it go back towards its natural curved state before being pulled straight again. The effect is tiny, but it happens on every wheel revolution. It is worse with low spoke tension, but should still be avoided. The constant flexing is exactly what causes fatigue. Get rid of the curve by 'setting' each spoke against the flange with a hammer and punch by striking the spoke between the bend and the outside of the flange, once the wheel has been brought up close to finish tension. Of course it will need retruing.I set and retrue one side at a time to make this simpler.
    Posted: 19/02/2007 12:13


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Thanks for that Richard
    Posted: 19/02/2007 12:26


    Richard Hallett
    The late, great Ken Bird showed me how to do it.
    Posted: 19/02/2007 18:16


    phil parker
    I also add an extra 1/8th of a turn, as the spokes get taut, then move it back to remove the 'twist', if so required!
    Posted: 19/02/2007 18:26


    Richard Hallett
    Good plan. Another way is to put a 'flag' of insulating tape on a spoke prior to turning the nipple. The tape indicates how much twist you are getting in the spoke. One is enough to give an idea for all of them
    Posted: 19/02/2007 18:32


    phil parker
    I'm learning things everyday!!!
    Posted: 19/02/2007 18:46


    Ricco Zona
    Brake blocks go to your LBS they will be able to order them as Extra supply loads of people.

    Richard, Ken Bird taught you how to build wheels - lucky bugger.

    Posted: 19/02/2007 20:44


    Richard Hallett
    Ricco, the great Ken taught me most of what I know; the rest I owe to Tony Mills. They didn't always tell me the same thing.
    Posted: 20/02/2007 12:42


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Just seen a big yellow thing in the sky,what is it?
    Posted: 20/02/2007 13:08


    phil parker
    Hi Michael, just to let you know the Park tool does marginally under-read, but now that I've had time to test both tools, the Park tool isn't that far out. I think more familiarity with the tool, conversion chart and operation would have helped me in the first place - because the readings were not as low as I had first presumed. It is worth adding fractions to the Park tool readings i.e. 21.3 or 21.7 because there is over 10kgf between whole numbers. The DT Swiss tool is very accurate and easier to use, but then again at nearly 4 times more expensive you get what you pay for!
    Posted: 27/02/2007 10:37


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi Phil
    Thats good news,When I have been using the Park Tool I have as you suggested guestimated to tenths of a division to get the best indication on the Exel Spreadsheet.
    I actually gave the Open Pro's a spin on Friday afternoon,and don't know if it was wishfull thinking but they seemed better than the Shimano WH550 that I was using.Have definately lost a lot of fitness over the winter months. Had a plan to do extensive Turbo training and bought a Suunto HRM with the training effect,hoping that would give me an idea of any improvement but that tured out tro be a dissaster as the Heart Rate Belt failed after one training run and it has been away for about five week.
    Thanks for the reply.
    Regards
    Mike
    Posted: 27/02/2007 13:13


    harry adams
    Regarding Shimano and radial spoking, I built a front wheel with an Open Pro rim, 32 holes and an Ultegra front hub. I built it radially just as an experiment, spokes fed from the outside. I tighten my spokes by feel and tend not to have them as stiff as piano wire. This is a front wheel so perhaps tensions and stresses are not as heavy as on a rear wheel. I have it on my winter bike and the roads around my normal routes (Ards peninsula in county Down ) are rough and patchy and I weigh about 80 kilos but on a weekly average of 200 miles I have to say that I have had no trouble and haven't had to re-true and this is the second winter I've used it. When I built it I used one of milder Loctite potions at the nipple so perhaps this has helped prevent loosening.
    Posted: 28/02/2007 08:58


    Michael Kilpatrick
    Hi Harry
    My front is built the same as yours.ie spokes set against the outer flange face and due too the dimpling on the rim I have left it @ 70 kgf spoke tension.lubricated the threads with linseed oil and copperslip on the nipple seating.bought some nipple freeze and will get some miles on the wheel to see if I need it.
    thanks for the input.
    Regards
    Mike
    Posted: 28/02/2007 14:05

    Talkback: Mavic Open Pro Ceramic clincher rim

    First Name:
    Last Name:
    Nickname:
    Email:
    Security Image:
    Enter the code shown:
    I agree to the site's Terms and Conditions & Code of Conduct:


    Reviews

    Rapha 3/4 Bib Shorts
    Rapha 3/4 Bib Shorts
    in Shorts
    SRAM 500 TT Shifter
    SRAM 500 TT Shifter
    in Bar-end / Down-tube Shifters
    Bontrager RXL All Weather Plus
    Bontrager RXL All Weather Plus
    in Tyres (Clincher)
    Exposure Diablo
    Exposure Diablo
    in Lights
    MuleBar ReFuel
    MuleBar ReFuel
    in Drinks / Food

    Shopping partners

    Primera Sport
    Rose Cycles
    Cycle Surgery
    Stonehenge Cycles
    Chain Reaction Cycles
    OS Map Shop
    Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op
    Wiggle - 30 DAY TEST RIDE!

    Travel partners

    Explore Cycle
    Bike tours in France & Italy

    Hot threads

    Groupsets earliest to latest?
    by Turbo
    8 replies
    Woops, 100 year old central design fault!
    by eliot coolican
    9 replies
    Arrrgghhhh RCUK sort it out!!
    by Robbie Gleeson
    4 replies
    MOW COP
    by jud
    3 replies
    Help finding a bike (£500)
    by Daniel Binns
    3 replies