# Maybe I'll go tubular instead.... Mavic CXP 30, Classics Pro, or Reflex and why?



## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

From my research, I decided to consider tubular as well. I don't mind the process of glueing that I read about, and there are a lot of advantages. I can possibly score any of these 3 wheelsets for cheap at least to try them out, what do you think? I am 145-50 lbs and race in the mid atlantic.

1) Mavic CXP30 with american racing hubs and vittoria file treads. Seem relatively new and unused.

2) Mavic Classics Pro hubs and rims with solid looking Challenge Limus

3) Mavic Reflex with orgin8 hubs, no tires.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

One of my teammates likes the Velocity Major Tom for having a larger-radius curve in the tire bed. He says it fits with wider tires a lot better, and solves some of the wide tire/tight radius rim problems that people have.

So if any of those sets are built for wider tires, that'd be my choice.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

AndrwSwitch said:


> One of my teammates likes the Velocity Major Tom for having a larger-radius curve in the tire bed. He says it fits with wider tires a lot better, and solves some of the wide tire/tight radius rim problems that people have.
> 
> So if any of those sets are built for wider tires, that'd be my choice.


Is there another alloy rim besides the Major Tom that is 23+mm wide? I don't think so. I think if you want to go wide rim and tubular it is either a Major Tom or carbon.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

you are obviously shopping ebay right now
if you were smart you'd buy 2 sets
Mavic çlassic Pros ( I own 3 sets of these) for $250 and the reflex. The CXP 30s are great rims as well, they carry a bit more weight though and @ 150 lbs may not be needed


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

2 sets of wheels, 1 with tires under $500. Find a set of tires more regular use, the Classic Pros are set for Mud with the Limus


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

krisdrum said:


> Is there another alloy rim besides the Major Tom that is 23+mm wide?


Review: Cyclocross tubular wheels - VeloNews.com


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah I wasn't trying to be too secretive there . I like the reflex that just popped up with 105 hubs and tracers with apparently very little use. $200 sounds like a square deal for them. I can use clinchers I have for backup or run the Terra Pro muds I have if it gets really slick.


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

Also the classic pro's look like the rims might be beat up. The one pic seems to show a spoke being pulled from the rim.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

khardrunner14 said:


> Also the classic pro's look like the rims might be beat up. The one pic seems to show a spoke being pulled from the rim.


I have a CXP 30 wheel set. They are also a narrower rim, means brake adjustments when changing. You are on the right track, but seriously, buy a couple sets. Have wheels for 2 conditions. Cheap and makes things pretty easy


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

if the classics pro rim goes, replace with a reflex. NBD. Still a great deal.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

you are running out of time


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

pretender said:


> Review: Cyclocross tubular wheels - VeloNews.com


Thanks, was thinking rim only and had forgotten the HED C2 came in a tub version. The Rolfs and Coles would likely never make my radar as I try to avoid proprietary wheel parts. But good to know they are out there.


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

atpjunkie said:


> you are running out of time


I know... I have my eye on the other set of reflex with tracer's glued up. I can't afford 2 sets of wheels now or I'd pick up the classics.


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## Cruxster (Sep 19, 2013)

My race wheels are Reflex/105. Not the lightest, but after three years of use, I've hardly had to true them. Solid, dependable. I use only glue (no tape) and have never rolled a tire on two different Reflex wheelsets. Easily serviced hubs.


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

Cruxster said:


> My race wheels are Reflex/105. Not the lightest, but after three years of use, I've hardly had to true them. Solid, dependable. I use only glue (no tape) and have never rolled a tire on two different Reflex wheelsets. Easily serviced hubs.


Awesome. Good to know!


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## Nater (Feb 7, 2003)

krisdrum said:


> Is there another alloy rim besides the Major Tom that is 23+mm wide? I don't think so. I think if you want to go wide rim and tubular it is either a Major Tom or carbon.


There is this one...

BHS TB415w Tubular


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

Boyd Cycling Black and Tan tubular's are another good choice for a reasonable price. 

Personally, I have several sets of major toms and they've been very robust for a 220 lb CX'er laced 28x28 and love them. Custom builds from velcoity USA/ The wheel department (velocity's wheel builders). Had two other sets before that, that were for rim brakes. The ultegra (or 105)/major tom build available from JB importers is pretty solid. Velomine sells them on ebay at a pretty good price, usually around $350 new I think.


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

I picked up the set of reflex laced to 105 hubs glued to spec tracer's. $185 and they have only been used a couple times. I feel like I got a good deal.


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## Cruxster (Sep 19, 2013)

You got a great deal.


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

Sounds like a good deal to me too. Just noticed there are a ton of tubulars on fleabay, must be everyone is dumping their cross wheels.


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## khardrunner14 (Jan 3, 2011)

There are a good amount of tubbies on there for sure. Everyone must be upgrading for next year, which is why I started looking. It seems like used tubular are going for cheaper than used tubeless.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

bikerector said:


> Sounds like a good deal to me too. Just noticed there are a ton of tubulars on fleabay, must be everyone is dumping their cross wheels.


It's that time of year.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

Nater said:


> There is this one...
> 
> BHS TB415w Tubular


Thanks. of course the season I decide to save $100 per tire and walk away from tubulars, a flock of new wide tub rims come out. Oh well. Ultimately for me, although you can get the wheelsets cheap, the tires are just too expensive and time consuming. 

So, I am going dedicated tubeless for 2014 and if need be, latex tubes.


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

krisdrum said:


> Thanks. of course the season I decide to save $100 per tire and walk away from tubulars, a flock of new wide tub rims come out. Oh well. Ultimately for me, although you can get the wheelsets cheap, the tires are just too expensive and time consuming.
> 
> So, I am going dedicated tubeless for 2014 and if need be, latex tubes.


Last 3 years I've gotten brand spanking new tubular tires for $50 or less. Many from comp cyclist during their closeouts in spring. If it weren't for that I would be hating the cost for sure though.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

you could have had a set of wheels with tires for $175. I don't want to hear anyone whine about price.

tires can be had at a deal and no matter what, the cheapest tub is still probably better than the best of anything else


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

atpjunkie said:


> you could have had a set of wheels with tires for $175. I don't want to hear anyone whine about price.
> 
> tires can be had at a deal and no matter what, the cheapest tub is still probably better than the best of anything else


Yep, I made my bed, I guess I'll have to lay in it. We'll see how it goes.


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

I've paid up to $250 for a pair of tubular wheels (M900 hubs, Reflex Ceramic rims) and down to $40 for a pair of tubular wheels (Hugi hubs, Matrix rims) and a few in the middle. 

There's deals out there. Keep looking on craigslist and/or ebay.

IRight now, I'm racing on a pair of 38mm tubular DIY (chinese) carbon rims laced into 7700 D/A hubs, a pair of 24mm DIY tubular rims on some Bontrager/King hubs, a pair of Heliums, and a pair of Ultegra hubs laced into a pair of Velocity Escapes depending on what the course is like and what the mud/grass/etc looks like.

For gravel riding that pair of Hugi hubs is getting an Ambrosio Nemesis rim in the back for a little more durablity and the M900 wheelset's fixin to get some Racing Ralph tubulars glued on for more 'extreme' CX riding. 

Most of my front tires are PDXes. The rear wheel in the Escape set is a Limus. I have a Grifo and an FMB mud tire that need changing around. 

HTH

M


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

bikerector said:


> Boyd Cycling Black and Tan tubular's are another good choice for a reasonable price.
> 
> Personally, I have several sets of major toms and they've been very robust for a 220 lb CX'er laced 28x28 and love them. Custom builds from velcoity USA/ The wheel department (velocity's wheel builders). Had two other sets before that, that were for rim brakes. The ultegra (or 105)/major tom build available from JB importers is pretty solid. Velomine sells them on ebay at a pretty good price, usually around $350 new I think.


220 and riding 28 spokes? Doing okay? I'm a Clyde as well and have a set of 28 hole DA Hubs. Maybe I'll build a set up


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

atpjunkie said:


> 220 and riding 28 spokes? Doing okay? I'm a Clyde as well and have a set of 28 hole DA Hubs. Maybe I'll build a set up


They've held up well even through crashes which I'm pretty good at performing. I think with the wide, soft tires they tend to take a little less abuse then we think, but then again there are a lot more "hits" than with road wheels. The major toms seem to be a pretty strong rim, a little heavier than the A23 (comparable clincher version) and you don't lose strength from the clincher "hooks".

As long as the wheels are factory built wheels, or the cheap stock ones, I'm usually pretty easy on wheels somehow. This is not the case with rigid mtb for trails but the wheels were the stock factory wheels and I would break spokes about every ride at one of the local trails that has a lot of roots and small drops.

I do 28 spokes front and rear because of the thought that the front wheel is going to get stuffed into a hole every now and then or I'm going to do the infamous, hauling through sand or mud and hit something on the bottom and ether endo or end up looking pro with a "stoppy" but probably bailing off the front of the bike. That sticky mud gets every now and then too. 

I went 32 rear on my backup/mud wheels since they 2nd as my sscx wheels and I feel like there's a lot of torquing going on with only one gear. Also have CX-ray spokes on the 28 hole wheel and double butted on the 32 hole.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

krisdrum said:


> Thanks, was thinking rim only and had forgotten the HED C2 came in a tub version. The Rolfs and Coles would likely never make my radar as I try to avoid proprietary wheel parts. But good to know they are out there.


Also these Kinlin TB-25 Tubular Rim - Wheelbuilder.com


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

32and3cross said:


> Also these Kinlin TB-25 Tubular Rim - Wheelbuilder.com


I know there is a wide version of these available now (thanks to another poster). But the link is to the narrower version. 19mm is hardly wide by today's standards.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Ah that link must not be resolving correctly I meant it to go to the wide version.


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## weiwentg (Feb 3, 2004)

Nater said:


> There is this one...
> 
> BHS TB415w Tubular


I have that one and it's been good so far.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

My next door neighbor got the American Classic / CXP 30 / Vittoria file treads
$149 and since there were close (30 minute drive), drove over and picked them up.
Tires look new, maybe a couple rides.
150 and gas, yeah tubs are too expensive


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