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After searching for a brake upgrade I'm tempted by one of wheel/brake kits on Merlin. Does anyone have a set of Mavic XC717's? I guess the xc in the name is a slight give away that they're xc orientated but will they stand up to the odd 2-3 drop etc...?
They're excellent rims, but the strength is all in the build. Coming from Merlin, they'll be fine.
They're a wee smidge on the side of narrow, so phat tyres might go a bit sqiffy on 'em.
Cool, just what I was hoping. Hopefully notice a difference to my current Sun Rim Singletracks.
they're a very strong rim. i bought mine for full XC use but have had to swap them onto my 4X bike from time to time and really not noticed any difference from my 819s, riden Ae DH on them too running 2.2 tyres.
especially if you're a lighter rider they will suitably be fine for "AM" usage, but as said a bit on the narrow side for some tyres.
717's on Pro2's shod with 2.35 Kenda's.
Two & a half years of abuse from my 16st bulk & I've never even had to take a spoke key to them. And no problems with tyre's rolling etc, but I run mine 36psi or so. Tried them tubless, with BMX tubes but kept burping so back to tubes.
Would deffo buy again.
10/10
Get 819's much stronger and will take a fatter tyre better
I've had a set of 717s on XT hubs for 4 years, they've been abused and ridden off upto 2ft drops fairly regularly (I don't do big drops). The wheels have had to be rebuilt this year, but it was spokes that started to collapse, the rims were still in good condition, tho very rock scratched. I think they are good for upto 2.35 tyres. I have no issues using them to play up on the local moor which is an old quarry full of rocks, rock slabs and drops.
My front 717 has been going for 4 years too. It's built onto a Hope xc hub and has been spot on.... I run 2.3 tyres, ride Natural routes, Trail centres and enduros and am 16 stone.....
The key to a good wheel is the build. Often your LBS might be the best choice.... depends what your LBS is like though...
As above - strong but a wee bit narrow. Anything over 2.1 is pushing it...
717s are very good rims, have had Merlin built wheels in the past but think build quality had=s deteriorated over the last 18 months or so - I go elsewhere for my wheel builds now.
I've never had a problem with my 717 wheels breaking or going out of true, but the do have a finite life.
Mine always begin to crack around the spoke eyelets, usually drive side first, but left side follows soon. Finally the extrusion will seperate along the die line (see photo).
I use my 717 wheels on tarmac only, with slicks, and expect to see around 4000km from a rim, or two tyres.
Yes the wheels are always tensioned correctly, with a tension meter, and yes I weigh 108kg. FWIW 719s last no longer. My roadie also blows Open Pros in 4-6000km. I figure it's a fatigue issue, running too close to the yeild piont drags the fatigue cycles right down.
717 seperation along the extrusion die line:
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Typical failure of a road rim (CXP22 here, but Open Pros, 719 and 717s will do the same:
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