Rebuilt Mavic Heliums-questions

sales guy · #1 08-23-2013, 06:35 PM

So I am curious what you guys think on this project...

I have some Helium wheels(original red ones), as well as bare hubs(helium AND crossmax mountain hubs). I have been planning for ages to make a Mavic Helium wheelset, BUT using the black crossmax hubs, black dt competition spokes and black fusion rims(originally a different rim was chosen).

So I have the rims on the way, have the place to get the spokes, and the hubs, no issues there EXCEPT I am running 11 speed Campy Record. So I need to modify a cassette or a freehub to run the 11 Campy.

Has anyone tried to modify a Mavic ED11 body to fit the older standard FTS hubs, and not the FTSL ones?

Or would you just get a Shimano with spacers? I don't like doing the conversion cassettes. They don't shift as well.

What would you do?

These things are going to be daily use wheels and will be crazy to look at, lighter than the originals, stiff and fast.

Also, what color nipples? I have 19 different colors to choose from.

Thanks and I will post pics.

Gummee · #2 08-23-2013, 10:21 PM

You may run into an issue with the front wheel. IIRC the Helium was a 26h wheel. My Cross whosits (26". bought em used. Steel spokes. Straight pull) are 24/28

HTH

M

oldpotatoe · #3 08-24-2013, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sales guy

So I am curious what you guys think on this project...

I have some Helium wheels(original red ones), as well as bare hubs(helium AND crossmax mountain hubs). I have been planning for ages to make a Mavic Helium wheelset, BUT using the black crossmax hubs, black dt competition spokes and black fusion rims(originally a different rim was chosen).

So I have the rims on the way, have the place to get the spokes, and the hubs, no issues there EXCEPT I am running 11 speed Campy Record. So I need to modify a cassette or a freehub to run the 11 Campy.

Has anyone tried to modify a Mavic ED11 body to fit the older standard FTS hubs, and not the FTSL ones?

Or would you just get a Shimano with spacers? I don't like doing the conversion cassettes. They don't shift as well.

What would you do?

These things are going to be daily use wheels and will be crazy to look at, lighter than the originals, stiff and fast.

Also, what color nipples? I have 19 different colors to choose from.

Thanks and I will post pics.

No way to get the current Mavic FH body onto that hub.

If the hub is tall enough, just use the shimano 11s cogset..spacing very close to Campag 11s. Not sure if that FH body was tall like the currect one, or not, needing a 2mm spacer on forst with 9/10s cogsets.

BTW-the Helium front is a 26h..got a 26h rim?

sales guy · #4 08-24-2013, 04:50 PM

I have brand new Fusion rims from Velocity on the way. One is a blank and the other a 28h. I have a friend with a dial table who is going to drill it out for me. So no issues there.

The rear hub/freehub issue...I am going to buy a campy ed11 body and do some measuring to see what I need to do. I know the main changes is the length of the body, length of the bearing seat(now a bushing seat) and the ridge in the hub itself where the rubber bumper and bushing sit. So I am thinking I can modify things enough to make it work.

Years ago, I modified a FTSL hub to work with a FTS body. Worked great, still in use today!

The guy was having an issue with the bushing and the freehub makinng tons of noise. I worked on them multiple times before I decided to do this. The guy was hard on stuff...Still is.
So I know I can do it for a Shimano. Have never had to try a Campy till now. We'll find out soon enough.

I have bare Helium and Crossmax hubs(front and rear). I have brand new Helium rims(front and rear). But I wanted to go with a black wheelset. The bike is red and black, so the red would work. Just wanted a more aero rim and stiffer wheel over all.
BUT, I am changing the spokes from straight 14g to DT Swiss Comps 14/15's in black. Plus adding alloy nipples. So the weight will be less. But still stiff and again more aero. Should work well.

I am waiting on the rims from Velocity and the spokes from PaceLine in Cali.

I will post pics as things progress.

sales guy · #5 08-24-2013, 04:55 PM

Old,

I know I can do a conversion cassette, but I don't like the shifting with them. They aren't good enough in my opinion. I would do it if I found them to be worth it, but just don't like the shifting and noise from them.
Wouldn't mind trying one of those cassettes that you can change the carrier for. Can't remember the name. Begins with an M. Italian.

oldpotatoe · #6 08-25-2013, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sales guy

Old,

I know I can do a conversion cassette, but I don't like the shifting with them. They aren't good enough in my opinion. I would do it if I found them to be worth it, but just don't like the shifting and noise from them.
Wouldn't mind trying one of those cassettes that you can change the carrier for. Can't remember the name. Begins with an M. Italian.

The Wheels one works well, IMHO, or as I mentioned, just use a shimano 11s cogset if it fits...'interesting' project, seems like a lot of work but....

Marchisimo or something?

http://wheelsmfg.com/products/rear-d...nversions.html

sales guy · #7 08-25-2013, 12:54 PM

Yes, marchisimo is the one. They have the carrier design that you can swap everything out and make a 11 speed campy on a Shimano carrier design.
The only thing about the Wheels and others is I don't 11th cogs. Too much noise and chain wear since the chain is not really on the cog teeth but the body of the cog.

Yeah, it all seems like a bunch of work, but doesn't bug me. It's a fun project. I'm in the bike industry so I understand all the work due it.

StephenCL · #8 06-15-2015, 06:51 PM

I just scored a set of like new heliums, tubular for 120.00.... Cant believe it...

I have heard you can run a shimano 11 speed cassette straight on these hubs..

Anyone tried?

If so, I will be so overjoyed!

Cat3roadracer · #9 06-15-2015, 06:59 PM

I smile as I read this. Those wheels were bomb proof and super cool back in the day. I'm so old.

thirdgenbird · #10 06-15-2015, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat3roadracer

I smile as I read this. Those wheels were bomb proof and super cool back in the day. I'm so old.

Helium, cosmos, and classics. They all seemed cool.

El Chaba · #11 06-16-2015, 06:36 AM

Just a note....Mavic made a couple of FTS freehub bodies for Heliums. There was a standard Shimano HG body with the familiar Shimano spline pattern.....and then there was a "Campagnolo compatible" body, whose name was a little misleading. It had a standard SHIMANO spline pattern, but the body was 1.5 mm wider to accommodate the greater width for Campagnolo shifting. They then made a Campagnolo compatible cassette (made by Marchisio) that included Shimano spline pattern loose cogs and special spacers to achieve the normal campagnolo cog spacing. The whole thing was a bit confusing, and the freehub bodies were not conspicuously marked. Worse yet, you could SORT OF get the special cassette cogs to go on a standard HG body, but the small cog had a frightfully small amount of purchase.. Would you like to trust that standing up in a sprint?....In any event, if you kept all of it straight, it all worked pretty well-shifting was a bit off from a real Campag cassette.....and the 9 speed version of the cogs worked better than the 10 speed.

Gummee · #12 06-16-2015, 07:39 AM

Token and Edco both make 11-on-10 cassettes, but I haven't tried em yet.

I've got this set of Heliums in the garage that I *love* racing CX on, but since going 11, they've been pretty well useless.

I haven't tried putting an 11sp cassette on my Heliums, but I doubt they're gonna fit. FH body isn't the one that needs a spacer to work like later wheels.

M

tv_vt · #13 06-16-2015, 08:26 AM

For what it's worth to anyone reading this thread, I have a VGC Helium front clincher wheel available for pretty cheap. Or conversely, if someone has a VGC rear, I might be interested in going the other way. Search the classifieds for Helium for more info. Thanks.

They are nice wheels. And, tires mount so easily on those pre-tubeless-ready rims.

acorn_user · #14 06-19-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sales guy

Yes, marchisimo is the one.

Marchisio, right? Nice project, but I always liked the red ano rims they used to have

grateful · #15 03-27-2017, 03:33 PM

Bringing this one back from the dead.

I have been slowly sourcing an all alloy Campy Chorus 10 speed group. I purchased a set of Mavic Helium wheels for the upcoming build. The wheels I sourced were for Shimano cassettes.

I need to convert the carrier to a Campy 10 carrier. I thought it would be easy until I read this thread.

Apparantly I can purchase a Mavic ED11 FTS-L Freehub body which will accept 9/10/11 campy cassettes. Will this freehub body work with wheels as old as the Heliums. It looks like there was a Mavic FTS hub (no L). Is that different than the FTS-L body?

Thanks,
Brad