Disc hubs on old mavic gel 280?

[tuscanyswe]

I have no experience with this rim but i know i like the weight and the look.

Thinking of building up a lightweight tubular disc wheelset within a small budget. Probably novatec hubs.

I know the rim had pretty poor braking performance from what ive read about it but that problem doesent really exist with a disc build.

So am i mad for thinking this could work? Are they far to fragile rims / eyelets?

[nbrewste]

I don't think that should be an issue.

Front disc wheels will have more tension on the disc side, but they shouldn't need more tension than would be required for a proper rear wheel rim brake build.

Rims don't care if they're front or rear, built with disc or non-disc hubs. They just care about spoke tension...

[mjb266]

That's a really light rim box section rim for a wheel with dish. I wouldn't do it. The box sections aren't very stiff and that thing is 60% of a typical rim weight. If you want a cool older rim maybe locate a Mach 2 or a Campy V-section rim.

[Joachim]

GEL 280's were used years ago in 32h and 36h for front racing wheels only. I wouldn't use those on the rear for anything. If you are lighter, maybe GEL330's (32h) in the rear.

[Grant McLean]

So am i mad for thinking this could work? Are they far to fragile rims / eyelets?


The GEL 280 is a thin and not very stiff rim that is easy to flat-spot from impact,
which is really a different issue than how well they would hold up to the spoke tension.

I don't really get why you'd want a disc wheelset with that kind of rim.

-g

[tuscanyswe]

The GEL 280 is a thin and not very stiff rim that is easy to flat-spot from impact,
which is really a different issue than how well they would hold up to the spoke tension.

I don't really get why you'd want a disc wheelset with that kind of rim.

-g


Thanks for info guys.

I thought the why was pretty obvious. Its very light and pretty cheap..

[Joachim]

These, which are in a box in my office, on the other hand..Yes, NOS, 2 x 32h and 1 x 28h. Tom Kellogg calls them the best dirt road tubular rims.

[tuscanyswe]

Nice rims!

I allrdy have the gel 280s. If i use them for a roadwheel instead, just how poor would i think the breaking was compared to modern machined rims?

[Joachim]

I use FIR ST120 on one of my daily wheelsets. They have pretty much the same side walls as GEL280's, GL330's etc. With Campy brake pads I think braking is pretty good. It's less "smooth" than with MSW, but I've ridden them in the wet too.

[tuscanyswe]

"pretty good" doesent sound to bad. Then again it almost sounds as riding in the rain would be some kind of extreme sport when u say it like that. Hmm pondering time.

[Joachim]

You will be fine. Its not the braking that will be the issue, but having to true them after a few rides.

[Gummee]

My first pair of cross tubulars were built on some GL330s. The front was fine, but I couldn't keep the back true. ...so I relaced a Velocity Escape in its place and all was good.

So if I were to make a recommendation, it'd be: GL330 or that GEL280 in the front with an 'aero' shaped rim in the back. If you want a similar look/feel to the GEL280 get a Sun rim with no brack track.

aka what the pros used to ride 'back when' when they were concerned about handling in crosswinds with those 'aero' rims.

M

[tuscanyswe]

My first pair of cross tubulars were built on some GL330s. The front was fine, but I couldn't keep the back true. ...so I relaced a Velocity Escape in its place and all was good.

So if I were to make a recommendation, it'd be: GL330 or that GEL280 in the front with an 'aero' shaped rim in the back. If you want a similar look/feel to the GEL280 get a Sun rim with no brack track.

aka what the pros used to ride 'back when' when they were concerned about handling in crosswinds with those 'aero' rims.

M

Thanks

May i ask your weight n what number spokes were used?

[mjb266]

The very problems you ran into with the rear 330 is going to manifest itself with the disc wheel on the front. These rims just weren't up to the spoke tension required to make a strong wheel with dish that would require significant torque (pedaling or from a disc brake slowing).

If you want the look of a tubular box section with a disc wheel, I'd say a GP4 is the lightest you should go...especially since you ride bikes in a ~58ish range as opposed to a 49cm size...

Shoot, just pony up and buy an ENVE 1.25


My first pair of cross tubulars were built on some GL330s. The front was fine, but I couldn't keep the back true. ...so I relaced a Velocity Escape in its place and all was good.

So if I were to make a recommendation, it'd be: GL330 or that GEL280 in the front with an 'aero' shaped rim in the back. If you want a similar look/feel to the GEL280 get a Sun rim with no brack track.

aka what the pros used to ride 'back when' when they were concerned about handling in crosswinds with those 'aero' rims.

M

[tuscanyswe]

The very problems you ran into with the rear 330 is going to manifest itself with the disc wheel on the front. These rims just weren't up to the spoke tension required to make a strong wheel with dish that would require significant torque (pedaling or from a disc brake slowing).

If you want the look of a tubular box section with a disc wheel, I'd say a GP4 is the lightest you should go...especially since you ride bikes in a ~58ish range as opposed to a 49cm size...

Shoot, just pony up and buy an ENVE 1.25

Im pretty light at 72 kgs for a 58 but yeah. Darn!
Hehe if you knew how long ive been trying to rid the idea of enve 25s you wouldent mention them. Its just not nice!

[Fixed]

I have been using 330 's for thirty years I like them as well as any rim i have ever used and better than most ,I always thought at my weight ,always around 160 I was too big for 280''s so I never tried them .:) if I keep my breaking pads clean I never had a problem with braking but I live in Florida not much of anything called a hill around here IMHO :)
Cheers

[Gummee]

I have been using 330 's for thirty years I like them as well as any rim i have ever used and better than most ,I always thought at my weight ,always around 160 I was too big for 280''s so I never tried them .:) if I keep my breaking pads clean I never had a problem with braking but I live in Florida not much of anything called a hill around here IMHO :)
Cheers

I'm a little bigger than you are and have never had a GEL280 on a bike. I've always stuck with GL330s or heavier. Cross 'training wheelset' has an Escape in the back and a Mach2CD2 in the front. (it was supposed to be a pair of Escapes, but I dented the rear and replaced it before I got a chance to re-do the front wheel. Grrrr)

M

to the OP: try it. Worst case you can get some GP4s are relace the wheel. Same spokes.

[Grant McLean]

I thought the why was pretty obvious. Its very light and pretty cheap..

But the weight benefit is lost when you build 'em with discs.

-g

[tuscanyswe]

But the weight benefit is lost when you build 'em with discs.

-g

Well i guess im torn on discs partly because of the weight and partly because its really nice to use the same wheels on all bikes. But if one has allrdy decided on discs the savings in weight still matter just as much, no?

Good to know the Mach2 has the same ERD. Its a nice bail out option.

[Gummee]

Good to know the Mach2 has the same ERD. Its a nice bail out option.Mach2CD2s have the same ERD as a Major Tom or Escape. Different from the box-section rims (GEL280, GL330, GP4, et al)

IDK about a Reflex and a Mach2CD2. Haven't looked it up

M

[tuscanyswe]

Mach2CD2s have the same ERD as a Major Tom or Escape. Different from the box-section rims (GEL280, GL330, GP4, et al)

IDK about a Reflex and a Mach2CD2. Haven't looked it up

M

Ah yes sorry. Mean the gp4 you mentioned. Thanks for correcting me so it dident stuck in my head.

[oldpotatoe]

I have no experience with this rim but i know i like the weight and the look.

Thinking of building up a lightweight tubular disc wheelset within a small budget. Probably novatec hubs.

I know the rim had pretty poor braking performance from what ive read about it but that problem doesent really exist with a disc build.

So am i mad for thinking this could work? Are they far to fragile rims / eyelets?

Pretty light rim for a rear unless you are like a buck-35 or something. Rims do care if they are disc or rear..much more stress on them.