Mavic MA3 rim

[OperaLover]

The online reviews seemed to be mixed. Anyone have experience with these rims? I have the black anodized version with the machined sidewalls that I picke up cheap. Hope to build up some commuter wheels.

The MA2s were pretty bombproof back in the day.

Thank you!

[thwart]

Had a set of silver ones... great rims, in my experience.

[palincss]

I've had two of them built on rear wheels crack around the spoke holes.

[oliver1850]

I have a red pair on Daytona hubs. If they were generally available for what I paid, I'd have many more.

[Peter P.]

I believe the MA-3 was replaced by the Open Sport.

Doesn't matter; I've used them both and they're great general purpose rims. I think Mavic sells quality rims.

[palincss]

Not to denigrate the quality of Mavic rims, but when a Mavic rim cracks like mine did, you are on your own. Mavic pays nothing.

When a Velocity rim cracks, Velocity will pay the entire cost of rebuilding the wheel, including shipping both ways, labor and parts as a warranty replacement.

[oldpotatoe]

The online reviews seemed to be mixed. Anyone have experience with these rims? I have the black anodized version with the machined sidewalls that I picke up cheap. Hope to build up some commuter wheels.

The MA2s were pretty bombproof back in the day.

Thank you!

Common to pull eyelets out with proper tension on the MA-3. It lasted only a year or two then->The next iteration of the MA-3, OpenSport, doesn't have this issue.

What above said about Velocity..I've had a few issues with Velocity rims and they stand by their product absolutely. On the MA-3 issues when these first came out, mavic not so much(not at all). They 'assumed' the builder gooned it up somehow or got the 'never heard of that before', type crap. Like fairwheel boys said on their rim review, don't know why Mavic bothers with rims..they want ya to buy their wheels, not rims. AND those have their own problems.

[dbrk]

I have a slew of MA-2 and some -3s. Unless you are building an ne plus ultra traditional bike, what 'xactly is the point of using these at this point? Even the most traditionalist shops don't use old stuff unless they are restoring or doing it on purpose (e.g., Alex Singer, Jitensha, Rivendell et.al.). Even I don't do that anymore. New rims are better: sturdier, rounder, build up better. If you are riding a truly contemporary bike, good pre-builts are cheaper and better than most hand builts at this point. Most of my wheels are still hand builts because I'm looking for the aesthetic and I can't seem to stress wheels that much anymore (i.e., old and slow).

I likely have some old MA-somethings and will look around to sell if anyone wants to build them.

[oldpotatoe]

I have a slew of MA-2 and some -3s. Unless you are building an ne plus ultra traditional bike, what 'xactly is the point of using these at this point? Even the most traditionalist shops don't use old stuff unless they are restoring or doing it on purpose (e.g., Alex Singer, Jitensha, Rivendell et.al.). Even I don't do that anymore. New rims are better: sturdier, rounder, build up better. If you are riding a truly contemporary bike, good pre-builts are cheaper and better than most hand builts at this point. Most of my wheels are still hand builts because I'm looking for the aesthetic and I can't seem to stress wheels that much anymore (i.e., old and slow).

I likely have some old MA-somethings and will look around to sell if anyone wants to build them.

Matching apples to apples, as in hub/rim/spoke quality, of a wheelouttabox to hub/rim/spoke quality of handbuilt, not even considering the handbuild is custom designed and made, prebuilts are not cheaper or better.

For example, Krysirium Equipe to a set of 105/5700 hubs laced to DT, Velocity or Mavic rims...less than $549.

Or say high end..DT, White, Campagnolo, DA hubs laced to above rims..seldom more than $900 or so..compare with prebuilts sometimes twice the $, with crappier hubs.

So, this wheelbuilder doesn't agree.

[dbrk]

Matching apples to apples, as in hub/rim/spoke quality, of a wheelouttabox to hub/rim/spoke quality of handbuilt, not even considering the handbuild is custom designed and made, prebuilts are not cheaper or better.

For example, Krysirium Equipe to a set of 105/5700 hubs laced to DT, Velocity or Mavic rims...less than $549.

Or say high end..DT, White, Campagnolo, DA hubs laced to above rims..seldom more than $900 or so..compare with prebuilts sometimes twice the $, with crappier hubs.

So, this wheelbuilder doesn't agree.

Of course not, you're a wheel builder. (I've built my share. I never died from riding them. Yet.) A hub is as good as it lasts and so what's crappy in comparison? You may be right about the prices, I don't buy much anymore. But pre-builts are like modern derailleurs: they aren't much repairable or worth the cost/benefit but they require almost no maintenance. Truing a handbuilt wheel is part of the story, always. Mosts of my wheels are hand built, and I like them for what they are. My point was why build on MA-2s or -3s if you can use a more modern rim? Unless your project is historical or someone gave you the rims, I mean. I love bicycles of all sorts, mostly with some sense of period connected to the ride. Everything has a cost, so it depends what you see as valuable. Disagreements about bicycles are fun because it's mostly trivial. So little is at stake unless it's safety.

[Ken Robb]

We wouldn't have the rare pleasure of DBRK's company if the storms hadn't cancelled his flight and made riding impossible. How does Mira like the snow?:)

[dbrk]

We wouldn't have the rare pleasure of DBRK's company if the storms hadn't cancelled his flight and made riding impossible. How does Mira like the snow?:)

Yup, Ken's right, mostly I work every weekend---kids in college kinda' thing. The dogs (Mira has a pal in Mabel now...and frolics with the local pack too) are just LOVING the snow. Now sleeping. I should'a just kept my mouth shut about this rim thing, I know I know. Ride what you like!

[Pete Mckeon]

experience:banana::banana::thanks for sharing with us. your ole friend.. pete

Of course not, you're a wheel builder. (I've built my share. I never died from riding them. Yet.) A hub is as good as it lasts and so what's crappy in comparison? You may be right about the prices, I don't buy much anymore. But pre-builts are like modern derailleurs: they aren't much repairable or worth the cost/benefit but they require almost no maintenance. Truing a handbuilt wheel is part of the story, always. Mosts of my wheels are hand built, and I like them for what they are. My point was why build on MA-2s or -3s if you can use a more modern rim? Unless your project is historical or someone gave you the rims, I mean. I love bicycles of all sorts, mostly with some sense of period connected to the ride. Everything has a cost, so it depends what you see as valuable. Disagreements about bicycles are fun because it's mostly trivial. So little is at stake unless it's safety.

[oldpotatoe]

Of course not, you're a wheel builder. (I've built my share. I never died from riding them. Yet.) A hub is as good as it lasts and so what's crappy in comparison? You may be right about the prices, I don't buy much anymore. But pre-builts are like modern derailleurs: they aren't much repairable or worth the cost/benefit but they require almost no maintenance. Truing a handbuilt wheel is part of the story, always. Mosts of my wheels are hand built, and I like them for what they are. My point was why build on MA-2s or -3s if you can use a more modern rim? Unless your project is historical or someone gave you the rims, I mean. I love bicycles of all sorts, mostly with some sense of period connected to the ride. Everything has a cost, so it depends what you see as valuable. Disagreements about bicycles are fun because it's mostly trivial. So little is at stake unless it's safety.

Mavic FTS-l freehubs are the poorest, cheapest design in existence today. Seeing that hub on $2000 wheelsets, Mavic ought to be ashamed.

Well designed and made handbuilts require less maintenance than prebuilts.

"Truing a handbuilt is part of the stroy, always"-end quote..I have a drawer full of unique spoke wrenches for these wheelsouttaboxes..why? well, cuz ya gotta true them is why..often.

Prebuilts, almost be definition, use unique to that wheel spokes, rims, hub and none of the manufacturer's support the product a few years after the sale, none. Try to find a first or second gen Ksyrium rim.

Why use a Mavic OpenSport? Cuz it's $45. Many, MANY of my customers have a crappy wheel that's gone south(very often the crappy prebuilt that come on their $1000 bike), need a rear wheel I almost never can re-build the busted one cuz of it's hub/spoke/rim uniquness, so a Velocity or 5700 hub, an OpenSport and for a couple hundred $, a new, reliable rear wheel.

You give the impression all 'new, modern bikes' have some sort of far superior wheelset but most, have regular, poorly built, wheels on them.

OBTW-I make more $ on a handbuilt than I do on a wheeloutaabox. So, yep, I'm a wheelbuilder, I make more money, I like doin' it, the wheels are better for the same $ as the junque that comes on ohhsomany bikesouttaboxes..what's not to like?

[biker72]

I had a set of MA3's built up a number of years ago with 105 hubs. Had some premature rim cracking at the eyelets.

[eddief]

A kōan (公案?)pron.: /ˈkoʊ.ɑːn/; Chinese: 公案; pinyin: gōng'àn; Korean: 공안 (kong'an); Vietnamese: công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement, which is used in Zen-practice to provoke the "great doubt", and test a student's progress in Zen practice.

I have a slew of MA-2 and some -3s. Unless you are building an ne plus ultra traditional bike, what 'xactly is the point of using these at this point? Even the most traditionalist shops don't use old stuff unless they are restoring or doing it on purpose (e.g., Alex Singer, Jitensha, Rivendell et.al.). Even I don't do that anymore. New rims are better: sturdier, rounder, build up better. If you are riding a truly contemporary bike, good pre-builts are cheaper and better than most hand builts at this point. Most of my wheels are still hand builts because I'm looking for the aesthetic and I can't seem to stress wheels that much anymore (i.e., old and slow).

I likely have some old MA-somethings and will look around to sell if anyone wants to build them.

[OperaLover]

Sounds like I am rolling the dice with the MA3s. They may be fine they may not. I will pass them on an go with some Velocitys or the newer Open Sports. I don't want to invest the time (and money) only to have the rims fail prematurely. I am a fair wheel builder; slow but I take my time. It's been a a lot of years since I laced up a pair, but I have done it successfully. This is a winter project. I have some Mavic Askiums that have gone through 4 winters and they are to the end of their life. I want replacements ready to go when the time comes.

[fiamme red]

You probably won't have any problems with the MA-3 rims. They are durable, though there are reports of some cracking around the eyelets.

I found this in the BOB-list archives:

The MA-3 is not a particularly lightweight rim. It isn't any lighter than the MA-2 it replaced. Sidewall wear certainly hasn't been an issue with the MA-3, just as it wasn't with the MA-2. However, the joint thumping that was a common problem with the MA-2 is gone with the MA-3, making it a far better rim in actual use than the MA-2.

With the exception of the more "retro" look of the MA-2, which I can well understand is appealing to some riders, there simply is no aspect of that rim that is in any way superior to the MA-3. So, if your purpose is to ride your bike, rather than look at it or talk about it, the MA-3 is by far the better rim.

Peter Jon White

[Ken Robb]

I have a pair of MA-3 rims on 36 hole Campy hubs and so far-so good.