Mavic X517 SUP gunmetal colour.

[Rampage]

Stupid question:
If I use these with a V-Brake it will take the grey finish off the braking surface won't it?

 

[sancho]

eventually

 

[MADJEZ]

Are they anodized ? If so should take a while for it to wear through.

 

[Anthony]

The anodised CD finish improves braking until it is worn away. When it is worn away, the braking is the same as a standard rim with the same amount of wear.

More importantly of course, it is the same colour as XTR.

 

[Rampage]

What sort of length of time will it last?
10 good rides? 100?

More importantly of course, it is the same colour as XTR.

Exactly! And the same colour as my frame.

 

[drystonepaul]

I thought the dark anodised X517 had machined sidewalls. The braking surface on new rims is already silver with the rest of the rim being black as below.

The ceramic coated version was all grey with the coating covering the braking surface for better braking and increased durability like this:

The ceramic coating should last for quite some time. However it depends on what sort of conditions it gets used in.
A normal rim used to last for one winter's worth of regular riding in the abrasive grit of the Peak District before the rim walls wore through.

A ceramic coated rim could last at least twice as long though but as already said the ceramic coating would eventually wear through exposing the bare aluminium beneath it. This would then wear at the usual rate of a normal rim.

If it's only used in dry weather and you keep your brake pads clear of grit then there is no reason it shouldn't last for a very long time without any significant wear to the braking surface.

 

[Anthony]

I think they made a variety of types over the years. These three that I have are an NOS CD on XTR hub, a CD Ceramic which again is the same colour (near enough) as XTR and a black 517 with anodised black surface, which I believe to be a black version of CD - but if anybody knows better, I'd be grateful to know.

Paul I'm interested to know exactly what you mean by 'worn through'. Being a soft southerner of course we don't have grit down here, but we do have worn rims somehow. I'm always amazed that people give the condition of a rim as its cosmetic condition. Nobody ever says how concave it is and I always have to ask. I have a concept of a '1mm rim', by which I mean it is concave by approx 1mm (easy enough to see if you lay a straight-edge across it). As far as I can make out, a new 517 sidewall is c1.7mm thick, so I would say anything 1mm or more concave is beyond selling. But if you rough tough northerners really do use your rims until they wear through, then I take my helmet off to you (when I visit you in hospital).

 

[Rampage]

Interesting thanks.
Whats the difference between the CD and the CD Ceramic? Just different coatings. I assume mine is the CD.
Although it doesn't matter much now as I have found several cracks in one of mine by the eyelets!

This is mine:

 

[Anthony]

It looks like CD from here. Both CDs have a rougher finish than a silver rim, but the CD Ceramic is rougher than the CD and far far tougher. So tough in fact that you use a much more caustic ceramic-specific pad with the ceramic rim. Those pads would wear out a standard rim in no time.

The benefit of the rough pad acting on the ceramic rim is not just long life, but also more powerful braking, particularly in wet/slimy conditions. BITD, a silver 517 was £26, a CD was £29 and a CD Ceramic was £55.

 

[Rampage]

Probably CD then. Pity only one is useable, I don't think I'll bother using it as I don't want mis-matched rims
Like you said it's the same colour as XTR!

Thanks anyway.