Mavic DeeMax Ultimate Wheelset

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The main reason for me to buy these was because of their looks and the weight ( the Deemax set is about 300g lighter than my previous wheelset).

The first impression was, that they feel quite stiff and steering felt more direct, but I don't know how objective that is, as my old wheelset had taken some massive beats and wasn't in the best of shapes! I first had some problems changing tires, because the rim is very tight and the sidewalls are very high, but with a bit of practice and better tools it's no problem anymore!

I've been riding them from February to July and they took some big hits! I also spent a weekend riding in Bad Wildbad, which is the hardest downhill track in Germany, full of huge stones, roots and known to destroy wheels! I couldn't find a single dent in the rims yet, so they really are strong! The front wheel is slightly bent after a big crash I had, but I think that would have bent any wheel!

I was quite disappointed by the quality of the bearings! The front bearings had to be replaced after a weekend of riding in the mud. I know that this i poison for bearings, but quality bearings should bear that for a while! Another thing that really annoys me is, that you have to send them to Mavic for every defect, which can be quite pricy and takes way longer than doing it yourself or at your local bike shop!

I think this really is a quality, good looking wheelset, but I wouldn't buy it again, because I prefer being able to repair everything on my own and I'm not sure if all the benefits of it justify the price!