Mavic GP4 rims - what type is this one?

GordonB

Retro Guru
Excuse me if I'm being terribly dim here but I've just bought a 700c rear wheel, Campag hub with screw on 7 speed Sachs freewheel and a 32 hole GP4 rim. BUT, the rim is so shallow in depth it doesn't seem to have much of a braking surface. Is this a track rim and if so can anyone think why someone would stick a freewheel hub on it? It's in perfect condition, looks like it was never used, even the freewheel is perfect, no signs of any wear or even lubricant. The only reason I bought it was that I was at a car boot sale and it was sitting there with a Holdsworthy wheel cover on, lady asking very little for it. Couldn't resist! I already have a pair of wheels with GP4 rims on and although the stickers are identical that pair have deeper sections and machined braking surfaces.

Gordon
 
I could be wrong but I'm not aware of GP4's ever having a machined braking surface on them.
Have you got a pic you can post on here?
 
Here's a photo. The wheel with the tub on has a distinct flat braking surface, the one behind does not, the rim is convex, and is shallower in depth. Both definitely GP4s.

Gordon
 

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My GP4's look like the one behind though they have the older style decals on them, I guess towards the end of their production life they must have changed the design?
Cracking rims nonetheless :cool:
 
GP4 sprint rims:

First version: standard "box section" tubular rim (actually wider than it is deep, and the horizontal part is not flat), dark grey anodised, about 400g, with red label.

2nd version: same rim but with yellow and blue label.

3 rd version: same yellow and blue label but rim is a different shape (more square), heavier, and deeper like the HP MA40 but still less deep than a modern rim like the Open Pro.

The original shaped GP4 is just a normal sprint rim used with rim brakes, actual track rims do not have parallel sidewalls. if any.

... deeper sections and machined braking surfaces.
I would guess after the anodising on the sideall's worn off from braking, it might look like it's be machined.


The GP4 is actually a very heavy, bottom of the range rim, or to put a spin on it: bombproof, strong, good value for money.

Before the days of machined sidewalls, the braking surfaces were just the sidewalls, you don't actually need "machined braking surfaces", rims (and Mavic) have gone downhill since they were introduced as an extra feature so that they could raise prices.
 
as far as i know the gp4 was meant for road use , and had an unmachined but narrow brake track as most rims did originally (not sure if they were ever ceramic coated) that sticker was early 90s?? i think.

but 7 speed screw on was late 80s so maybe the hub and block had sat around for a few years.

at least its not an ultralight gel280, but it could have been a little lighter rim the gl330
 
I raced on GP4s, back inthe 80's if you wanted to a road racing wheel it was mostly GP4 or SSC. Hubs were usually Campag or Campag copys. Screw on freewheels were the norm until Shimano came along with an alternative. The braking surface is what you see on the picture, profile rims didn't become the norm until much later.
A number of Mavic rims of the era looked similiar be they GP4, SSC, CX18, GEL330, GEL280
 
were they all made using the same die for extrusions? (except the CX 1:cool: of course

edited as the 8 has become a smiley face ...
 
Old skool rims that's all, shallower braking surface, nowt wrong with them. Just built an N.O.S. shallow one onto my work bike.
 
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