Are my Mavic Crosslinks f****ed?

[moonlite]

Took a chance on a Marketplace listing for a pair of 1996 Mavic Crosslink wheels. I didn't have high expectations because the price was suspiciously low, and sure enough, although the rims and spokes are good, the hubs -- especially the front -- look really dicy. There's quite extensive corrosion on the front, with the grey finish lifting off in a couple of spots. The rear looks a bit better, but you can see the bubbling effect which means corrosion under the grey coating.

So are these a total bust, or useable on an infrequently-used retro build? And if there are any suggestions for halting the corrosion, that would be great.

 

[Tootyred]

If it was me, i would strip the wheels and give them a copper brush to see how far it goes.

You can dip them in white vinegar and that should eat a lot of the corrosion....just dont go too far!

Then if they look ok, give them a polish and reassemble.

 

[novocaine]

strip them, you'll want to soak the spokes in something to help them out, then strip the paint and clean as Toots says. if there are no obvious cracks, repaint and ride them. they look solid enough, just corroded.

 

[Tootyred]

If they are still pitted after cleaning up, you can always repaint them. Alluminium primer, then use a high build primer and keep rubbing it back till you have a good flat surface. Then spray as normal.

 

[moonlite]

All good to hear! I've never disassembled a wheel before, let alone built one back up again -- could be a long-term and absorbing project.

 

[novocaine]

All good to hear! I've never disassembled a wheel before, let alone built one back up again -- could be a long-term and absorbing project.

radial laced, makes it a bit easier to do as you don't have to think about the cross over.

 

[ishaw]

Iirc you may need a special tool or pin spanner to get the bearing race covers off to access the spokes for removal.

Rear wheel has crossed spokes on one side so take a pic and note where they cross and where they are located in the Hun and rim for when you rebuild.

Decent retro wheels imo so worth a bit of effort.

 

[bikeworkshop]

The multimetal construction of many mavic wheels frequently makes their disassembly the first step on the journey to the furnace.

Stripping the wheel down could certainly make cleaning and polishing easier, but carries a heavy risk.

 

[Antstark]

The answer is Yes! Why would you even risk a trip to hospital ..be safe and bin em

 

[highlandsflyer]

Wheels, old wheels, are sooooo damnnnnnn cheappppp, just buy some nice ones!