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Mavic EX729 rim review

When you ask someone who rides downhill or freeride on a regular basis what their rim of choice would be, a good percentage of them would say ‘321′ without hesitation. These riders are referring to the Mavic EX 729 (the D321 is the 729’s predecessor), a rim whose name is pretty much equated with strength, durability, and effectiveness. I’ve spent a ton of time on both 321s and 729s and found them to perform in the same way: no problems, no issues.

This review actually is based on my experiences with two separate rims: one was a Mavic D321, the nearly-identical predecessor to the EX 729; the other was the EX 729 itself. I ran my Mavic 321 for three years on three different bikes and when I finally retired the rim about a month ago it still ran true, despite numerous flat spots and lots of dents. Its replacement is going strong and performing in the same way as the D321.

I understand that rim life is based on a few key things, namely the wheel’s build quality, rider style and ability, and location. Fortunately, I had my D321 built by a mechanic who put the time (and heavy gauge spokes) into my wheel. As a result the wheel had an extraordinarily life span, despite a bunch of road trips, visits to Whistler and, in general, fairly regular abuse.

First impressions

Out of the wrapper, the Mavic EX 729 looks as though it can handle a good deal of abuse, which is a good thing considering the rim falls under the ‘extreme MTB’ category on the Mavic website. The rim is intended for disc brake use only, is wide without reaching Doublewide proportions, and features eyelets for better durability and strength at the spoke holes.

The 729 weighs in at 675 grams which isn’t light by any means but, then again, it is intended to take everything, from hacks and pros alike. No one I’ve ever spoken to about this rim has complained about its weight.

I’ve mounted a few different tire combinations on the Mavic EX 729 and each tire fit appropriately, matching its stated dimensions when mounted (ie. a 2.35″ Nevegal measured in at 2.35″). Keep in mind that simply getting some tires onto the rim is a headache: with the low tolerances of new wire-beaded downhill tires, I spent a good deal of time cursing and struggling to get the things on and off my 729.

Performance

As long as a rim remains true enough not to rub on my stays during a ride, I’m satisfied that its doing its job. The 321 / 729 reached this criteria without problem. I only had to make adjustments when my original 321 was approaching the end of its service life.

On the trail, the weight of the rim isn’t particularly noticeable although if I raced consistently, I’d consider running Mavic’s UST-compatible 823.

Durability

My 321 lasted for 3 years, surviving multiple cases, crashes, and general abuse. While I’m not generally hard on my gear, any time you subject a single component to three full seasons worth of riding you can expect some difficulty. In my case, I had no issues with the rim. It held up at Whistler, on the Shore, and elsewhere and I never doubted its ability to get me down the mountain.

Pricing

MSRP for the EX729 is $95 (usd) and $120 (cad). The price is a little steep BUT you must keep in mind that a well built wheel using this rim will last you a long time. For me $120 (cad) over the course of three seasons is pretty much nothing, considering I ride all year and in all conditions.

Wild card

I’ve seen a few newer Mavic 729s with cracks near the eyelets but I’m unsure as to whether these are a result of rider ‘error’ or a manufacturing defect. Until I crack one of the rims myself, I’m unwilling to state firmly that it is the latter. I’ve seen far more recent Intense Mag 30s fail in this manner than I have Mavics.

Summary

The Mavic EX 729 is a solid extreme-use rim that, when paired with a quality wheel build, should give you great performance on the trail. If you’re not especially hard on your gear, you can expect the 729 to endure a couple of seasons worth of abuse and keep on ticking.

If you’re looking for something tough for your trail or all-mountain bike and don’t feel you need the ‘extreme’ burliness (or weight) of the 729, consider looking at Mavic’s EX 721 or their UST-compatible 823 rim, quality products that weigh a bit less than the 729.

Manufacturer website: www.mavic.com

MSRP: $95 (usd) | $120 (cad)

Table 1: Ratings for Mavic EX 729 rim

Category	Rating (?)
First impressions	8 / 10
Performance	37 / 40
Durability	20 / 20
Pricing	17 / 20
Wild card	9 / 10
Overall	91 / 100

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 22nd, 2005 at 12:20 pm and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.