# 2010 Easton ea90 Aero or 2011 Mavic Ksyrium Elite



## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

I ride 1000-1500 a year, hopefully more in 2012. I don't race or compete, I ride mostly flat but have some big hills on some of my rides (I won't shy away from a hill), and I weigh 175 lbs. Wheels would be going on a cf road bike. I currently have Cole Rollen wheels which supposedly weigh in at 1871.


The Easton's weight 1545
The Mavics weigh 1581

I know Mavic uses more proprietary parts, and not all shops may have them in stock if I say, break a spoke. I know the Eastons are marketed as an aero wheel and aren't necessarily the best for climbing. 

Since the Eastons are lighter than the Mavics, wouldn't they climb just as well?

Suggestions and input would be greatly appreciated.


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## carlosflanders (Nov 23, 2008)

The eastons climb remarkably well. Very stiff wheel set for so few spokes. Excellent durability too.

Front wheel isn't great in strong crosswinds, but that's only a factor if you regularly encounter 25 mph gusts


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## savagemann (Dec 17, 2011)

If the ea90 aero uses the same spokes as the sl and slx version, not alot of shops are likely to have those on hand as well as the mavic spokes.
The ea90 uses a straight pull sapim butted spoke.
Out of your choices I wouldn't base your decision on parts availability, as you'd most likely need to be placing a special order for either.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Eastons seem to have spotty reliability (theres lots of threads about broken spokes or problems), and the mavics are the least aero wheel out there, not very light, and not priced low enough that they make sense. they're reliable though, but so are tons of other wheels out there.

Why narrow it down to those two? You've got tons of better options out there without proprietary parts, less weight, more aero (in comparison to mavic), and lower cost.


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## btompkins0112 (Dec 13, 2011)

Ksyriums......awesome, bombproof all-rounders. Spotless reliability which absolutely cannot be said of the Easton's.


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## carlosflanders (Nov 23, 2008)

Ksyriums are pretty famous for breaking spokes. Seen it in person three times on group rides or in races. No way they have spotless reliability.

Eastons had a lot of problems with hubs a few years ago. Still see quite a few velomaxes around though. 

Have to say, don't pay full price for any of these. You can build a super pair of serviceable wheels these days for the Same price or less.


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## btompkins0112 (Dec 13, 2011)

carlosflanders said:


> Ksyriums are pretty famous for breaking spokes. Seen it in person three times on group rides or in races. No way they have spotless reliability.


I would agree with you IF the op was talking about the zircal aluminum spoked models; however the Elites have steel spokes which do not at all suffer from the breakage issues that you describe.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

It seems like most wheels have something about them. Everyone says to build wheels for a better solution. 

I don't have shops around me that can do this. Where do I go?

Does anyone like the Eastons?

I also thought about Azonic Techlite Alloy Clinchers, 1484 with skewers and $400


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## Yeti guy (Feb 16, 2010)

I love my Eastons, had the EA90 aeros for just over a year now and no problems at all. I almost didn't buy these because of some of the negative reviews.


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

i ride easton 70 and 90 sl on my two aluminum frames. for the 70's you put a gun to my head i might let you have them for the elites, but the 90sl's? no way. thing is the deep dish on the aero's make for a slightly different performance profile, they're not the 90 sl's. depending on who you talk to and what you use them for, if you're racing mavic might actually be better. 

and that stuff about easton sapims not being available is kinda bullshyt. i live in the city, hit a foot deep pothole (that sucked). wheel was hurting, bro. local shop took about a week to get a fistfull of replacement spokes. trued the wheel and boom, back on the road for another five thousand miles since. and that was the only spoke i've ever had to replace on either set. not to mention, and as anyone who rides easton will tell you.. the sealed hubs are, quite simply, _superb_. roll silent, roll strong. roll forever...

like i say, i wouldnt give mine up, either pair. dude easton rocks.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

$500 shipped for 2010 ea90 aero's a fair price?

From what I have read, those that have had problems have had good experience with Easton's service.

Do they come out close to their claimed weight?


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

500 shipped is a steal. yeah, good price, retail closer to eight for the wheels alone

easton service, i dont know what to tell you. couple guys have complained i think that easton wouldnt couldnt replace an entire phuckin wheel at no cost or some such shyt. i dont know what else people look for, hand built/custom made, tuned by eye, hand, and ear, built in the usa, used by the best riders, racers and teams in the world. i mean, wtf else is there to know?

easton rocks.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Will a 325 gram difference from my current wheelset make for a noticeable difference?

I know I'm not going to be a couple mph's faster, but lighter wheels are supposed to need less energy to maintain speed, and spin up to speed faster...correct?


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

yeah 325 is a lot, plus the construction, materials and dynamics on higher end wheels are better. might only be 325, but it'll feel more like five pounds. and you will be faster. what bike?


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## carlosflanders (Nov 23, 2008)

btompkins0112 said:


> I would agree with you IF the op was talking about the zircal aluminum spoked models; however the Elites have steel spokes which do not at all suffer from the breakage issues that you describe.


YOu're right. Good clarification.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

2010 Kestrel RT800 sl


I would like to take it to the shop and get it weighed once the new wheels are on. It weighed 17.8 lbs stock. I took off the 105 group and put on Sram Rival. So with that and the wheels I am thinking it took off a little over a full pound.


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## arkitect (Apr 25, 2011)

Dcmkx2000, where did you find the Eastons for $500 shipped? I have been lurking online looking for sales and best prices but have not found that deal, it is screaming!

Thanks


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

Dcmkx2000 said:


> 2010 Kestrel RT800 sl
> 
> 
> I would like to take it to the shop and get it weighed once the new wheels are on. It weighed 17.8 lbs stock. I took off the 105 group and put on Sram Rival. So with that and the wheels I am thinking it took off a little over a full pound.


that's a nice bike, man, i saw it on performance and almost pulled the trigger. then i saw it close up on the street, good guy, too, and it looked even better. good choice. 

rival for 105 might get you some flak up in hear, im not sure what you gain besides carbon on the handles with sram over shimano. you get double tap, too, i guess. personally i upgraded my 105 shifters, chain and cassette to ultegra for only a couple bucks, and since the derailleur is basically ace, anyway, i gained quite a bit, my working group is usually not phuckin around. but sram is nice, no doubt...

once you get the eastons say good night. and oh, by the way, did i mention how dang pretty they are? super super aguri bro...


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

arkitect said:


> Dcmkx2000, where did you find the Eastons for $500 shipped? I have been lurking online looking for sales and best prices but have not found that deal, it is screaming!
> 
> Thanks



yeah now that you mention it...


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

I've had the EA90's for a couple of years now. I paid $450 at Jensen USA. 
I love those wheels. They roll smooth and true.

I've also had the Ksyrium SL's put 6,000 miles on them and never had a problem. I went down to my shop and they had extra spokes for each year made. (they are proprietary per year). I ended up selling them for more than I paid for them. 

Keep in mind where the weight on the wheel is. While the Easton's weigh less, the weight might be on the outside with that extra deep rim. I think the Elites might be more balanced???
The Easton are light and I have no trouble climbing with them, but I definitely would have something else if I climbed all the time. 

I think you can do better than the Elites. 
I'd look at the Shimano RS 80's instead.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Performance Bike is where I got them. Came to $511 with tax and shipping. They were 15% off.

Easton EA90 Aero Wheelset -- Closeout - Performance Sales Exclusions


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Price back up to $850, glad I pulled the trigger. Chances are they will go back down if they are closeouts. Or they will go to Nashbar.


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## ZA_in_BE (Jan 2, 2012)

My choices went from: Pro-Lite Bracciano (sold out the day I decided) -> Mavic Ksyrium Elite -> Easton EA90 Aero -> others...

I went for the Easton EA90 Aero simply because chain reaction cycles had a 50% off special 3-4 days ago @ 216 EUR per wheel. (front and rear same price) . This was a bargain as they increased again by lunchtime. Perhaps they will do it again? 

Post purchase, I also found this fantastic article comparing wheelsets, with some decent lab tests to go along with it. 

tour-magazin.de/services/qtr/epaper_4_2011/page89.html#/92
Easton EA90 Aero was a tied winner.

Conclusion: go for ones that suit your bike and hopefully get a bargain on. They are both good. Sounds like you got your special offer, well done :thumbsup:


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## arkitect (Apr 25, 2011)

Well, I stumbled upon the Performance price/deal before i heard back from you and got them delivered, with tax for $499. I was going to wait but am glad I did not! Should be here friday! Thanks for the tip!!!


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Mine shipped today. Post some pics once they are installed.


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## MerlinDS (May 21, 2004)

deal back on 499 on performance


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Think I am going to take a chance and keep the Easton's. Here is a message from the Easton guy who monitors the board:

Jeff,
Glad to hear you got some nice new wheels!
There are a lot of detailed questions below so my replies are below in blue.

Let me know if you have any further questions,
Scott Junker

[email protected]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dcmkx2000
Dear Easton,


I think it is great that you are monitoring these threads, it makes me feel better about your company. I just purchased 2010 ea90 aero wheelset from Performance Bike. I have read on some forums that spoke breaking seems to be a pretty common problem. I know that most people discuss problems more so than positive experiences. I really like the look of your wheels, and the people who have had a positive experience with your wheels seem to love them. If you could please answer my questions below I would greatly appreciate it.

1) If a spoke breaks, can I send them back for repair?

Yes, absolutely our service center in Santa Cruz, CA can repair any wheel.

2) Will I have to pay for shipping, labor, or parts?

Yes, you will probably have to pay for shipping. Most local bike shops will pay for shippingin cases like this but because this is a Performance bike shop it's their choice

3) What are the differences between the 2010 ea90 aero and the 2011 ea90 aero wheels?

Graphics, we changed from vinyl decals to color perma graphics which are printed on the rim, this saves about 15 grams.

4) My local bike shop said that a few years ago many wheel manufacturers received a bad batch of spokes, and that many companies were experiencing problems because of this. Is this why many people were experiencing problems with some of your wheels?

Yes but because we built the wheels and put our name on them we are taking responsibility. We disassembled and rebuilt every wheel we could find which was affected.

5) If #4 is true, can you tell by model or serial number if a wheel was laced with the above mentioned problematic spokes?

Early 2010 wheels are not traceable but a tracing system was implemented later in the production year and we can look up some wheels. Go ahead and send over the serial numbers (small sticker under the rim band near the valve hole) and I'll look into it. I'm pretty sure that any wheels at Performance are now later model year wheels because we are two years away from the bad spokes now.

6) Also, my wheels came with the Shimano only hub. On your website it says I can call and send my hub t you and you will swap it for the Shimano/sram hub at no cost. Is service still available?

Yes, just call our customer service line at (877) 835 6629 they can get you all dialed in.

7) I have read about the updated bearing preload adjuster available. My rear hub has notches for a cone wrench, and the front hubs have the square shape on the end also where I assume a cone wrench would go. Did 2010 wheels come standard with this update?

Yes that is the most current version of the hub and Preload adjuster. This update started shipping in 2009 on 2010 MY wheels.


Sincerely,
Jeff
__________________


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## arkitect (Apr 25, 2011)

QUESTION:

7) I have read about the updated bearing preload adjuster available. My rear hub has notches for a cone wrench, and the front hubs have the square shape on the end also where I assume a cone wrench would go. Did 2010 wheels come standard with this update?

Yes that is the most current version of the hub and Preload adjuster.

I just received my 2011 EA90 Aero wheels and was wondering if I need to make any adjustments to the bearings before I ride?? I am not real familiar with the purpose of the bearing preload adjuster and why it is on the hubs.

Thanks!


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

see Easton's post on how to adjust the preload.....

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/easton/bearing-preload-easton-ea90-sl-wheels-163497.html

Easton said that 2010 and 2011 ea90 aero's are the same except for decals. So let me know how you like them. I had to send my shimano hub back to Easton and they are going to send me the shimano/sram hub. I have rival on my bike. Post some pics to once there installed.


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## ZA_in_BE (Jan 2, 2012)

*Finally installed...*

Finally installed my wheel, only bought a rear wheel as my front wheel is a Easton EA50 Aero - still true and in good condition. At speed no one will notice different front and rear wheels :blush2:

I'll buy the front wheel when they go on special again. 

Attached are pics on a Cube X-Race Pro cyclocross bike, 62cm. Only modifications so far are the crank and cassette to 52-39 and 11-28 from the previous cyclocross setup. I wonder how this wheel will hold up to my weight (90kg) on top of a big aluminum frame.


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## Yeti guy (Feb 16, 2010)

Great looking bike, my bike is white and black also. You'll love that wheel. Performance Bicycle has a closeout sale on the EA90 aero wheel-set and I couldn't resist so I ordered a backup set. These are great wheels!


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Easton swapped the freehub body for free so I could use my Sram cassette. I emailed Easton to ask what they recommended for grease when putting the new freehub on. The guy from Easton replied in an email stating that he already placed an order for two tubes of their own grease at no charge, and they should be on the way to me soon. I know some people love Easton wheels, and some people hate em. But they swapped the freehub body for free, and now they are sending me free grease. They are doing a good job on customer service if you ask me.


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## sfzx (Nov 25, 2011)

*Ea90 slx*

Have a pair of new SLX only 200 miles on them and already a broken spoke on the non drive side rear wheel. Beware the performance easton 90 SLX special sale wheels. Lots of broken spoke issues out there with the sapim spokes. You would think easton would use DT's or wheelsmith with all the issues but then they would'nt have as much wheel rebuilding business for thier service dept. Problems seem more frequent with the newer wheels 2010 and 2011 models from what I've seen.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

sfzx said:


> Have a pair of new SLX only 200 miles on them and already a broken spoke on the non drive side rear wheel. Beware the performance easton 90 SLX special sale wheels. Lots of broken spoke issues out there with the sapim spokes. You would think easton would use DT's or wheelsmith with all the issues but then they would'nt have as much wheel rebuilding business for thier service dept. Problems seem more frequent with the newer wheels 2010 and 2011 models from what I've seen.



Are you going to take them back? Let us know what Performance does for you. I am curios if they are going to pay to ship the wheel back to Easton. Apparently Easton tensions their spokes differently, and suggest that if you or a shop is not comfortable with the procedure, you should send the wheel back to them. See number 20:

Easton Cycling


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## arkitect (Apr 25, 2011)

Just a quick post regarding my first ride with my new EA90 Aero wheels. In a word, wow. I thought I would not really notice a difference since it is my first ride in about 2 months but it really seemed like there was very little rolling resistance in these hubs compared to the Fulcrum 7's that came with my bike. It was a short ride but put a big smile on my face and can't wait for the weather to turn a bit warmer so I can really give it some road testing!!


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Thanks for the info. When you installed them, did you have to adjust your RD at all? Did you buy them from Performance?


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## sfzx (Nov 25, 2011)

*EA90 slx*

I would think about returning them, but bought them last year up in Colorado as a spair set of wheels. They where put in the closet and brought out a month ago and only used for 6 or 7 rides. The closest performance shop to me is in Dalls 260 miles away. Called Easton and they are sending a new spoke, will try repair if we break more I'll respoke the whole wheel with DT aerolites. Everybody dislikes the hubs but I feel they are a good design. Newer ones with o ring and 19mm cone wrench toadjust. I did add another o ring into the groove thats avail but not used and it tightened the adjustment hold a bit more, but have not had issue with that in the 200 miles.


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## arkitect (Apr 25, 2011)

Dcmkx2000:
I did not have to adjust my RD at all which was surprising, but nice. Yes, I did buy from Performance.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

It seems like most of the problems are with the slx's......right?


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