# Mavic Ksyrium SR Wheelset



## Clobber (Sep 28, 2009)

More of a MTBer, but plan to get a new road bike. Have the chance to buy a new set @ the LBS for a crazy good price. Any advice on this wheelset? Spokes strong for 180 lb 100-200 miles per week? At what pricepoint would you say I am nuts for not making the purchase? They would most likely go on a Caad 10 or Super Six with stock Shimano RS10 wheels that I planned to upgrade to Aksium.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

If you break a spoke, do you want to wait a week for a new one at 6 bucks a piece? If a rim cracks are you alright with paying $200+ for a rebuild? Does the fact that they're the least aerodynamic wheels on the market concern you? 

If none of that concerns you, and you feel they're a good price you should just grab them.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

TomH makes a number of good points. The spokes are proprietary which means that you only can get them from Mavic so they will be expensive. Same story with the rims because the spoke holes have a proprietary design so you have to pay 200$ to replace a rim that should cost 50$. Oh ya and you have to send it back to Mavic to have them replace the hoop because they will not let your LBS do it...

The claim of being the least aero wheel on the market is a bit unfair because they are actually the second least aero wheels on the market. http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-15505311.html Ironically Mavic's RSYS is the least aero wheelset on the market.

They are relatively durable but you can get plenty of durable wheels at the same or lower price (retail) as Ksyriums.


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## vortechcoupe (Jun 6, 2006)

I'm not sure if this model has the new brake surface but man I wish I could get some open pros or reflexes with it. The all black looks great. I wander how much better this new brake surface would be on a cyclocross bike in the wet.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

vortechcoupe said:


> I wander how much better this new brake surface would be on a cyclocross bike in the wet.


Oh yes! If anyone has ridden the new braking surface in the wet please chime in.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

So far my wife only had it for 30 miles last in dry condition and it's seem to be fast.


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## MrRogers (Feb 23, 2011)

If under a grand I say go for it. Yes, 6$a a spoke is pricey but I'm guessing if you are buying a 1k wheelset, A) you can spare 6$ and B) you have other wheels to hold you over while your LBS does the repair. Either way, I doubt you'll need either. I'm 220 and beat on these wheels and haven't even had to true them. Jump on it. 

mrr


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

one other consideration -- if you break a spoke out on the road (where else is it going to happen?), you're walking home. The low spoke count coupled with extremely high tension on each means that when one breaks, the wheel is badly out of true -- as in rubbing on the chainstays. If you happen to be carrying the (proprietary) spoke wrench, you may or may not be able to re-true well enough to limp it home. It's more likely you'll be walking.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

MrRogers said:


> If under a grand I say go for it. Yes, 6$a a spoke is pricey but I'm guessing if you are buying a 1k wheelset, A) you can spare 6$ and B) you have other wheels to hold you over while your LBS does the repair. Either way, I doubt you'll need either. I'm 220 and beat on these wheels and haven't even had to true them. Jump on it.
> 
> mrr


Thats not really the point though.. you're paying 600-1000, plus 6/spoke plus 200/rim when you need them, for wheels that perform worse than ones costing half as much with replacements that cost a fraction.

Just makes you wonder what you're actually paying for, and why you're putting up with the hassle.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

JustTooBig said:


> one other consideration -- if you break a spoke out on the road (where else is it going to happen?), you're walking home. The low spoke count coupled with extremely high tension on each means that when one breaks, the wheel is badly out of true -- as in rubbing on the chainstays. If you happen to be carrying the (proprietary) spoke wrench, you may or may not be able to re-true well enough to limp it home. It's more likely you'll be walking.


I've been PM'd by a couple of people who couldn't even wheel their bikes. They had to carry them. Great wheels eh? And to risk this for the "penalty" of just a few more spokes is beyond my powers of reasoning. Those types of wheels were first developed for skinny pro racers (about 2lbs of weight per inch of height) with following team cars. And now we have 220+lb people who think it's ok to ride them. If those wheels are ok for 220+lb people, what wheels should the woman I mechanic for, who weighs about 100lb, ride?


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

I purchased this wheelset last week for $950 from my LBS. The new 2011 Kysrium RS is basically: aluminum-bladed Ksyrium SL front wheel and a carbon-bladed R-SYS rear wheel. At that price I didn't want to pass it up and it fit what I was looking for. My review:

1. Weight -- Fairly light. 1,445 grams for aluminum rims. Under $1K for aluminum rims and south of 1,450 grams. 

2. Stiffness -- Very stiff. Feel great on climbs and snappy on sprints. The best example is the cornering on the front wheel, feels like riding on a blade.

3. Hubs -- Mediocre at best. Noticeable drag from the rear wheel when you're free-wheeling. You don't feel the "roll" you do on, say, Campy or Fulcrum hubs. I know I'm working harder on these wheels than I would on an equivalent pair of Campy wheels. 

4. Aero -- not really, but I use these for training, so I want to work for each pedal stroke. For racing I would go with a pure aero wheel anyway. You're not getting the un-aero carbon-tubed spokes on the front as you would on a regular pair of R-SYS, but rather the bladed aluminum spokes on the front. I know these still aren't the most aero, but, again, I'm not doing a Merckx-style ITT on these any time soon. These are for day-to-day training, group rides, metric centuries, etc.

5. Braking surface -- this is the new braking surface Mavic is touting. Haven't ridden in the rain, so judgment is reserved.

6. Durability -- only had them a week, but this is my 5th pair of Mavic wheels and I've never had a wheel go out of true or otherwise had maintenance issues, and I ride about 7,500 miles a year. Hopefully as bomb-proof as the others.

7. Bling -- Yes. Sharp graphics, white-colored hubs, and all-around cool-looking wheels.


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## vortechcoupe (Jun 6, 2006)

fornaca68 said:


> 1. Weight -- Fairly light. 1,445 grams for aluminum rims. Under $1K for aluminum rims and south of 1450


Did you verify that weight or is that just mavic claimed weight?


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

vortechcoupe said:


> Did you verify that weight or is that just mavic claimed weight?


It's the weight represented on the web site. I have no reason to believe a company like theirs would publish false information on their web site. I'll give them a pass if they're +/- 100 grams.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

fornaca68 said:


> It's the weight represented on the web site. I have no reason to believe a company like theirs would publish false information on their web site. I'll give them a pass if they're +/- 100 grams.


Excuse me for stifling much laughter. I've never know a company to exaggerate wheelset weights more than Mavic does.


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## vortechcoupe (Jun 6, 2006)

Yeah that made my morning! 

Older mavic weights listed on below link show they are about 80 grams heavier then claimed. 

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/listings/components.php?type=roadwheels

I'm ok with 20-30 grams but you say you think a company like mavic should be accurate but then you'd give them a "pass" for 100 gram +. Wow! 

I keep saying how I love the black brake track but there is no way I'd buy a wheelset from mavin, well ok maybe at half retail or less. They will never make open pros or any bare rim with the new surface.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

vortechcoupe said:


> Yeah that made my morning!
> 
> Older mavic weights listed on below link show they are about 80 grams heavier then claimed.
> 
> ...


You misread. I didn't write 100+, I wrote +/- 100 grams, so the delta is relatively narrow. I really don't think Mavic is going to engage in consumer fraud by publishing false numbers. And I'm glad you feel better that you will never buy a Mavic wheelset.


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## vortechcoupe (Jun 6, 2006)

Well we know it's not going to be -100 under weight. I just meant you were ok with it being 100 grams over (+) claimed, which I don't think they are that much over claimed. more like 80. But still over 1500 grams total.

Oh and YOU misread, I said I would maybe buy if the wheelset was half or less them retail.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

fornaca68 said:


> I really don't think Mavic is going to engage in consumer fraud by publishing false numbers.


Everyone else does.. I dont see why mavic wouldnt.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

I'm curious what 
"*ноожеяз ай вщоw?*
-_VaughnA" says? and what language. 
Google doesn't come up with anything_


JustTooBig said:


> one other consideration -- if you break a spoke out on the road (where else is it going to happen?), you're walking home. The low spoke count coupled with extremely high tension on each means that when one breaks, the wheel is badly out of true -- as in rubbing on the chainstays. If you happen to be carrying the (proprietary) spoke wrench, you may or may not be able to re-true well enough to limp it home. It's more likely you'll be walking.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*Zicral spokes*

Saw this post before but I did not respond:

What whats it's worth- I have '07 SSC SL wheels with the same Zicral spokes. I had problems with spoke breakages, cracked a rim, replaced free hub body, all within 7600 miles. I finally gave up and went with a different rear wheel in '08 after having the rear SSC rebuilt with a new rim and shortly after (about 200 miles) broke a spoke. I hung it up in my garage and it's been hanging there for almost 3 years.. I eventually cracked my current rear rim (Mavic CXP 33) and have been using the SSC until the CXP 33 is rebuilt. I pack two spare Zicral spokes with me. Wrapped them up so they don't bounce around and dropped them down my st. I pack the special Mavic spoke wrench. Installing a new spoke is very easy, you don't have to remove the tires. I still have the original SSC on the front. These are nice wheels, but probably better for racing or week end rides. I would not use them for everyday training rides. I read that Mavic was going to come out with steel bladed spokes to replace the aluminum Zicral but so far they haven't. I love the SSC's, light, stiff and ride super nice with high clincher tires. The main thing for me is the dreaded sound of another broken spoke. I got a 'deal' with my SSC's also. Cost $600 with my new bike back in '07. Spoke tension is very important with these wheels. You need someone who knows how to work on them and apply the correct spoke tension. Apparently no one at my LBS knows how. Super nice wheels, but I prefer peace of mind.

End of story.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

I had over 10K on my SL wheel set without any problems still running strong.


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## jaybee64 (Jan 4, 2011)

So much Mavic hate on this board. If they sucked as badly as (most of the same) folks always claim, why do so many people have them, especially when there are many other wheelsets to choose from?


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

All of my bikes were running on Mavic wheels.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

jaybee64 said:


> So much Mavic hate on this board. If they sucked as badly as (most of the same) folks always claim, why do so many people have them, especially when there are many other wheelsets to choose from?


No one said they sucked.. 

People buy all sorts of stuff without any real good reason. Mavic has strong marketing and they're expensive. People like to be seen on expensive things.

Theres a lot of tangible facts about mavic wheels.. and none of them are very favorable to mavic. The price, weight, aero, comparable other wheels.. It has nothing to do with hate. Just people putting the numbers together.


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## jaybee64 (Jan 4, 2011)

Well, that may be one perspective but I wouldn't count it as definitive. You're basically saying that people buy them because they're expensive and people like to be seen on expensive things. This point could hold true for any product in the higher end of cycling, depending on who you are speaking to.

I live in San Rafael, CA, in Marin County. There is a very large, well informed and serious bike culture here. Sure, there are posers, just like anywhere. But, many more people who are serious about riding. If Mavic wheels are so bad, why do I see so many people riding them on numerous high quality bikes?


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

Pick this one up back in March and it's absolute wonderfull wheels.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

jaybee64 said:


> You're basically saying that people buy them because they're expensive and people like to be seen on expensive things. This point could hold true for any product in the higher end of cycling,


Yup.. right on both counts. Again, no one said they're poor quality wheels. People are saying you can get even higher quality wheels, that are lighter, more aero, more affordable, and even longer lasting.

This isnt limited to cycling.. watches, suits, golf clubs, jewelery, $200 jeans..

I used to see this guy on a old pos trek.. very base model, nothing special at all.. old and kinda run down, but maintained enough to ride. I saw him everywhere, all the time. He must have put in thousands of miles a year. Spending money doesnt make you serious.


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## farva (Jun 24, 2005)

Mavic did a kick ass marketing job of getting this wheel as standard equipment on high end bikes so people assume these wheels must be good too. They are also pretty bling which goes along way to fuel sales

Personally I don't get the aluminum spokes - what a horrible material for a part that is under constant compression/tension. Makes for a very harsh ride. Given the choice I'd take the slightly heavier Elite version with stainless steel spokes


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

I don't buy the Mavic marketing campaign but I do know they have been in MFG bicycle wheels for a long period and they have a great product line.


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## farva (Jun 24, 2005)

zamboni said:


> Pick this one up back in March and it's absolute wonderfull wheels.


super bling

Is that your normal saddle height? I don't think I've ever seen a race oriented rig like that with the bars higher than the saddle before


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## farva (Jun 24, 2005)

the open pro is a good rim


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## config (Aug 16, 2002)

farva said:


> super bling
> 
> Is that your normal saddle height? I don't think I've ever seen a race oriented rig like that with the bars higher than the saddle before


Frame size seems on the big size for the rider.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

This is the wife's bike.


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## jaybee64 (Jan 4, 2011)

Snazzy looking bike Zamboni! Your wife must be a monster out there on the road. I wish I could get mine on a bike.


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