# 2010 Mavic Ksyrium Elite



## gp257 (Oct 27, 2010)

Hi, I came across a NEW 2010 MAVIC KSYRIUM SL CLINCHER WHEELSET 700c for $699 is this a great buy ?? List for $999
Also I weigh 180 lbs. want to use them for daily use long weekend club rides (50+ miles) and do a few centuries during the year. Are these a good choice??
This is a SL not and Elite (I couldn't edit the title ????)


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Compared to everything else out there, thats not a good deal at all.


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## gp257 (Oct 27, 2010)

TomH said:


> Compared to everything else out there, thats not a good deal at all.


This is the SL NOT the elite that I see for around $650 and this is a new wheelset from a bike dealer. My title was wrong . Is it still not good ??


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Alternatives*



gp257 said:


> Hi, I came across a NEW 2010 MAVIC KSYRIUM SL CLINCHER WHEELSET 700c for $699 is this a great buy ?? List for $999
> Also I weigh 180 lbs. want to use them for daily use long weekend club rides (50+ miles) and do a few centuries during the year. Are these a good choice??
> This is a SL not and Elite (I couldn't edit the title ????)


The question you need to ask yourself is what performance advantage these wheels offer compared to say a set of Record hand-builts from Colorado Cyclist for $540. Better hubs? No. More aero? No. More durable? No. Easier to maintain? No. Laterally stiffer? No. More bling? Maybe. You choose.


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## SBH1973 (Nov 21, 2002)

I ride on 2009 Ksyrium SLs and do think they're fine wheels. They came with the bike I bought last year and I decided to keep them. But if I had $699 to spend on new wheels, I wouldn't even consider them. That is a decent price for those wheels, but you could have yourself a much lighter, more aero set built for $200 less.


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## dracula (Mar 9, 2010)

SBH1973 said:


> I ride on 2009 Ksyrium SLs and do think they're fine wheels. They came with the bike I bought last year and I decided to keep them. But if I had $699 to spend on new wheels, I wouldn't even consider them. That is a decent price for those wheels, but you could have yourself a much lighter, more aero set built for $200 less.


Please explain this $200 deal. The only requirement for me would be: 

1. 622x15c rim (15mm inner width) to run safely in combination with Michelin 700x25c tyre. For example the Kinlin XR-300 has an inner width of about 13.5mm and a 25 mm tyre would look silly on that rim.

I have no hard data but think the Ksyrium SLs are 622x15c.

2. Rim height larger than 21 mm. I have never seen a boutique rear wheel on other rider's bikes (when I slip stream) out of true. However, I have (slight exaggeration, though) never seen riders on one of those old-style 36/32 rims NOT suffering from an out of true rear wheel.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

He said 200 less, so 500 total. Theres lots of good wheels out there for 500. 

Its almost baffling that someone would suggest that 32/36 spoke wheels inherently go out of true. Thats just a bizarre statement. Theres nothing true about that at all. 

Theres no question about it, krysiums are about as aerodynamic as a brick, compared to anything, they lose. Its not worth having a minimum depth requirement as the k's depth isnt really helping them. 

You could build a ton of different wheels on a bunch of different hubs, that weigh less, are more aero, are easier to service, and just as durable.. for 500 bucks. If you insist on factory wheels, shimanos RS80's are 499 right now.


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## dracula (Mar 9, 2010)

TomH said:


> He said 200 less, so 500 total. Theres lots of good wheels out there for 500.
> 
> Its almost baffling that someone would suggest that 32/36 spoke wheels inherently go out of true. Thats just a bizarre statement. Theres nothing true about that at all.
> 
> ...


Hey I did not say inherently. I must admit I have no hard data to back this up. 

However, just observation. When I was younger we (this is my brother, me, and all my friends at that time) never saw "true" wheels either on the road bike of all the older peers (being middle aged and overweight on an expensive road bike is not a fad of modern times) or mountain bike. I am aged 37 now and have had my first serious road bike as far as I remember in about 1988 or so (cannot exactly remember the wheel brand although the bike was Italian make "Casati" and Shimano 105 and made of steel). 

When I was studying for a Phd in physics at the university I commuted every day and was riding off ride at that time as well. My rear wheel on all of my MTBs always showed signs of a slight "8". They always came out good from the bike shops but this did not last long. By the way: and of course did all the 36/32 MTB wheels (admittedly cheap ones) develop cracks around the eylets and holes.

It was not that unusual even nowadays to see road bikes with 36/32 wheels and out of true rear wheels. The rider itself did not look fat in my eyes.

I am not cheerleading boutiqe wheels (finding replacement parts sucks). However, I wear automatic wrist watches and I am well aware lets face it: the time of an expensive automatic wristwatch is long been over.


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## dracula (Mar 9, 2010)

TomH said:


> He said 200 less, so 500 total. Theres lots of good wheels out there for 500.



Hi

I am still interested in the specs of this $500 (£300) wheel, which is according to the posters: lighter, more aerodynamic, will never go out of true as long as one is not overly overweight, and every local bike shop will be able to service and repair it.

I contacted a UK based renowed wheel builder 2 weeks ago for a quote on some low spoke wheels. I was replacing my Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels (will use them on my holiday bike in August in the Alps on the continent). In the end I just bought me a set of Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels (still not sure if a Fulcrum Racing 3 would have been the better option even though it only features 16 spokes in the front).

I encountered 2 obstacles: 

1. The wheel builder could not really tell me if the wheels will be as laterally stiff as my Mavic Equipes. I for one notice brake rub on my Mavic Aksiums, although never experienced the brake rub on my Mavic Equipe wheels on the same frame and tyre combination. So I want a stiff low spoke count rear wheel (I am 1.8 meters tall and weigh in about 73 kg). 

2. The 30mm Kinlin rim is just only between 13 to 14 mm inner rim width. I am using Michelin Krylion 700x25c tyres and they run large.

My upper threshold at that time would have been about £400 (about $600) for a hand build wheel set.

I am not criticising whee builders here. There is nothing wrong with that. However, people often have individual needs.

see you


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## SBH1973 (Nov 21, 2002)

c.$500 build:

KinLin rims - $120 (and that's on the high side)
Spokes/Nipples - $50-150 depending on what you go
Hubs - get yourself some light Taiwanese hubs off eBay ($100-150)
Wheelbuilder's Labor - $100 seems fair.

If the tires you're using don't fit the rims, get tires that do.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

dracula said:


> 2. Rim height larger than 21 mm. I have never seen a boutique rear wheel on other rider's bikes (when I slip stream) out of true. However, I have (slight exaggeration, though) never seen riders on one of those old-style 36/32 rims NOT suffering from an out of true rear wheel.


well, yeah. If you're going to go on nothing but anecdote the one you forgot is 36/32 wheels on the road today are all like 30 years old and boutique wheels are new.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

dracula said:


> Hey I did not say inherently. I must admit I have no hard data to back this up.
> 
> However, just observation. When I was younger we (this is my brother, me, and all my friends at that time) never saw "true" wheels either on the road bike of all the older peers (being middle aged and overweight on an expensive road bike is not a fad of modern times) or mountain bike. I am aged 37 now and have had my first serious road bike as far as I remember in about 1988 or so (cannot exactly remember the wheel brand although the bike was Italian make "Casati" and Shimano 105 and made of steel).
> 
> ...


On the other side you have me. I'm a Clydesdale at 6'3, 215 lbs. Low spoke count wheels have never lasted more than a year- even my old 2008 Ksyrium SLs lasted 10 1/2 months before losing a spoke on a long climb. I had a pair of Velocity Deep Vs built with a 32 spokes front and rear on Ultegra hubs. Almost 10,000 miles and I haven't had to even touch the spokes. They are as true as when I purchased them. It's really amazing since I don't even avoid potholes when riding on them .

With low spoke count wheels, you're right about them not going out of true very often. The problem is they usually have spoke failure first and you're doing the walk of shame. Just remember that the less spokes you have, the higher the tension that's placed on each spoke. Most bikes you see today with 32 spokes are entry-level bikes. Manufacturers usually add "bling wheels" aka low spoke count wheels to higher end stuff. A pair of custom-built 32 spoked wheels will cost nearly as much as an off the shelf pair (and less than those K's), but they will be bulletproof.


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