Gear: 2007 Mavic Ksyrium Elites

Well, it's about that time!

Time for what, you ask? A gear review, of course!

Today I'll be giving you my impressions of Mavic's newly redesigned 2007 Ksyrium Elites:


I was looking for a wheelset that could handle both training/racing on the road bike, but could also double as my nice racing wheels for cross. This meant that I was looking for a stiff, robust wheel that could take abuse. However, I still wanted it to spin up well and not be too hefty. At the time, I only had one set of wheels for my Road bike- a set of beautiful Campagnolo Eurus Wheels. There was no way in hell that I would be racing those in cyclocross! They're much too pretty and Italian for that.

Thanks to the good 'ole Team discount at NYC Velo, I was able to pick these babies up for a steal. They usually retail for about $650.

Mavic had made some nice improvements on the wheel. Mavic really shines at allowing their high-end technology to trickle down. Most notably, the rear hub has been re-designed along the veins of the top-end Ksyrium ES's. The spoke carriers at the hub had been moved out, resulting in better spoke tension and a stiffer wheel. The spoke lacing on the rear wheel now also imitates the spoke patters on the more Expensive SL's and ES's. Also like their more expensive brethren, these wheels don't require rim tape. This yields a stiffer, lighter wheel. The wheelset now weighs in at a respectable 1690 grams. light enough to race, although they're not ultra-light climbing wheels (nor are they made out to be). For an aero advantage, the spokes are bladed, and the front and rear wheels have specific rim profiles (lower rim height in the front, higher in the rear).

My first impression out of the box was "oooh, pretty." The graphics on the wheels have been re-done to resemble the Ksyrium ES's.



I paired these wheels with a set of Michelin Krylion tires to use for off-season training. They're supposed to last an obscenely long time and have superior flat protection, so they should suit my needs just fine. I also slapped a larger-than normal (13-26) rear cassette on the back wheel to accomodate not only winter training, but 'cross racing, where lower gearing is almost necessary. Normally I run a 23-11 with my compact chainring, but that doesn't lend itself to heart-rate-zone training very well.

I took the wheels out for a spin in central park to get a feel for them. God, I love the feeling one gets from popping bike equipment cherries. It's so new, so perfect, so fresh! These wheels were nice and solid. the hubs were buttery smooth and i didn't hear and creaking out of the saddle. These wheels are stiff and tough, and I think they'd make pretty great crit wheels.

I think these wheels will make fantastic 'cross race wheels. There are a few fun 'cross races being organized for fun in January, so i might take the bike out once it's got the campy group on it and see what I can do.

Another note-worthy feature of these (and other) Mavic wheels is Their new "MP3" crash replacement program. for 8% of the list price, Mavic will repair/replace these wheels FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS. NO MATTER WHAT. If I taco the hell out of these wheels, there's nothing to worry about! just send 'em back to Mavic for a shiny new pair! Mavic is dead-on with this idea, and it's definitely was a major factor in my choosing these wheels.

I'll give updates as to how these wheels are holding up; at the moment I've put on about 100 miles with them, and they're dead true (as they should be). Next year's 'Cross season will be the real test for these bad boys; hopefully they'll hold up to the punishment. And if not, no worries! I'll just get shiny new ones for free!