Cosmic Carbone SLR is brand new for 2009
Carbon spokes run continuously from “rim 2 rim”
Small weight savings and new black finish for R-SYS
Ksyrium Elite’s get lighter and more affordable
Mavic pulled out all the stops with the release of its R-SYS wheels last year, with the carbon spoked wheels turning convention on its head. So it’s no surprise that for 2009 Mavic hasn’t followed up with any new technological breakthroughs, instead concentrating on honing the rest of its line-up. Which is no bad thing in our books.
R-Sys Premium
When released last year, Mavic’s R-SYS were something of a technological step forward. For 2009 Mavic has sought to reduce weight, so titanium axle ends and skewers, carbon hub caps and a new cool black finish are the only changes. Weight is now 1.36kg.
Ksyrium Elite
The third run Ksyrium is one of the most developed wheels for 2009, and represents a serious mid-level wheelset that will no doubt find its way onto many manufacturers’ bikes.
Weight is down some 140g to 1.55kg for set, with Mavic’s Inter Spoke Milling (ISM) technology the main promoter of the weight loss. Additional, the company says a redesigned hub and tweaked lacing increasing lateral stiffness, so the wheel is more responsive when you’re out of the saddle climbing, or sprinting with all of your might.
Cosmic Carbone SLR
This could be the wheel of choice in the new Mavic line-up. The SLR debuts “rim 2 rim spoke technology”, continuous 12K carbon fibre spokes run from one side of the rim right across the hub and onto the opposite side of the rim. With less spokes comes lighter weight and better strength, and stiffness is higher than aluminium spoked wheels. The 52mm carbon/aluminium rims, the same as found on the Cosmic SL’s, have had 20g removed – total weight is a reasonable 1.59kg.
Cosmic Carbone SL
Mavic has made significant drops in two key areas on the new Carbon SL’s: weight and price. New rim technology has shed 20g, the complete weight being 1.74kg.
Comete Road
Mavic’s go to wheel for time trials has got lighter thanks to the use of carbon fibre flanges. Weight is now 1.15kg.
Mavic hasn’t just been fine-tuning its wheels, it’s also released a range of clothing and footwear – more on those tomorrow…
