Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST wheelset

9
£539.00

VERDICT:

9
10
They've always been good, but with better tyres and being tubeless, it's a very impressive package indeed
Weight: 
2,101g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

For 2018 Mavic's highly dependable all-rounder, the Ksyrium Elite, has become tubeless, using the French company's UST system like much of the range. The wheels have maintained their lightweight, durable persona from previous models and are still great to ride whether you are racing or tackling the club run, with a little bit of future proofing. A welcome addition is that the Yksion Pro UST tyres are a lot better than the non-tubeless versions I tested a couple of years ago.

  • Pros: Decent weight, well built, tyre/wheel combo works well together
  • Cons: Erm...

It's not a new thing for Mavic to include tyres in its wheel packages; the company has been doing that with its tubed wheelsets for years but with its tubeless setup, UST, it's taken this to the next level, controlling the marriage between rim and rubber to the nth degree.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Mat gives the full lowdown here on the introduction of UST and what it involves, but just to give you a little snippet, 'Mavic says that it can now offer a lifetime of hassle-free installation and maintenance when using UST approved products because control of the manufacturing provides the optimum rim diameter and a precise tyre bead diameter.

'Mavic claims that its road UST tubeless system is different from other tubeless systems in that the wheel and tyre are designed together and there's tight control over production variances. If you want the figures, the rim bead seat diameter is 621.95mm (with a tolerance of +/-0.35mm) and the tyre bead diameter is 619.6mm (with a tolerance of +/-0.2mm). They're tight tolerances.'

mavic_ksyrium_elite_ust_wheelset_-_rim.jpg

The wheels arrived at the office with the tyres fitted, and after reading Mat's write-up I tested the wheels for a bit with another brand of tyre, the Ere Research Genus, to test compatibility as Mavic recommends only using its own tyres with the wheels, and everything was fine. The Eres popped onto the rim without hassle and stayed seated throughout the riding with no issues.

mavic_ksyrium_elite_ust_wheelset_-_rim_detail.jpg

The same can be said for the Mavic tyres. Inflation was smooth and simple, with the Yksions sitting snuggly against the rim of the wheel with just the use of a standard track pump, and there were no leaks of sealant anywhere.

Get a grip

When I tested the non-tubeless Ksyrium Elites back in 2016, my biggest – well, only – gripe was the tyres. They seriously lacked grip, especially in the wet, and puncture proofing was pretty poor.

These UST versions are way, way better, offering loads of grip. Something I found out on pretty much the only rainy day of the test period.

mavic_ksyrium_elite_ust_wheelset_-_rim_and_tyre.jpg

After about four weeks of no precipitation, the Sunday's weather was looking downright biblical and as a rider who thrives in the extremes of weather I had to get out for a play.

Shaftesbury, in Dorset, is one of the highest towns in England, and in the direction I would need to head for home there is a lovely twisty descent for a good half a mile, with fowing bends, some tightening up mid-way through. If you're brave enough to stay off the brakes, 50mph is easily achievable.

> Buyer's Guide: Tubeless tyres

I took the first couple of turns cautiously, just to gauge some feel, but I was already touching 40mph and the cars behind had realised I was probably going to be quicker through this section than they were and had backed right off. Time to relax.

With speed and confidence growing with each corner, I was taking more and more risks, and to say I was impressed with the Yksion Pros would be an understatement. Grip and feedback were spot on, and if I did break traction, a little shift in power or body position easily saw them come back under control.

A classic all-rounder

Anyway, back to the wheels – after all, they are the main part of the package.

At 1,532g without tyres (2,101g with tyres and valves) they are light enough to be exciting on the climbs or under acceleration, and their stiffness certainly backs that up; you won't get any flex or brake rub here.

> 187 tubeless wheelsets — your choices in new technology hoops

It is a really solid wheelset as well, you can feel that just by the way they roll. Covering rough stretches of tarmac doesn't see them rattling you about and if they do whack a pothole you get an assuring thud rather than the crack sound you get from alloy wheels.

The Ksyrium Elites feel like they have the durability of a training wheel with the performance of a race one.

The techy stuff

For the rims Mavic uses its exclusive Maxtal aluminium alloy, which it says gives a higher strength to weight ratio than the 6061 grade more commonly used in wheel manufacturing.

Weight is removed by machining material away from the spoke bed in between where the nipples are, and while it isn't quite as striking as the exposed aluminium found on earlier models it does give the wheels that cool wavy look.

Mavic has gone for differing depths for the front and rear, 24mm and 26mm respectively.

A lot of wheels coming in for test at road.cc tend to be for disc brakes, so it's a real pleasure to see the simplicity of the radial spoking design on the Ksyrium front wheel, which uses just 18 spokes.

mavic_ksyrium_elite_ust_wheelset_-_front_hub.jpg

The rear has 20 of the double butted, straight pull, flat spokes in a radial pattern on the non-drive side, with a two-cross setup for the drive side.

Hub-wise, Mavic uses an all-alloy affair for both the body and the axle. The flanges are pretty large to take the loads and they run very smoothly indeed.

mavic_ksyrium_elite_ust_wheelset_-_rear_hub.jpg

Up until the arrival of these, I was still running the 2016 Ksyrium Elites on my wet weather bike and the hub bearings are still running as smoothly as the day they were fitted, so I don't see any issues arising with these. They are adjustable and Mavic even chucks in the tool but I haven't had to touch the earlier version at all, even with about 6,000 miles on the clock.

For the freehub, Mavic has gone for a steel body and it is holding up well to wear and tear. There are no significant grooves on the splines from hard acceleration, from the cassette digging in.

Value

Carbon fibre wheels are getting ever cheaper and for £600 you can pick up a decent set of deep-section clinchers like the CES Sport RC50s.

So why go for aluminium? Well, it's a great material and just like frames it has come a long way in the last few years in terms of weight and strength.

The Ksyrium Elites are light, aren't affected by crosswinds and the braking is absolutely spot on regardless of the weather conditions.

> Buyer's Guide: 26 of the best new road bike wheelsets

You can get a lot of wheels at a similar weight cheaper than the £539 price tag here, but let's break it down a bit. The UST tyres would set you back £40-£50 each, plus you get enough sealant chucked in to do both tyres and plenty left over for topping them up.

Compare that to the Ritchey Classic Zetas, for instance, at £569, which are bloody good wheels by the way, or the £539.99 Deda Elementi Zero2 wheels that aren't even tubeless and don't come with tyres.

Conclusion

If you want a set of wheels to tackle a bit of everything, then the Ksyrium Elites are hard to fault, and while you can get cheaper this is a solid package that'll give you real peace of mind.

Verdict

They've always been good, but with better tyres and being tubeless, it's a very impressive package indeed

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST wheelset

Size tested: 25mm tyres

Tell us what the wheel is for

Mavic says, "The Ksyrium Elite road wheel has been a benchmark for reliability, light weight and versatility for more than a decade. This updated version makes it easier than ever to experience the benefits of riding tubeless. Integrated with our Yksion Pro UST Tubeless tires, the system makes installation, removal and maintenance simple and hassle-free. Eliminating the tube reduces friction in the system, which means less rolling resistance and higher speeds. You can also lower your tire pressure, which gives you a smoother, more comfortable ride plus added control on rough roads. And you'll enjoy a reduced risk of punctures, so you can ride with confidence and push yourself farther.

The rims are engineered with our patented Fore Drilling to form a stronger connection between the spokes and the rim. Isopulse lacing improves stability and boosts lateral stiffness while sprinting or climbing. Our exclusive patented ISM 4D process strategically removes excess material from the rim while maintaining it around the spokes, where tension is applied.

The wheel is available in three color options: full black; gray on black; black with red highlights."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the wheel?

Compatibility

Rear axle: Quick Release only

Front axle: Quick Release only

Freewheel: Shimano/Sram, convertible to Campagnolo with optional driver body

Compatible Adapters and freewheel bodies

FTS-L Campagnolo freewheel body (30871201)

FTS-L Shimano / Sram freewheel body (30871101 - Delivered on the wheel)

Weight

Tyre 700x25: 260 grams

Pair without tyre: 1520 grams

Front without tyre: 665 grams

Rear without tyre: 855 grams

Hubs

Front and rear bodies: aluminum

Axle material: aluminum

Adjustable sealed cartridge bearings (QRM+)

Freewheel: FTS-L steel

Intended Use

For a longer longevity of the wheel, Mavic recommends that the total weight supported by the wheels don't exceed 120kg, bike included

ASTM CATEGORY 2 : road and offroad with jumps less than 15cm

Max. Pressure tubeless: 25mm 7 bars - 100 PSI, 28mm 6 bars - 87 PSI. Max pressure tubetype: 25/28mm 7,7 bars - 110 PSI

Recommended tyre sizes: 25 to 32 mm

Rims

ETRTO size: 622x17TC ROAD

Height: front 24mm, rear 26 asymmetrical

Weight reduction: ISM 4D

Internal width: 17 mm

Valve hole diameter: 6.5 mm

Tyre: clincher

Drilling: Fore

Brake track: UB Control

Joint: SUP

Material: Maxtal

Spokes

Shape: straight pull, flat, double butted

Material: steel

Nipples: Fore integrated aluminum

Lacing: front radial, rear Isopulse

Count: front 18, rear 20

Tyre

Front and Rear Tread: 11 Storm single compound

Yksion Pro UST

UST Tubeless Ready

Dimension: 25-622 (700x25c)

Breaker: Polyamide, from bead to bead

Casing: 127 TPI

Versions

Color: Black only

DELIVERED WITH

Tyre sealant syringe

Mavic tyre sealant (rear wheel)

Multifonction adjustment wrench

BR301 quick releases

UST valve and accessories

User guide

Rate the wheel for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the wheel for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the wheel for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheel for weight
 
8/10
Rate the wheel for value:
 
7/10

Did the wheels stay true? Any issues with spoke tension?

Yes, spoke tension was great throughout and they haven't moved a millimetre.

How easy did you find it to fit tyres?

Really easy. Drop the sealant in and pump up with a standard track pump for an instant seal.

How did the wheel extras (eg skewers and rim tape) perform?

You are getting quite a package for the money with tubeless tyres, sealant and valves all included in the price. It all worked absolutely fine.

Tell us how the wheel performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's part of Mavic's endurance range and it covers pretty much every base.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the wheel

A really solid feel to them, like you could trust them to take a whack or two.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the wheel

Nothing really.

Did you enjoy using the wheel? Yes

Would you consider buying the wheel? Yes

Would you recommend the wheel to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

If you want a tough, light set of wheels then the Ksyrium Elites are hard to fault; add a decent set of tubeless tyres, sealant and valves into the equation and they really can't be knocked.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 4 years ago
0 likes

I've been pretty unimpressed with them. They go out of true for fun, having the tubeless set up is an absolute liability, the tyres have proven to be fairly rubbish from the puncture prevention angle, and the sidewalls appear to be made of cheese. I won't be replacing them with the same, there are far better wheels available for less money IME.

Avatar
nopants | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have a pair of these for my winter wheels. Been great so far, except that water has got inside the rims. Has anone else had this issue? I'm running them tubeless (but planning to revert to tubes!) It has not caused any problems, but does make them a lot heavier...

Avatar
TheSmallRing | 5 years ago
0 likes

Got slightly rusty spokes after 6 months

Avatar
PixelPusher | 5 years ago
0 likes

The freehub is the only issue I've had with these. The bushing wears out after about 2-3k.

Avatar
JWL | 5 years ago
0 likes

Why buy these when you can get bomb-proof Dura-Ace C24s for the same price? They work brilliantly in a tubeless setup, are light as heck, have stunning hubs (with easy to maintain & replace parts) and have outstanding durability. 

Avatar
kevvjj replied to JWL | 5 years ago
2 likes
JWL wrote:

Why buy these when you can get bomb-proof Dura-Ace C24s for the same price? They work brilliantly in a tubeless setup, are light as heck, have stunning hubs (with easy to maintain & replace parts) and have outstanding durability. 

Because these are almost £200 cheaper and also come with tyres. 

Avatar
Rapha Nadal | 5 years ago
1 like

Mavic's quality has gone downhill really.  I had some of these & the rims were worn out after 2 years and the freehub didn't last much longer.  The old ones were far, far better - 6 years use out of them!

Avatar
chrismday replied to Rapha Nadal | 5 years ago
0 likes
Rapha Nadal wrote:

Mavic's quality has gone downhill really.  I had some of these & the rims were worn out after 2 years and the freehub didn't last much longer.  The old ones were far, far better - 6 years use out of them!

Unfortunately this is the case. I have three sets of these wheels. The older set with the flat milled rims and alloy spokes are fine. The two newer sets have painted steel spokes which have rusted and the braking surfaces have corrosion pitting. Usage has been similar across all three sets.

The freehubs do require maintenance, but that doesn't bother me. Mavic haven't kept up with the trend for wider rims (they are wider than they were, but not as wide as most others) and combined with being forced to buy tyres and tubes that I don't I want, I'll not be buying Mavic again.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to Rapha Nadal | 5 years ago
0 likes
Rapha Nadal wrote:

Mavic's quality has gone downhill really.  I had some of these & the rims were worn out after 2 years and the freehub didn't last much longer.  The old ones were far, far better - 6 years use out of them!

Agreed, some reduction in weights using the ISM process but I think the rim walls have much less meat on them but prices are still very strong. I get that the rider weight limit is reasonable but when you can get quality handbuilt hoops for less it really should make most actually think if these (and others tbf) are actually that good a deal.

32 spoke DT Swiss R1.1 on an Bitex RAR 12 hubs is 690g front and 840g rear, that's brass nips as well!

Avatar
nowasps | 5 years ago
0 likes

I get a great deal of brake rub from my (old version) rear Ksyrium Elite. I have to leave about 7-8 mm gap not to get it simply pulling away from rest, never mind sprinting.

 

 

Latest Comments