Road Cycling - Mavic Ksyrium Elite or Campy Eurus????

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.




joeyjindan
08-27-02, 11:36 PM
I am now looking at buying the wheelset for the road bike I am building. I am thinking of going with:
1. the Mavic Ksyrium Elite set which weighs 1715 grams
2. the Campagnolo Eurus set which weighs 1550 grams

or possibly---3. the Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL which weighs 1530 grams

I am leaning towards the Mavic Elites largely because they are the least expensive. The Campy Eurus are the next cheapest, and I am willing to buck up a little more for them if they are that much better. Your thoughts would be most appreciated. Any problems with any of the wheelsets?? Do any of 3 mentioned kick complete ass over the other???


khuon
08-28-02, 12:19 AM
I can't speak for the other wheels but I do have 2001 model Ksyrium SSCs on my bike. They kinda sit between the Elite and the SSC SL in terms of weight and I guess performance. For the SSC SL Mavic basically takes the SSC from the previous year and shaved material between the eyelets making it lighter. They may have also done some other metal-trickery too to retain the rigidity.

They're quite stiff so if you don't have a compliant frame, they can provide a bone-jarring ride. I was at first a bit worried about the Al spokes but they've proven pretty reliable so far. I have a little over 6000 miles on them now and they're still perfectly true according to my mechanic. I've heard the Ksyriums are some of the most robust factory wheelsets you can get. The FTS hubs are also pretty nice... can't say much more than that they roll smooth and I haven't heard anything detonate back there.

poululla
08-28-02, 01:54 AM
At the recent POST DANMARK pro cycle tour I noticed more MAVIC KSYRIUM wheels than all the other types put together...that must say something.


RacerX
08-29-02, 01:32 AM
I have the SSC SL's and they are awesome. Talk about direct power transfer- you didnt know what wind-up felt like until the SSC SL's complete lack of wind-up.
Campy makes awesome wheels though. I agree, be different and get the Campys.

joeyjindan
08-31-02, 01:05 AM
Thanks for your advice everyone. After some hmming and hawing, I decided to go with the Mavic Ksyrium SL's. There are just too many good reviews of this wheel to ignore. It made me run somewhat overbudget for my bike but what the hell. Now everything has been ordered ---the Campagnolo Record groupset, the bars, stem, saddle, seatpost, pedals, frame, tires, tubes, and wheelset. I am waiting patiently for the parcel service to deliver my unassembled bicycle. I will let everyone know if this Internet ordered bicycle works out----from the fit down to the delivery. BTW= I ordered the entire bicycle from a European retailer. fingers are crossed.