Mavic Ksyrium SL

[Jed19]

it seems to me that if you use an ultrathin oil like mobil1 you will need to oil the hub more often than a heavier lubricant. not that I suggest it, but if you used marine grease it would probably require no maintenence even in a rainforest climate.

I don't suggest it because it would roll like crap, and jed19 probably does gain superior rolling with thin oil. how much he gains is unknown but to me it's not worth the effort every 500 miles.

Marine grease is not possible to use on a Mavic FTS-L freehub as lube. Mavic recommends their mineral oil, but I've never bought it, and Mobil1 10W-30 is cheap (always have leftovers from my cars) and works great.

[dayday82]

I love mine. Bombproof and pretty light. But if were to do it again, I wouldn't since they are so expensive. You can get a wheelset just as durable and light for under $500.

[Mantis Style]

I got mine for a great deal and have been riding on them for 2 years now, about 7k miles or so. Happy so far. Note that you definitely will need to learn how to clean and lube the hub probably once a year (but all depends on how much and where you are riding). I got the death squeal that scared the **** out of me (google mavic death squeal) but it's absolutely not a big deal. If you can change a tire, you can do this and if you do it once it'll take maybe 10-15 minutes to do the next time. If you get em, check out Rogue Mechanic as he has a tutorial that walks you through it.

[zatopek]

Although I've never ridden really fancy and expensive wheels, I've got bikes with HED Ardennes, Mavic R-Sys Reds, Neuvation R28s, Mavic SLs and a few others. By far, the best wheels I have ever ridden are a set of Chris King R45 hubs, laced to HED Belgium rims with 32 Sapim CXray spokes in a 3 cross pattern front and back, with the rear NDS spokes tied and soldered that were built by Travis Evans at JRABS bike shop in Laytonsville, MD. They are light enough for me, really comfortable and seem nearly bomb-proof. Until I bought and rode these hand mades, I pooh-poohed all the posts I had read about getting hand made wheels designed for a person's individual needs.

[ravenmore]

They're not bad wheels but they are expensive for what you get. I'd go with hanbuilts, or actually possibly with Boyd wheels as they use the components I would use and the prices are reasonable.

[whitemax]

[You can get a wheelset just as durable and light for under $500.[/QUOTE]

Like what? Not disagreeing with you, just want to know what would be as durable, as light, and would tolerate weights over 200 lbs. as a Kysyrium SL will, for that price.

[qqy]

It's never been cheaper to run handbuilt wheels. BikeHubStore hubs + Sapim spokes + KinLin rims = ~1500g wheels (depending on options) for less $$. Not only that a good wrench will tune the tension and lacing to your personal needs. And when they need work you'll never have an issue, or much expense.

Better yet, spend a lil more on good hubs, maybe A23/HED Belgium rims, and xray spokes and you'll have a wheelset you will love forever that will still be cheap enough to ride hard all day anywhere, and perform as well as any $1000+ machine built wheelsets with fancy logos. After seeing my friend's face after a truck forced him into a pothole on the highway, tacoing his new Mavic SLR front, I will never understand why people use anything else. And the $65 cab ride home after waiting for 30min...

[qqy]

Also, at over 200lbs low-spoke count (18/20) wheels are NOT for you. Not to say you shouldn't run them, but when a spoke goes (and it will) you will not be riding home.

[dtrain]

Not all lower spoke count wheels are created equal. SL's are pretty darn tough.

[ColinL]

Also, at over 200lbs low-spoke count (18/20) wheels are NOT for you. Not to say you shouldn't run them, but when a spoke goes (and it will) you will not be riding home.

you're ignoring the strength and construction of the rim. the ksyrium series of wheels are way the hell stronger than a 20/24 velocity a23, it's not even comparable. when you have a 32 or 36 hole traditional rim, they should be strong, but at that point it is doubtful the wheels are as light as a ksyrium.

I don't think that the ksyrium is god's gift to road wheels, but I do think there are reasons they sell so many of them and people like them.

[canam73]

It's never been cheaper to run handbuilt wheels. BikeHubStore hubs + Sapim spokes + KinLin rims = ~1500g wheels (depending on options) for less $$. Not only that a good wrench will tune the tension and lacing to your personal needs. And when they need work you'll never have an issue, or much expense.

Better yet, spend a lil more on good hubs, maybe A23/HED Belgium rims, and xray spokes and you'll have a wheelset you will love forever that will still be cheap enough to ride hard all day anywhere, and perform as well as any $1000+ machine built wheelsets with fancy logos. After seeing my friend's face after a truck forced him into a pothole on the highway, tacoing his new Mavic SLR front, I will never understand why people use anything else. And the $65 cab ride home after waiting for 30min...

In case you haven't seen them, BHS now has 23mm wide x 28mm deep rim. I am building a set now and they look to be kinlin built. Similar specs if not the same rim that Boyd is using.

[qqy]

you're ignoring the strength and construction of the rim. the ksyrium series of wheels are way the hell stronger than a 20/24 velocity a23, it's not even comparable. when you have a 32 or 36 hole traditional rim, they should be strong, but at that point it is doubtful the wheels are as light as a ksyrium.

I don't think that the ksyrium is god's gift to road wheels, but I do think there are reasons they sell so many of them and people like them.

Full disclosure: I raced a set of '05 Ksyrium SLs into the ground. I know the problems with Ksyriums. I also build wheels. They are very strong wheels, but not bombproof, and the spokes require heavy tension. When one of them goes (and I broke several as a 180lb crit racer) it's a problem. The rims are, no doubt, the highlight of the wheelset. I've always loved Mavic rims. The rest of the wheel... not so much. You can get a set of handbuilts that weigh the same with 24/28 lacing that I can virtually guarantee will not leave you stranded for less $$. Moreover, the long-term costs of owning Ksyriums is MUCH higher. Virtually everything is proprietary, and that's by design.

[whitemax]

[ You can get a set of handbuilts that weigh the same with 24/28 lacing that I can virtually guarantee will not leave you stranded for less $$.

I don't weigh over 200 lbs. but Lowcell said he weighs 210 lbs, so the question becomes, as I responded to dayday82 above, what for less than $500 could be had that is so bombproof and light as the K-SL?

[ravenmore]

It's never been cheaper to run handbuilt wheels. BikeHubStore hubs + Sapim spokes + KinLin rims = ~1500g wheels (depending on options) for less $$. Not only that a good wrench will tune the tension and lacing to your personal needs. And when they need work you'll never have an issue, or much expense.

Better yet, spend a lil more on good hubs, maybe A23/HED Belgium rims, and xray spokes and you'll have a wheelset you will love forever that will still be cheap enough to ride hard all day anywhere, and perform as well as any $1000+ machine built wheelsets with fancy logos. After seeing my friend's face after a truck forced him into a pothole on the highway, tacoing his new Mavic SLR front, I will never understand why people use anything else. And the $65 cab ride home after waiting for 30min...

This is pretty much exactly what I recommended as well. Actually mine were a bit under 1400 grams (20/24) and are holding up great. Couple years so far with nearly daily riding. My weight runs from 195 to 220 (215 currently). I vastly prefer these to the Kysriums I had.