Ksyriums are good wheels. I have extensive "road testing" on 03 SSC SL's.

I had a rear spoke snap but it was still rideable to get home. It isn't hard to replace but you have to wait for the spoke if your shop doesn't carry it. 3 days to replace a spoke kinda sucks but how often do you break a spoke? It isn't really a big deal, imo.

SSC SL's aren't aero at all. They are stiff and that's why they feel good and handle well.

The flat-bladed spokes catch crosswinds but it's not bad. It is more than a regular spoked wheel though so it bothers some people. It's unfortunate you have to deal with that but not get any of the aero benefit--again, not a big deal.
The alloy spokes are also brittle compared to stainless steel spokes. They have a fatigue life although they have been very reliable in my experience.

The biggest weakness is the cheapo 2 pawl freehub. There are much better rear hubs on the market with 3 or 4 pawls that will last much longer and perform better, longer.

The black painted spokes and "ksyrium" stickers on the rim scratch and chip easily, which is why they went to all-silver this year.

I ride a different manufacturer's wheelset now. The SSC SL's are a good wheelset with the emphasis on style and stiffness. I think they are worth the cash because of the bling-factor and solid performance if that's important to you.

Hey if Mavic figured out a way to sell a wheelset that basically costs them the same as a Cosmos set but charge 3x more, I gotta say kudos on some great design and marketing.

Besides, they are good wheels. CK/CXP-33/DT sounds good and it's a great combo but it doesn't have the bling so in a side-by-side, most people will pay more for the SSC's. That's not a judgement on my part, that's just the facts.

If I were spending money on a wheelset, my choice would be a Campy Hyperon set or Zipp 202's but the SSC SL's are hard to beat in terms of stiffness. Nice wheelset.