buddha631

I have a pair of the Ksyrium SSC SLs and with 2,000 miles on them, broke a spoke. I was coming around a bend when it sounded like a firecracker went off under my wheel. Sure enough, a broken spoke. Now, I am not riding off road, and not hitting major potholes. Yes, I do hit some bumpy areas but for the most part relatively smooth roads.

Took it into the LBS who couldn't believe I had broken a spoke. I weigh about 125! They called Mavic and explained to them that I had just been riding normally and I shouldn't be breaking spokes. (Hoping to get Mavic to pay for the spoke and repair.) No way, they were pretty much insistent that I had obviously been a bit harsher on the wheels and it's pretty normal to break a spoke after 2,000 miles. I've been riding 20+ years and have NEVER broken a spoke before.

Well, I myself called Mavic and again explained the situation. The customer rep I spoke with was "not very nice." These things happen - tough luck.

Well, although the repair cost was minimal, it still was quite disappointing to 1) break a spoke after spending so much money on these wheels and 2) get such a negative reaction from Mavic customer service.

Anyone else have similar problems?

galen_52657

I have the Elites with way over 2,000 miles on them, have hit a ton of stuff and weigh around 200 lbs. Never broke anything. Wheels still true and round.

Maybe you had a defective spoke. Or, maybe somebody stepped on your wheel while it was off the bike or something. Maybe you hit something harder than you think you did. But, I would not expect Mavic to warranty the wheels. If they did it for you, they would have to do it for everybody with a broken spoke.

Just buy the spoke and have the shop install it and true the wheel.

Waldo

Mavic customer service is largely nonexistent, particularly from the LBS side of things. I wouldn't really expect them (nor anyone else) to warranty a broken spoke, however.

Ezekiel 25.17

Hello,

mine have almost 25000 kms, I weigh 85 kgs and blast over 1000 W in a sprint, usually ride on craterized roads (that's the way the story goes in Italy) and never broke one. This is the one-in-a-million case... do not be alarmed.

Bye

Trsnrtr

I pretty much agree with Galen, 2000 miles, 200+ pounds and my wheels are true as the day they were new.

Replace the spoke and forget it.

-Dennis

BikeInMN

I've broken spokes on Ksyriums but they've always been damaged or bent prior to breaking. My shop told me that a Ksyrium spoke that has been dinged or has a small bend can last a long time or will sometimes just pop. Mine was near the nipple and lasted around 2K after the incident.

Mavic isn't known for service after the sale so the fact you were treated that way isn't a surprise. Good thing, which you've already found, is that replacing a spoke on them isn't going to break the bank.

53-11_alltheway

I think the SSC's have the Zircal aluminum spokes and the Elites have stainless steel spokes.

I just wonder how much strength you give up by going with aluminum spokes?

Patriot

This is kind of why I have avoided the Ksyriums. They are a nice looking wheel, but there are so many mixed reviews, it's kind of hard for me to take the chance, when I know I can fork over just a little extra cash and get a little more peace of mind with Rolf Primas.
I really love the graphics though. But, one thing I hate probably more than anything else, is broken spokes. All I can say is, it seems there are more and more wheelsets coming out in the same weight and durability range for less money nowadays, so the Mavics will start losing customers if they don't do a few things to change the way they do business. They can either drop the price to compete, or really step-up their QA to ensure bulletproof wheels.


Just my 0.02.

53-11_alltheway

You can get the Elites for $450 now. They are getting cheap.

Was it a front or rear spoke? What part of the spoke broke.

2manybikes

I have 6,000 on a set of the older Ksyriums, NO problems.

AeroDog

I've had two bikes with Ksyrium SLs. No problems with the first. When I was removing the reflectors (!) from the second, I noticed that whoever installed them had cranked the screw down too far and marred the rather soft metal. Sure enough, the spoke broke a couple of months later. The LBS said he'd never seen one break before and gave me several spokes free. It was one of the short spokes on the back. The wheel warped so bad when it broke that I had to remove the brake caliper in order to ride home. When I replaced the spoke, the wheel trued perfectly and has been perfect since. I've never had one of these wheels get out of true. I do not go easy on them. I bunny hop over railroad tracks, ocasionally hit pot holes, and generally beat the hell out of them. These are the best wheels I've ever ridden.

khuon

I have 2001 Ksyrium SSCs with around 16k miles on them. Last year, I managed to bend a spoke (nipple was also cracked) but the wheel stayed completely true and round.



It took a while for me to get around to ordering a new spoke and then a couple of shipping mishaps occurred. As a result, I rode an extra 500 miles on that bent spoke without a problem. I now carry spare spokes in my seatpost and the tools in my seatbag.

hi565

smart move!, I dont see what is wrong with teh first pic.

galen_52657

I do a Saturday training ride with the LSV/Kelly team out of Baltimore. The ride draws between 15 and 40 cyclists. I would bet 50% are riding some sort of Ksyriums.

IMHO the paired-spoke design is inferior. The strength of the Mavic design is in the hub flange offsets which permit strait-pull spokes. Of the two broken spokes that I have witnessed in doing this ride for 3 years off and on, both were Rolf wheels.

roadwarrior

I have two friends who have each ridden two seasons of CYCLCROSS on these rims, no problem. Not even on alignment. Both about 160 pounds.
Had to have been a spoke problem.

2manybikes

I did notice the (!) after reflectors. Me too (!) !

Did the bike shop or a previous owner put reflectors on the wheels? That is surprising.

Waldo

^
New bikes legally "have to" come with reflectors, including those on the wheels.

2manybikes

I know that. But putting them on Ksyriums? Or even a high end bike? It seems paranoid. Maybe someone was sued? Typically this is not done. It's surprising. Tightening a screw on an aluminum spoke, is a mistake, I was just wondering how it came to be done. Everyone has their own priorities.

Waldo

In our area, there have been several such incidents. One lawsuit and the shop's under new ownership. Generally, staying in business and not getting people killed or injured is something of a high priority.
The damage from a spoke being mounted on an aluminum spoke is not an issue, as there's no way the stresses exerted on the spoke even approach the yield stress of the typical alloys used in the bike business, on the order of 35,000 psi to 73,000 psi.

khuon

Of course this was many many years ago but back when I lived in Illinois, I went into a LBS to purchase a new bike which had to be ordered due to them not stocking my size. It was a Specialized Allez. I also had the shop change a few things around for me like install SRAM GripShifts at the end of the drops in lieu of downtube shifters. When I also asked the shop to make sure to remove the reflectors, they told me that normally they couldn't do that but because I was making changes to the stock bike, it could be considered a customized sale/build so they could get away with removing CPSC equipment.

feltdude

Nothing is perfect but Ksyrium spokes are very reliable. I wouldn't concern yourself.

AeroDog

I called Mavic and they assured me that they do not put reflectors on their wheels. Of course, the LBS said that they didn't do it (which I know to be true). I think Cannondale did it. Both my R3000s came out of the factory box with reflectors on the spokes. BTW, Mack Cycles in Miami is an awesome LBS. They immediately shipped me four free spokes.

Smoothie104

my LBS even puts little plastic cleats in the pedals with a reflector, because Georgia law says every new bicycle sold has to have reflectors on the pedals.

I understand the saftey and liability issue but....
Georgia sucks anyways, when you cross the state line, you have to set your clock back 40 years