When I speeced my Dolan Ares up, I spent a lot of time considering what wheels to put on the bike. Those in the know will tell you that wheels are a critical part of your bike set-up and you should try and buy as best as you can get.
After minutes of pain staking research, decision was made; Mavic Ksyrium SL's. These wheels have picked up quite a reputation amongst road cyclists for being an excellent ride - strong, solid but light - and after riding them for six months, I have to agree.
I've covered around 1,000 miles on them so far and they remain absolutely true, despite hitting a few potholes along the way. I'm 210Ibs in weight, which is worth adding as it demonstrates that they are stiff and strong, even for a heavier rider. If you look around the forums, you'll read lots of feedback supporting this.
Their rolling resistance is superb, allowing you to whip up speed quickly and descending is an absolute pleasure, fast and true, giving you real confidence on the bike.
They also look the business. As you can see, the bladed spokes give them real distinctivenss and I opted for the red hubs to give the bike some contrast and make a real feature of the wheels.
The primary criticism about them is they are a little on the expensive side, coming in at around £599 a pair. Yes, it is a lot of money and the market has opened up, giving more choice. From my side, I think they are still well worth considering, had absolutely no problems with them.
Excellent looking wheels there Phil. The spoke design really do bring out their look. A few cycling friends of mine all appear to be buying the mavics ready for the new season.
ReplyDeleteWicked!
Interesting review
ReplyDeleteI have a pair on my cross bike as I found them to be an all-round wheel which actually never excels at anything.
Their zippy feeling will go too as the aluminium spokes slacken over time
Probably the worst race wheels I've ever used for an inflated amount of money!