Opinions/Comments re Mavic Ksyrium Elite or Ksyrium SSC SL?



K

Kaz

Guest
I am in need of a new road wheelset, and after visiting some
LBSs, am focusing on the Mavic Ksyrium Elites (about $500).
One LBS is strongly recommending the Ksyrium SSC SLs (about
$850), saying the savings in weight (240 grams) and better
performance is well worth the extra $350. This LBS also says
the SSC SLs are "bomb proof," but the user reviews at
RoadBikeReview.com, while good, show more minor stress
problems than the Ksyrium Elites, which seem to be pretty
"bomb proof" per the comments there. The Ksyrium Elites are
in the middle range for weight at 1770 grams, while the SSC
SLs are in the lower range at 1530 grams.

Spending about $500 is my maximum now, but if the SSC SLs
are that much better, I may hold off and continue to ride my
old Open Pros until my still Christmas strained budget
recovers to the point that I can swing it. I am not a racer,
just a pretty competitive recreational rider who loves
riding as fast as I can go. At 175 pounds, I don't think my
weight is much of an issue.

I would appreciate any comments or opinions from those with
experience and/or technical knowledge on the merits of
Ksyrium Elites and Ksyrium SSC SLs. Thanks.
 
Why be a fashion follower by purchasing an overpriced and
expensive to repair set of wheels? I recently serviced a
friend's bike which had the Ksyrium SSC SL wheels. I took
the opportunity to compare the weight of the wheels (bare
wheels with quick release) with some home-built 32 spoke
wheels (Record hubs, Sapim CX-Ray spokes, Velocity Aerohead
rims). The home-built wheels were about 10g heavier and cost
less than half as much.

Nick

Kaz wrote:

> I am in need of a new road wheelset, and after visiting
> some LBSs, am focusing on the Mavic Ksyrium Elites (about
> $500). One LBS is strongly recommending the Ksyrium SSC
> SLs (about $850), saying the savings in weight (240 grams)
> and better performance is well worth the extra $350. This
> LBS also says the SSC SLs are "bomb proof," but the user
> reviews at RoadBikeReview.com, while good, show more minor
> stress problems than the Ksyrium Elites, which seem to be
> pretty "bomb proof" per the comments there. The Ksyrium
> Elites are in the middle range for weight at 1770 grams,
> while the SSC SLs are in the lower range at 1530 grams.
>
> Spending about $500 is my maximum now, but if the SSC SLs
> are that much better, I may hold off and continue to ride
> my old Open Pros until my still Christmas strained budget
> recovers to the point that I can swing it. I am not a
> racer, just a pretty competitive recreational rider who
> loves riding as fast as I can go. At 175 pounds, I don't
> think my weight is much of an issue.
>
> I would appreciate any comments or opinions from those
> with experience and/or technical knowledge on the merits
> of Ksyrium Elites and Ksyrium SSC SLs. Thanks.
 
jpkazz-<< am focusing on the Mavic Ksyrium Elites (about
$500). One LBS is strongly recommending the Ksyrium SSC SLs
(about $850), saying the savings in weight (240 grams) and
better performance is well worth the extra $350. >><BR><BR>

Absolute garbage. I doubt these boys can build wheels.

jpkazz<< This LBS also says the SSC SLs are "bomb proof,"
>><BR><BR>

I'll send him all the work tickets we have had for truing,
overhauling the rear hubs, replacing spokes or warranty
these things. hardly 'bombproof'.

jpkazz-<< Spending about $500 is my maximum now, but if the
SSC SLs are that much better, >><BR><BR> << I am not a
racer, just a pretty competitive recreational rider who
loves riding as fast as I can go. At 175 pounds, I don't
think my weight is much of an issue. >><BR><BR>

Don't expect these wheels, either of them, to do
anything for your riding performance cuz they won't.
1530 grams, even if it were true, which it isn't,
won't make you perform any better than the 1700 gram
or so wheels you have now. 170 grams, 5 or so
ounces, justy don't make any difference.

BUT you can worry about the really crappy, draggy
rear hub on both of these wheels that take a huge
amount of attention, everytime you ride in any dusty
conditions or perhaps the inability to get rims and
spokes in a few years when Mavic decides to not
support these anymore, really nice pen holders.

Just use the wheels you have, get some lighter tires
and tubes. use the $500-$850 on a training program,
a bike fit, a riding vacation, or just save it for a
'rainy day'. If your present wherels are ok, you
don't need new ones.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
Kaz,

Don't bother w/Mavic wheels. With a set of Wheelsmith XL14
spokes, Mavic Open Pro rims, light-weight rim strips, and
Dura-Ace hubs you can:

1. Build a lower weight wheelset
2. Build a more reliable wheelset
3. Build a much less expensive wheelset
4. Possibly build a stiffer wheelset (never checked this
for myself)
5. Avoid sending your wheels to Mavic for a rebuild
6. Avoid dealing w/Mavic
7. Avoid Mavic

And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Dura-Ace bearings
roll better than Mavic's.

Dave

"Kaz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in need of a new road wheelset, and after visiting
> some LBSs, am focusing on the Mavic Ksyrium Elites (about
> $500). One LBS is strongly recommending the Ksyrium SSC
> SLs (about $850), saying the savings in weight (240 grams)
> and better performance is well worth the extra $350. This
> LBS also says the SSC SLs are "bomb proof," but the user
> reviews at RoadBikeReview.com, while good, show more minor
> stress problems than the Ksyrium Elites, which seem to be
> pretty "bomb proof" per the comments there. The Ksyrium
> Elites are in the middle range for weight at 1770 grams,
> while the SSC SLs are in the lower range at 1530 grams.
>
> Spending about $500 is my maximum now, but if the SSC SLs
> are that much better, I may hold off and continue to ride
> my old Open Pros until my still Christmas strained budget
> recovers to the point that I can swing it. I am not a
> racer, just a pretty competitive recreational rider who
> loves riding as fast as I can go. At 175 pounds, I don't
> think my weight is much of an issue.
>
> I would appreciate any comments or opinions from those
> with experience and/or technical knowledge on the merits
> of Ksyrium Elites and Ksyrium SSC SLs. Thanks.
 
"onefred" <[email protected]> wrote:

>And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Dura-Ace bearings
>roll better than Mavic's.

Shimano has the worst hubs I have ever tried. Hubs on my
Mavic Cosmos wheels are like space technology compared to
Shimano hubs. Personally I would build my wheels with DT
Swiss hubs.
 
figment <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "onefred" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Dura-Ace
> >bearings roll better than Mavic's.
>
> Shimano has the worst hubs I have ever tried. Hubs on my
> Mavic Cosmos wheels are like space technology compared to
> Shimano hubs. Personally I would build my wheels with DT
> Swiss hubs.

Any other hub recommendations if I were to go with a set of
built up wheels?

Kaz
 
[email protected] (Kaz) wrote:

>Any other hub recommendations if I were to go with a set of
>built up wheels?

Campagnolo hubs are great, but then you're stuck with
Campy cassete. In general good hubs ar made by: American
Classic, Phil Wood, Hope, Campagnolo, DT, Chris King,
White Industries...... Don't think you ca go wrong with
any of these.