Tested: Mavic Ksyrium SR

Mavic Ksyrium SR

Weight: 1445g

MSRP: $1249

Road riding in Western Colorado is often more like entry-level mountain biking on skinny tires. In order to connect any type of loop it is almost certain that you will end up on some type of dirt/gravel jeep road. Needless to say, road bikes and wheels take a lot of punishment. Enter the Mavic Ksyrium SR.

 The Ksyrium, a wheel many cyclists are familiar with for its durability and stiffness, the Ksyrium has received some upgrades for 2011 Weighing in at 40 grams less than the Ksyrium SL, durability has remained spot on with previous models while rear wheel stiffness has improved significantly. The SR is meant to be ridden daily while still being a lightweight upgrade to many bikes.

“We know there is a high end market for carbon wheels, but they are not for everyone” says Dan Crean Mavic OE sales manager. “We knew that our Ksyrium wheels were extremely durable and great for everyday riding, but we wanted to add a little more to that.” For 2011, Mavic launched their new Ksyrium SR wheels, which brings a combination of everyday durability with carbon spoke technology. “These are not a ground breaking wheel by any means, but they bring customers the best of both worlds.”

Featuring tubular carbon Tracomp spokes on the non-drive side in the rear, makes the Ksyrium SR much stiffer while reducing stress on the rim and hub. Bringing carbon technology in to a reasonably priced everyday wheelset shows that Mavic is comfortable with their carbon technology by utilizing the trickle down effect from very high end wheels. “Consumers are still a little weary of carbon wheels along with the price tag. We just want to show them that carbon can be stronger and lighter than they may have been led to believe.” Crean explains, “We make sure the wheels we put on the market are up to the highest standards and can withstand way more abuse than they will generally ever see.”

An oversized carbon front hub also helps shave a few grams from the total wheel weight. Both front and rear hubs are equipped with Mavic's QRM+ bearings -- which rolled smooth, plus feature a double seal system to keep out road grime. Mavic Hubs also allow for quick and easy micro-adjustments, even with the wheels in the bike, for precise bearing preload.

 The Ksyrium SR is a bomber race ready wheelset that can be mounted on any bike and will improve the bikes handling greatly. By providing an extremely stiff rear wheel, acceleration is effortless. Plus, they will hold up to daily abuse in almost any condition whether it is road, gravel, or cyclocross riding. After a full spring of gravel roads and group rides these wheels have yet to need a true.