Ksyrium vs Ksyrium Elite - worth the extra?
mcxfisher
Posts: 39
I'm looking to upgrade the Aksium wheels on my Synapse. Are the Ksyrium Elite worth the extra 50% cost over the £300 base model?
The context is an over 60 rider doing good distances (50-100) in hilly North Yorkshire.
The context is an over 60 rider doing good distances (50-100) in hilly North Yorkshire.
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The standard kysriums came on my new cannondale I didn't get on with them at all not really sure why but wasn't enjoying the bike at all. Pre and post bike fit it just didn't feel right and it probably wasn't down to the wheels but my performance on the bike took a real hit. Replaced them with my first set of handbuilt wheels and the bike feels much better now could be just down to the wide pacenti sl23 rims and more spokes.
My only previous road bike wheels were a set of 24/28 dt swiss wheels that came on my first road bike they had an even narrower rim than the ksyriums and I never had any problems with how they made the bike feel or my performance on the bike.
The wider rim of the elites might make them better but a fulcrum racing 5 lg has as wide a rim and is a lot cheaper than either or the mavics.
Or you could get something handbuilt for somewhere between the price of the two ksyriums.0 -
My advice? If you go for the Elites (and I did), swap the tyres out for something less likely to let go in the wet.They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.0
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Elites £350 at the mo from PbK. I recently tried them to upgrade my fulcrum 4s and found them too harsh in fact they ruined the ride of my Tarmac so got a refund. This included swapping the tyres for 25c Conti Gps0
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The Cyclist of Catan wrote:My advice? If you go for the Elites (and I did), swap the tyres out for something less likely to let go in the wet.
Agree with this. Bought a new bike fitted with Elites and the Mavic tyres supplied were awful - twitchy and harsh in the dry and downright alarming on any vaguely damp or loose surface.
Fortunately the rear was almost through to the canvas in 800-odd miles, and since fitting a pair of Pro4 Endurances, the bike's transformed & I'm more than happy with the Ksyrium Elites.0 -
I just don't get the criticism often levelled against Mavic tyres. I rode with them on my Ksyrium SLS when they were new, certainly no worse than the Conti GP4000S I used before either in the dry or wet.
in fact, the front tyre is still in use, over 16,000km on it and it is still in good condition. I have just come back from a 500km mountain tour of the Swiss/Italian/Austrian border region with 12,000m of climbing and had no issues. During the tour, I had to do a long descent from 2750m in the wet (no, not the Stelvio, that day was dry) without incident. Maybe I am just strange as I tend to disagree with a lot of the forum wisdom these days
So my advice to the OP would be to buy the Elites (good wheels) and use the Mavic tyres until they are worn, then replace later with tyre of choice.0 -
I dunno about " Forum wisdom" - just my experience, I had no prejuice against Mavic rubber until I used them. In fact I was initially quite pleased the bike was supplied with what I assumed would be decent tyres.
Maybe there's a QC issue, variations between batches.0 -
No prejudice here. I was fine with the idea of them when I bought them, and rejected the bike shop's advice to swap them for better tyres as the usual upselling nonsense.
Six weeks later I was fitted with a titanium rod to hold my broken femur together after the front tyre washed out from under me on a wet decent. Would other tyres have let go in the same circumstances?. I have no idea, although I'd ridden on Gatorskins for several years without incident. I just know that the Mavics did.They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.0 -
The Cyclist of Catan wrote:No prejudice here. I was fine with the idea of them when I bought them, and rejected the bike shop's advice to swap them for better tyres as the usual upselling nonsense.
Six weeks later I was fitted with a titanium rod to hold my broken femur together after the front tyre washed out from under me on a wet decent. Would other tyres have let go in the same circumstances?. I have no idea, although I'd ridden on Gatorskins for several years without incident. I just know that the Mavics did.
Nightmare hope that you mend soon my set were appalling with not grip whatsoever0 -
I wouldn't go for Ksyrium or Ksysrium Elite, as they feel wooden IME0
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Many thanks for the responses to date. Certainly there is a strong body of opinion against the Mavic tyres (with which I had always planned to dispense).
Sol oh and mfin, as the 2 strongest dissenters on the Elite, what brand do you ride for non-competitive road riding?0 -
mcxfisher wrote:Many thanks for the responses to date. Certainly there is a strong body of opinion against the Mavic tyres (with which I had always planned to dispense).
Sol oh and mfin, as the 2 strongest dissenters on the Elite, what brand do you ride for non-competitive road riding?
My personal preference for the kind of thing you have been looking at would be Campagnolo Zonda or Eurus.
Couple of notes, all these wheels will be assuming you are not big guy, if you're 90kg upwards for example, you'd wanna look at hand builts. Oh, and in case you don't know, Campagnolo wheels can be ordered as shimano versions ready for shimano/sram cassettes.0 -
mcxfisher wrote:Many thanks for the responses to date. Certainly there is a strong body of opinion against the Mavic tyres (with which I had always planned to dispense).
Sol oh and mfin, as the 2 strongest dissenters on the Elite, what brand do you ride for non-competitive road riding?
Ok first off im no expert.
My Fulcrums are nice and maybe replicate some characteristics of Zondas?
Best Wheels I have had were Architypes on DA Hubs 28/32 spoke but they cost north of £500 and I wont spend that sort of money on wheels again.
I am not saying dont get the Mavics its just it depends what you want - some like a firm stiff wheel but for me that is not my number one requirement.
£350-£400 gets you a nice set of handbuilts they just wont be as bling to the untrained eye.0
