Open Pro w/Campy Record Hubs vs Ksyriums

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi All,

Quick question…Is it worth the extra $600 cdn to get the new Mavic Ksyriums SSC SL or should I go with a set of Mavic Open Pro black rims custom built with Campy Record Hubs(28 front 32 rear) and Swiss DT butted Spokes and Ti skewers for $425 cdn? Will I be getting that much more from the Ksyriums?

I am new to road racing and want to get an extra set of wheels to mount light racing tires on to do some road races this summer…I run a mixture of Campy Daytona/Chorus 10 speed and already have a set of Open Pro 32 spoke wheels with Daytona hubs and regular spokes.

Any other wheels suggestions would be appreciated as well.

Thanks for all the info!

2

I like my Ksyriums a lot. They are strong - nearly 2 years on them and they are still true, they are reasonably light, and the hubs are awesome. If you can only have one set of wheels, these are worth a look since you can race and train on them.

That being said, if I were looking for wheels in the $700 US price range, I would look at the American Classic CR-420’s, the Bontrager Race X-Lite Aero’s (aluminum, not carbon), or the Spinergy Tilium SS. The Ksyrium’s are great for group rides, but you can get more aero wheels for the same or less $$.

The record/open pro wheels can be great, or they can be crap. It all depends on the skill level of the person building them. With these, you are buying the service more than the components.

3

I am no expert but don’t think that it is worth the extra $$ for the Ksyriums. Not sure about the DT spokes, you can also look at Sapim CX-rays or Revolution spokes.
These wheels will be cheaper and easier to repair the the Ksyriums and just as light (if not lighter).
You can also go with a King/Hugi/White hub instead of the Records to save a little more weight.

A

4

I have recently updated several of my own wheels. What I’ve found is that the new wheelsets that weigh about 1500grams are not that much lighter than the campy record hubs built to conventional rims like “open pro”. Being a mechanical engineer I’ve experimented and examined closely several wheelsets, hed, zipp, cane creek, spinergy tilium, rolf, conventional record hubs on mavic and alex rims, and others. After several critiques I will simply say that hands down zipp is the best.

I think for road racing that the campy wheels would be fine. Road racing is quite a bit different than time trialing and you will need a servicable robust wheel. A few grams probably won’t make much difference for that application.

5

Just to set the record straight. The Krysirium spokes are heavier than high end steel spokes.

Mavic Aluminum 7.45 grams

Wheelsmith double butted 5.375 grams

They also have a lower break strength and larger frontal area. The Krysirium could be made lighter, stronger and more aero with Steel spokes. That is why the year they came out with the Krysirium Elite(steel spokes) they added the rim cutouts to the SL. If not for those cutouts the Elite would be lighter. That would be tough to market.

Interstingly when I called Mavics tech department to ask them about the weight of the spokes. The guy said" wow thats a new one I have never been asked that. I dont know what they weigh."

6

I tried the Open Pro’s with Ultegra hubs 32h. I couldn’t get the wheel to stay true. I had the wheelset for approximately 6 months and was truing the wheel every 3-4 rides. They were built by wheelsmith. After the open pro’s, I bought the Ksyrium’s and have never even touched them (i’ve had them for 6 months). Also, I’ve seen quite a few tandems on the Ksyrium SSC’s, which speaks for their strength. I personally recommend the Ksyrium’s, but maybe I just got a poorly built wheel on the open pro.

7

I think the best value for you with all things considered would be chorus (how many grams per dollar are the record hubs over chorus)/OP wheels w/your choice of spokes/nipples . . . built by someone who knows what is going on. They will be as light, as aero, as durable and more repairable. That said, I have a set of K SL’s but they don’t have anything over any conventional wheelset built for you, your type of riding and by a person who is competent enough to know what kind of wheels your riding type dictates.

8

Here’s my vote for what it’s worth…

http://www.speeddream.com/

Lighter and better than Ksyriums IMHO and cheaper, too. Had mine for two years now and they’re still as true as the day I got 'em. Something cool about actually talking to the guy who builds your wheels, too.

9

i have not one but TWO pairs of open pro / campy record wheels. however, i agree with another poster, go chorus and save money.

10

But wait a minute, he said he already has a pair of OP’s mated to Daytona hubs. I’d say that’s similar enough to OP’s + Chorus/Record hubs that he should get something totally different. How about something with a deeper rim? If you can still find them, CXP30’s mated to Chorus hubs would be great and about the same coin as OP’s. Otherwise Velocity Deep V hoops would be excellent too.

11

Lanterne rouge,

I think Paul makes some good points. What are you getting when you spend all that money for Ksyriums?

I also have to agree with Dan, aka Slowman, about Campy hubs and Open Pro rims. I have 3 sets of these wheels. Two sets are with Chorus hubs, 32 spoke Open Pro rims and 14 gauge straight spokes. These are “bombproof” everyday training/touring wheels. I keep a 11-23 cassette on one and a 13-26 cassette on the other. The third set is built with Chorus hubs, 32 spoke Open Pro rims and 14-17 gauge double butted spokes. These are my climbing wheels. I usually have a 13-29 cassette on these. I use them for rides like the Assault on Mt Mitchell.

BTW, did you realize that with the cash you would spend on Ksyriums, you could have 2 sets of Chorus/Open Pro wheels? At least as durable and far easier to service if service is ever needed.

My first “race” wheels were a pair of Rolf Vector Pro wheels. I wasn’t as knowledgeable then, as now, about fast wheels. I also have a set of Hed 3’s that cost $1,800.00. The cost of the Rolfs plus the cost of the Heds. And a Renn disc is on the way. A version of the 575 with a Campy hub is supposed to be ready to ship April 1st.

Depending on what kind of racing you are going to do may be an influencing consideration in your decision making. In road races and crits, drafting and tactics are far more of an issue than “aero” wheels. Conserving your strength/power and staying with the front group for the critical moment/break is more the issue. Secondly, its far more likely that you will get tangled up with some one and damage a wheel in pack riding. Then you could be without the Ksyrium, while it is sent back to Mavic for service. My riding buddy was without his Ksyrium wheel for the entire summer while it was being “serviced.”

If you are considering time trial events, then the Hed 3’s certainly deserve serious consideration. Granted, they cost a little more, $300.00 more, but if you get serious about time trialing, you will want a pair, (they will also come in handy in a lot of tri events) and then they will have cost $1,700.00. The cost of the Ksyriums plus the cost of the Heds.

My advice would be to buy the Chorus/Open Pro wheels now and save your money for the right wheels for your needs after you decide what kind of racing you really enjoy and wish to commit to. Then buy the best wheel for that purpose without cutting corners, realizing that you will enjoy them for many years and that they will make a difference for you that you can measure with results.

Lastly, remember the biggest issue is the “engine” not the equipment. A poor engine with the best equipment will still finish a poor second to a good engine with average equipment. The rider makes much more of a difference than the equipment does until you reach the highest level of cycling.

12

I just purchased a new Specialized E5 road bike and it came equipped with Ksyrium ssl wheel set (see spec’s below) which are unbelievable! I haven’t done the research on weight but these wheels ride well above their price point not to mention a very cool polished (almost chrome like) aluminum finish.

Has a comparison I also own a pair of zip 404s and would chose the ksyrium’s over the zipps for group rides / training and use the 404s for races (Tri or TT).

RIMS

Mavic New Ksyrium SSL, 700c

FRONT HUB

Mavic New Ksyrium SSL, 18 hole, Mavic QR

REAR HUB

Mavic New Ksyrium SSL, 20 hole, sealed freehub, Mavic QR

SPOKES

Mavic New Ksyrium alloy bladed, alloy nipples

See a larger image in Red.

Good luck…

13

“I haven’t done the research on weight but these wheels ride well above their price point”

Colorado Cyclist list the weight as 735g front, 935g rear(they weigh all the wheels they list in the catalog) Mavic claims 660g and 840g?

How is a $800 wheelset supposed to ride? If these ride “well above their price point”

14

Very interesting review by Kraig Willett.

He compares performance and value of several wheels including Ksyriums and CXP33’s. He rates Ksyrium’s as a poor value as compared to CXP33’s with Chris King hubs.

http://www.bike.com/template.asp?date=8/22/2001&lsectionnumber=6

He has a newer study at biketechreview.com

15

Well, they do stay true, have excellent hubs, and are nearly indestructable. A guy I work with had a set on his aluminum litespeed. Last year, he was coming down a grade at around 35 when an woman in a minivan turned in front of him. He hit the side of the van and flew through the side window landing in the back seat. His Litespeed broke in two. His wheels remained true… I think you would have a tough time finding wheels this light and this tough at any price point.

That being said, I think there are better options for Triathletes at the same price point - like the CR-420 or the Tilium SS.