Mavic Ksyrium SL Rim Brake Wheelset

The Mavic Ksyrium SL Rim Brake Wheelset carries a name that's meant something in aluminum road wheels for years, following the Ksyrium Elite and Ksyrium Pro before it. This version is built as an all-rounder — a wheelset for riders who want dependable, everyday performance on a rim-brake bike rather than a specialty aero or climbing wheel for race day only.

The rim is where most of the engineering shows up. Mavic mills the rim using their ISM4D process, which removes excess material between each spoke hole while leaving the wall thick where spoke tension and stress actually concentrate — the result is a rim that comes in around 400 grams despite the material cut away. Combined with their Fore construction, which leaves the upper rim bridge undrilled and threads the spoke nipples directly into a pushed-up lower bridge, the rim stays stiff without needing rim tape, saving additional weight per wheel. Mavic states the complete Ksyrium SL comes in 100 grams lighter than the previous Ksyrium Elite despite using a wider rim — 22mm deep and 19mm internal width, aluminum, made in France.

The spokes are double-butted with a patented elliptical aero shape, which Mavic says accounts for roughly 5 watts of efficiency savings over a round spoke at speed. Lacing follows Mavic's Isopulse pattern — radial on the drive side, crossed twice on the non-drive side — which balances spoke tension between the two flanges better than a symmetrical lacing pattern would on a dished wheel.

Mavic's Infinity hub platform handles power transfer, built around a stiff aluminum axle and non-contact spoke lacing that stays quiet under load. The Instant Drive 360 freewheel gets you from coasting to pedaling with minimal lag, and QRM Auto bearings are sealed cartridges that self-adjust preload over time instead of needing a manual retightening. The wheelset ships set up for Shimano HG road cassettes, but the freehub converts to SRAM XD-Road, Shimano MS, or Campagnolo ED/N3W with the corresponding driver body sold separately — useful if you switch drivetrains down the line without needing new wheels.

This is a UST tubeless-ready wheelset, Mavic's own tubeless standard designed to seal cleanly without an aftermarket conversion kit, though it also runs tubed tires if that's your preference. Tire compatibility spans 23mm to 62mm, with recommended max pressure around 97 psi on the narrower end and 55 psi at the widest, and the wheel carries an ASTM category 2 rating for road riding and light off-road use with jumps under 15cm. Maximum recommended system weight is 120kg including the bike. Each wheelset ships with a quick release skewer and a UST valve you'll mount before setting up tubeless.

For a rim-brake rider who wants a wheel that holds up to daily miles without needing constant attention — no truing every few months, no rim tape to replace — the Ksyrium SL is built around exactly that kind of reliability, with enough weight savings and stiffness to still feel quick on a Saturday group ride or a longer solo effort.