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FEATURES: MAVIC VISITS RBA
Zap
December 10, 2010
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While the bright yellow Mavic service car is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable icons in the sport, many people are still unaware of Mavic's true history. I was reminded of this once when a cyclist asked me if Mavic was a car company - wow!
 Mavic started life as French plating business in 1889 by brothers Leon
and Laurent Vialle. As the popularity of cycling grew in Europe, they
started evolving their manufacturing base and began making bicycle rims, but rather than crafting their hoops from
either wood or steel, the Vialle brothers developed an aluminum rim. In
1934, French cyclist Antonin Magne won a small race called the Tour de
France with the Mavic Dura rim - incredibly, in order to to pass muster with race officials, Magne's rims were painted to look like wood rims!
In the years since, the Mavic name has become synonymous with racing thanks not only to the bright yellow service cars they initiated in 1973, but to a succession of original wheel and component technologies that have helped move the sport forward. Still, like many others, we remain a bit perplexed that the world's most prolific wheel company has yet to market either a tubeless or carbon clincher wheel, two technologies which are gobbling up market share on a daily basis. Notwithstanding this French intransigence, as a product supplier for some of the best teams in the world, there is still much for Mavic to crow about in terms of new product.
Zack makes his case to Michael and Neil in the still-to-be-decorated RBA office. (note the reflective Mavic logos on the Cosmic rims)
And so it was that we were recently visited by Mavic's newly hired media liaison, Zack Vestal. Vestal, a former wrench for the once vaunted Trek-Volkswagen mountain
bike team and tech editor for Velo News, is now responsible for spreading the Mavic gospel which is about
more than just wheels and bright yellow service cars. Today, the Mavic
catalog includes tires, clothes, pedals and computers. Here, we'll be dealing with the wheels and shoes.
THE WHEELS
This is the Cosmic Carbone Ultimate, a wheel that RBA's Neil Shirley agrees with Zack, is one of the best racing wheels ever. As part of Mavic's SSC category of high-end parts, the 40mm deep Ultimates are sold with Mavic's own front and rear specific tires (which are not exclusive to the rims). The $3600 CCU rims hit the scales at 1185 grams.
Talk about a carbon interface, the 12k carbon hub flanges meld perfectly with the bladed carbon spokes.Though they may not look like they are, the (20) carbon spokes are both adjustable and replaceable - a key ingredient for serviceability and consumer confidence. Speaking of illusions, each carbon spoke actually runs through the hub to the opposite side as a single spoke. The aero profiled, high flange front hub is full carbon while the rear hub is aluminum.
While Mavic is still reluctant to engage the carbon clincher market, they are forging ahead with their 52mm deep carbon/aluminum hybrid clincher, the 1595 gram Cosmic Carbone SLR. The improved 2011 clincher wheel has Mavic's new Exalith hard anodized coating that Mavic claims "doubles" rim life and makes for an even more efficient braking surface. Zack said the besides the increased durability, Exalith also allows for a ten gram weight savings. Given the continued inconsistencies we've found withthe braking performance of carbon rims, this is a wheel that will deliver carbon technology and aero performance WITH the known braking attributes of an aluminum brake wall. Fabulous!
Like the Cosmic Carbone Ultimates, the $2500 Cosmic Carbone SLR clincher wheels also have "hidden" SSC rim graphics that are actually reflective to both headlights and flash bulbs - very cool.
The hubs on the Cosmic Carbone SLR's aren't has fancy as those of the Ultimates, but still use a specific aero profile for less drag.
The aluminum R-Sys SLR wheels are available in both clincher and tubular versions and sell in the $2000 range. The R-Sys wheels use the new Exalith coating plus Mavic's own Inner Spoke Milling to shave weight (1370 gram per pair). Due to the machined brake surface and Exalith coating, the wheels (like the Cosmic Carbone SLR) need special Mavic pads that will last longer than traditional pads.
Especially unique to the R-Sys wheels are the tubular, uni-directional carbon Tracomp spokes (16f/20r). Only the rear/drive side spokes are double butted Zicral/steel.
THE SHOES
The $130 Avenir is a good looking shoe available in either white or black. The Avenir runs with a carbon sole, synthetic/mesh upper and a two velcro/one buckle strap system for closure.
Like the Cosmic Carbone Ultimate wheels, Neil swears that the minimalist Mavic Huez shoe is the best shoe available (okay, truth be told, his Kelly Strategies team was sponsored by Mavic, but he swears it's still his post-Pro racer, objective opinion). The one thing that definitely stands out about the Huez is the weight - at just 200 grams per shoe, they are waaay light. Three straps, a carbon sole and fully ventilated mesh upper make this a good choice for road/weight geek purists - well, geeks that can afford a $400 pair of shoes that is.
The top of the Mavic shoe food chain are the $450 Zxellium Ultimates. Neil said his former Kelly teammates also used this shoe due to the extra padding and more secure buckle closure. Both the Huez and Ultimates are available in sizes 5-12 with half sizes.
Luckily, Zack (white jersey) chose one of the most brilliantly beautiful days in
SoCal to visit the newly moved into, plushly carpeted and well-lit
offices of the RBA Power Rangers (Michael, Neil and Robb). And I say lucky because as soon as he was
finished dishing out all the required Mavic info we headed out into the hills for an awesome lunch ride followed by burritos at Rosie's.
Sweet!
For more info on Mavic product - head to Mavic
To see what people are saying about Mavic, head to our Face Book page.
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