Any experiences of Ksyrium Disc wheels or newer disc wheelsets

[Wafer]

Doing some research on disc wheels before going back to LBS to talk about options with them. Mainly to check they aren't just going to sell me what they've got in stock...
A set they've recommended before is the (newish?) Mavic Kysrium Disc (not pro) which are in the sort of price range I'm looking at. I can't find any proper reviews of them though (everything is about the Pro Disc) and I know far too little about this things to assess them based on the technical info.

Wondering if anyone here has either tried them or knows more about them or other newer sets of disc wheels in that sort of price bracket(£300-400)?

Bit of extra info and to head off some of the usual replies about wheels....
I'm planning on getting a Croix de Fer and want to swap out the wheels. Will mainly be for use on road, but some of the country lanes round here are little more than farm tracks so I want something that handles that stuff better than the Cannondale Synapse I ride atm.
I'm around 105kg, so seems some of the wheels with fewer spokes would be borderline/completely unsuitable for me.

I don't 'need' to spend hundred of pounds of changing the wheels, but I want to. Not going to spend £150 to get something virtually the same as the stock wheels so going up a level. I'm not expecting massive weight differences or performance gains, just something a little lighter and 'nicer'. I've read many threads on here about wheels before, so I don't need the whole bit about all wheels being round and how it's easier to lose weight elsewhere...

I'm aware of the Kinesis cx wheels and that a few members round here have used dcr wheels. Both are potentially options but I'd like to get the whole bike sorted through LBS, so will be more about what they are happy to source. Mainly just trying to get armed with some info for when I go back in to talk to them.

 

[winjim]

I recently rebuilt the rear wheel on my 2013 CdF. I replaced the Shimano hub with a Hope Pro Evo 2 and used DT Revolution DB spokes instead of the plain gauge whatevers that were already on there. Kept the original Alexrims G2000. The original wheel was 1300g, the new build a shade over 1kg. Could certainly have got it lighter with a new, maybe disc specific rim. So even though a newer Croix de Fer will have better wheels than my old CdF to start with, I expect you can still make significant weight savings. Plus the spokes are better, the hub more serviceable, and I trust the builder .

Cost was about £150ish for the hub, £30ish for the spokes. Obviously you'd need to do the front as well, include rims, and find someone to put it all together for you if you don't want to do it yourself. Would still be within your budget though.

 

[StuAff]

I've not long made a similar choice, for my new Litespeed. Would strongly recommend checking out Hunt Bike Wheels. Their Mason x Hunt 4 Seasons Disc wheels have had numerous rave reviews, and their product manager Josh Ibbett won the Transcontinental Race on a set. For my bike it was down to those or JRA Jawbone Disc Lites (C+ test winners recently)- two right choices really!- went with the Hunts and I've been very happy with them so far. Excellent quality, well packaged (tubeless valves, QRs, spare spokes etc. included), great customer service, and they look brilliant. But both the 4 Seasons and the JRAs are too low a weight limit for you. My tip would therefore be to wait until January if you can, and go for Hunt's new Gravel Disc set. £349, 110 kg weight limit, 300g lighter than the Mavics, and definitely up to a bit of off-roading (the 4 Seasons and my bike are, but I'm not ).

 

[Wafer]

I did see the Hunt wheels, they look very smart (like the H plus son archetype rims) and sound like decent wheels, but I'm around the weight limit and they recommend the wheels get checked by an expert regularly for anyone over 95kg... That and the pre-order is late Jan at the moment
I was seriously tempted by them though.

 

[StuAff]

I did see the Hunt wheels, they look very smart (like the H plus son archetype rims) and sound like decent wheels, but I'm around the weight limit and they recommend the wheels get checked by an expert regularly for anyone over 95kg... That and the pre-order is late Jan at the moment
I was seriously tempted by them though.

Unfortunately, you're going to be at or near the weight limit for many wheelsets in the price range, and more spokes=more wheel weight, which you're trying to avoid. Those Mavics are rated to 120 kg, so fine there, but have a fairly narrow rim- 15mm- so not so good at supporting the wider tyres you'll be running (the Hunts are 19mm). I'm sure there's at least a degree of worst-case-scenario with those weight limits, but caution on their and your part is entirely understandable. Handbuilts might be the way to go here. Either that or wait for the Hunts/get something comparable in weight and price and make sure the bike pops into the LBS every now and then. Josh was great at answering my pre-sale questions, might be an idea dropping him a line.

 

[Wafer]

have a fairly narrow rim- 15mm- so not so good at supporting the wider tyres you'll be running

As see, that's some info I wasn't aware of... planning on running something around 33c or even the 35c tyres the CdF comes with as standard.

I'd deff rather get something a bit heavier that will more happily take the weight, the LBS have also mentioned a couple 29er options but can't remember what they were...

 

[StuAff]

As see, that's some info I wasn't aware of... planning on running something around 33c or even the 35c tyres the CdF comes with as standard.

I'd deff rather get something a bit heavier that will more happily take the weight, the LBS have also mentioned a couple 29er options but can't remember what they were...

Those tyres will be perfectly OK on the Ksyriums, Mavic's own recommendations err on the side of over-caution, but the school of thought is that wider rims give better support for wider tyres, and the CdF will take up to 42mm (37mm with guards) according to Genesis. Most rims for CX/gravel use are a bit wider. Stan's Grail are 20mm for example.

 

[Andrew_P]

Have you looked at the ZTR Grail rims, not sure on weight limit though. You can build them with a decent hub.

I have a pair with DT Swiss 240S hubs nice ride.

I reckon with your needs you would be better off looking at handbuilt websites. Maybe email one,

 

[Wafer]

Those tyres will be perfectly OK on the Ksyriums

Thanks, as the LBS had suggested them I'd jsut assumed they would be fine but hadn't really thought about it!

Have you looked at the ZTR Grail rims

I've seen them mentioned, just read a little more about them, sound quite good, I had been thinking that if I went the handbuilt route I'd go for the h plus son archetype rims that a couple other guys on here have picked up, but they look a good alternative.

I do like the idea of getting a proper handbuilt set, just likely to be more hassle than just dealing with LBS. Think I'll drop DCR Wheels an email and see what he says though.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I have both the Aksium Disc and Ksyrium Pro Disc. Both great wheels for their £, I wouldn't expect the Ksyrium to be any different.

Theres also the Kinesis V3 in that price range

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I've not long made a similar choice, for my new Litespeed. Would strongly recommend checking out Hunt Bike Wheels. Their Mason x Hunt 4 Seasons Disc wheels have had numerous rave reviews, and their product manager Josh Ibbett won the Transcontinental Race on a set. For my bike it was down to those or JRA Jawbone Disc Lites (C+ test winners recently)- two right choices really!- went with the Hunts and I've been very happy with them so far. Excellent quality, well packaged (tubeless valves, QRs, spare spokes etc. included), great customer service, and they look brilliant. But both the 4 Seasons and the JRAs are too low a weight limit for you. My tip would therefore be to wait until January if you can, and go for Hunt's new Gravel Disc set. £349, 110 kg weight limit, 300g lighter than the Mavics, and definitely up to a bit of off-roading (the 4 Seasons and my bike are, but I'm not ).

I saw another of your posts where you recommended .....Hunt bike wheels. The bit about spare sookes got me curious so I read the specs

I don't know how well they are put together cause I have not seen a set in the flesh but all the components are unknown to me.
Anyone learning wheelbuilding would learn that using good quality spokes is lesson number 1. I don't recognise the spokes in the top 5 brands.... maybe they are OK but I've got my doubts and more so when they include some spare spokes in the deal. I have rebuilt some wheels in the past with unbelievably poor quality spokes so I'm always weary of spoke brands I don't know
Rims and hubs I don't recognise either.... but I'd imagine they are ok. There are many cheap hubs coming out of China, Taiwan that is difficult to keep track but the common denominator is they aren't reliable for the type of weather we have here.
I did notice how clever they are with presenting the wheels though.... let's just say I'm not convinced you would have a straightforward experience claiming under warranty.

The test of time and mileage is the only one I trust

I've rebuilt a few Ksyrum wheels, I think they have been those on the £500 bracket. They are good wheels, good rims.... very stiff, strong and light. The same goes for the spokes and hubs..... but they are expensive to replace / fix if you have an accident. If you want handbuilts you can buy off the shelf same or even better rims and hubs. You won't find the spokes though so instead of that you would need a few more spokes but still of good quality.

Wider rims is the trend nowadays and in a few years 23mm would be the standard I think.

 

[StuAff]

Would have thought more

I saw another of your posts where you recommended .....Hunt bike wheels. The bit about spare sookes got me curious so I read the specs

I don't know how well they are put together cause I have not seen a set in the flesh but all the components are unknown to me.
Anyone learning wheelbuilding would learn that using good quality spokes is lesson number 1. I don't recognise the spokes in the top 5 brands.... maybe they are OK but I've got my doubts and more so when they include some spare spokes in the deal. I have rebuilt some wheels in the past with unbelievably poor quality spokes so I'm always weary of spoke brands I don't know
Rims and hubs I don't recognise either.... but I'd imagine they are ok. There are many cheap hubs coming out of China, Taiwan that is difficult to keep track but the common denominator is they aren't reliable for the type of weather we have here.
I did notice how clever they are with presenting the wheels though.... let's just say I'm not convinced you would have a straightforward experience claiming under warranty.

The test of time and mileage is the only one I trust

I've rebuilt a few Ksyrum wheels, I think they have been those on the £500 bracket. They are good wheels, good rims.... very stiff, strong and light. The same goes for the spokes and hubs..... but they are expensive to replace / fix if you have an accident. If you want handbuilts you can buy off the shelf same or even better rims and hubs. You won't find the spokes though so instead of that you would need a few more spokes but still of good quality.

Wider rims is the trend nowadays and in a few years 23mm would be the standard I think.

Your cynicism is perfectly understandable- a casual Google of Pillar found Wheelsmith saying they were rubbish (but then he didn't like DT either). The bearings are EZO, as used by many others, but most of the manufacturers they don't name. I (and all the other early buyers) are placing a certain amount of faith in Hunt, Dom Mason (who worked with them on the 4 Seasons) and they & their manufacturers' research & test procedures. You're absolutely right, only time will tell. So far so good, for me and others, but if my set have any issues I for one won't keep quiet about it.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Would have thought more

Your cynicism is perfectly understandable- a casual Google of Pillar found Wheelsmith saying they were rubbish (but then he didn't like DT either). The bearings are EZO, as used by many others, but most of the manufacturers they don't name. I (and all the other early buyers) are placing a certain amount of faith in Hunt, Dom Mason (who worked with them on the 4 Seasons) and they & their manufacturers' research & test procedures. You're absolutely right, only time will tell. So far so good, for me and others, but if my set have any issues I for one won't keep quiet about it.

I wasn't trying to be cynic at all, just pointing out a few things that people might not have noticed.

I cannot say how good they are without seen them but I'm suspicious of the quality of their components. I haven't read any reviews so I have no idea what other people are saying about the wheels. If Wheelsmith are saying that DT Swiss are rubbish they probably mean the wheels cause the components are very good quality but they can't make wheels

I fully support not keeping quiet about it if there is a problem. I suspect there would be many buts if you were to make a claim.

 

[Wafer]

So pulled the trigger today, really liked the CdF (quite impressed by the new Tiagra shifters), then went completely off piste and ordered a pair of Hope Tech XC 29er wheels to go with it. Looks like they should be around 1700-1750g for the wheelset and LBS will order and fit them as part of the bike order.

[added]forgot to link info on the wheels http://www.hopetech.com/product/hope-tech-xc[/added]

 

[Andrew_P]

Would have thought more

Your cynicism is perfectly understandable- a casual Google of Pillar found Wheelsmith saying they were rubbish (but then he didn't like DT either). The bearings are EZO, as used by many others, but most of the manufacturers they don't name. I (and all the other early buyers) are placing a certain amount of faith in Hunt, Dom Mason (who worked with them on the 4 Seasons) and they & their manufacturers' research & test procedures. You're absolutely right, only time will tell. So far so good, for me and others, but if my set have any issues I for one won't keep quiet about it.

Bit of a bump, still happy with the Hunts? In the market for some new disc wheels.