Mavic Ksyrium Elite or Fulcrum Racing 3?

[RegG]

I'm thinking of upgrading my wheelset and have narrowed it down to either the Mavic Ksyrium Elite or the Fulcrum Racing 3. The Mavics come complete with their own tyres which seem to get very mixed reviews from being very good to poor! I can get the Fulcrums complete with Conti GP 4000S tyres for around £360, about £40 less than the Mavics. Both wheels are a similar weight and they both get very good reviews.

Opinions and experience from anyone on here would be appreciated........

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Mavic Ksyrium Elite, no need to wait on any other replies. buy them now!

 

[kipster]

Fulcrum 3's are the same as Campag Zonda's (except for the spoke pattern). I have Zonda's and they roll really well, . I paid £233 for the zondas but where I got them the price has gone up. Still £260 at wiggle.

 

[RegG]

Mavic Ksyrium Elite, no need to wait on any other replies. buy them now!

I agree with Noodley. Get the Mavics.

Can you expand on this? Why the Mavics over the Fulcrums?

 

[RegG]

In my experience, Mavics are well made, strong, roll well and I've never had any problems with them. (I've had 3 sets of Elites). Ive never had Fulcrums but do have Campag Zondas on my Bob Jackson. I don't like the spoke configuration and the way they roll. The Mavic tyres are not brilliant (wear-wise) but should do for about 2000km and then you can put some Contis on as a replacement.

Thanks for that. I had read that the tyres are not the best for wear but, as you say, they are easily updated. Looks like it will be the Mavics then!

 

[Buck]

Here's a review of the Mavics

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/wheels/mavic-ksyrium-elite-wheelset

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I've been looking at the racing 3's and the zondas and they seem very similar in weight and the reviews they get although the zondas are a little bit cheaper.

My choice will probably come down to the ones which my wife won't notice.

 

[oldgreyandslow]

I've had both of the wheels you're looking at and have mixed feelings about both. I had bearing problems quite early on with the Fulcrums but it was easy to get replacements from a local engineering supplier, they use industry standard stuff. The mavics were good too but went out of true quite quickly and seem just a bit less robust. I've gone down the custom route from DCR but that's just a personal choice,although I have to say I'd choose those first, Fulcrum second and then Mavic. But as I say its my opinion based on what I have found with these wheels.

 

[Buck]

I've had both of the wheels you're looking at and have mixed feelings about both. I had bearing problems quite early on with the Fulcrums but it was easy to get replacements from a local engineering supplier, they use industry standard stuff. The mavics were good too but went out of true quite quickly and seem just a bit less robust. I've gone down the custom route from DCR but that's just a personal choice,although I have to say I'd choose those first, Fulcrum second and then Mavic. But as I say its my opinion based on what I have found with these wheels.

I read a couple of reviews about the Mavics spokes rusting as well (not sure if that was the previous version or not). Did yours suffer from this?

 

[srw]

I've had Mavic Ksyrium Elites on my best solo bike for what I realise is now 6 years, and I'm not exactly light. They've been very robust and very reliable, staying perfectly in true and rolling impeccably.