A decade ago Mavic’s Ksyrium wheelset revolutionised the ready-built “factory” wheel market with a design that combined aerodynamic spokes, light weight and excellent rigidity in an eye-catching package. To celebrate the Ksyrium wheel’s 10th birthday, Mavic developed a new, integrated wheel and tyre combo based on the latest Ksyrium wheelset and designed to let wheel and tyre work in harmony.
The K10 “wheel-tyre system” boasts an all-up weight of 2100g including tyres and inner tubes but no skewers, with wheel weights for the Yksion, claimed to be the lightest Ksyrium wheel model yet, split 638/832g front/rear minus tyres and tubes. Extra machining of the rim between spokes saves grammes while the rear rim is assymetric and deeper than the front to handle the added weight.
Made in Thailand and visually reminiscent of high-end clincher tyres offered by several noted tyre specialists, the K10 tyres weigh a claimed 225g each and have a low rolling-resistance GripLINK dual compound tread. Price for the system is £899 with replacement tyres at £45 each.
Not unexpectedly, performance is impressive. Mavic’s aim with the K10 wheel system, the first of what is expected to be a range of integrated wheel and tyre pairings from the French company, was to provide a light, stiff and fast-rolling product suitable for long-distance competition, and that’s exactly what the owner gets. The test pair got a good outing at the hands of BikeMagic editor Dave Arthur in the Verenti Dragon Ride and proved particularly quick on the flat and while descending, suggesting good aerodynamics, low rolling resistance and tenacious cornering adhesion.
The system also offers a supple, comforting ride. Whether it is superior to a combination either of the same wheels and alternative tyres or vice versa is hard to say, since both tyres and wheels are top-end equipment and compare very favourably in their own right. Put them together and the result is bound to impress. In any case, the K10 system looks good and, importantly, offers the indecisive buyer an instant guide to positioning the tyre on the rim. Plus the potential faux pas of getting the K10 labels slightly offset. Perfect for the perfectionist, then.
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