Product news: Mavic Carbon Clincher 2.0 – French carbon fiber revolution

Market: Last weekend, Mavic presented the second generation of their Clincher carbon wheels in France. The French manufacturer promises lower weight, longer durability and better braking performance. We were able to convince ourselves on site that these promises are not just hot air, but that Mavic has made an enormous leap in the field of carbon wheels.

The second generation of carbon wheels was announced at the beginning of the presentation at the Mavic Design Center in Annecy, France - and they didn't promise too much. The heart of this second generation are completely redesigned rims, which show their strengths especially as a clincher version. Of course, the new Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL and Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL will also be available for tubular tires and also for disc brakes.

TgMax becomes iTgMax – Mavic says goodbye to the aluminum insert

A special feature of the previous Mavic carbon clincher rims was the so-called TgMax technology, a reinforcing rib made of aluminum in the rim well. This fulfilled several purposes at the same time, which were decisive for good performance and high reliability: On the one hand, it ensured optimal heat distribution of the waste heat from the brakes and, on the other hand, the aluminum production material allowed it, the rim base and, above all, the rim flange to be precise and with only minimal fluctuations to produce - so you could ensure the secure fit of each tire.

So why the move away from TgMax? Well, turning away is probably the wrong word, evolution is more accurate. With the new clincher rims, iTgMax is the successor technology, so to speak, in which the aluminum rib could be dispensed with. Instead, the new rims are made entirely of carbon, with less weight, better braking performance and greater stability. To accomplish this feat, the engineers at the Mavic Design Center in Annecy racked their brains for hundreds of hours. Perhaps the biggest challenge was the construction of the rim bed and the rim flange. The latter must be able to absorb forces from three different directions: laterally from the brakes, vertically from the road surface and from the inside of the tires. In addition, Mavic attached great importance to meticulously adhering to the specifications for the rim dimensions of ISO and ETRTO. This is the only way to ensure that each tire is firmly seated on the rim and cannot jump off, even in extreme situations.

One or the other may now be wondering what is so special about it - after all, carbon clinchers have been on the market from different manufacturers for several years. However, while in most cases they either make compromises in complying with the ISO standards for the rim dimensions, or achieve this by subsequently cutting the rim base to size, Mavic has developed a production process in which the rim is virtually 'finished' from the oven and yet all standards are observed. The carbon fibers all remain intact, which improves the stability and durability of the rim enormously.

New rim shape: wider and more aerodynamic

So far we have almost only talked about the rim well, but the rim itself has also been redesigned from the ground up. Particular importance was attached to two properties: aerodynamics and weight. The new Cosmic Carbon (40mm rim height) and Ksyrium (25mm rim height) now come in a slightly 'bulgier' shape, which has been worked on for a long time in order to achieve the optimal balance between low rolling/air resistance and low susceptibility to crosswinds. The weight is also impressive: the 450mm rim of the Cosmic Pro Carbon SL weighs 40g and at 400g the 25mm high rims of the Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL are among the lightest rims currently available in this class.

In addition, the new rims have also become wider: the new Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL C and the new Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL C offer a full 17mm inner width. Here, too, the construction was based on the existing ETRTO standards: 17mm is the smallest inner width at which 25mm tires are still within the specifications. 23mm tires, on the other hand, are already too narrow.

We think it's a shame that the new rims won't be tubeless-compatible either. Even if tubeless is still a marginal phenomenon in the street sector, things are likely to change in this area in the future.

Superior braking performance and extremely high heat resistance

Mavic is particularly proud of the braking performance of the new rims. The secret lies in the brake flanks, which are processed with a laser in one of the last work steps. This burns the outermost carbon layer, which is irrelevant for stability, and not only creates an extremely even braking surface, but also one that is significantly more suitable in terms of its braking properties. This not only shortens the already very good braking distance of the previous rims, but above all the braking distances in wet and dry conditions are closer together. This brings you a good deal closer to the ultimate goal, namely consistent braking behavior regardless of the external conditions.

Every cyclist knows: when braking, heat is generated - this heat is a fundamental problem, especially in the area of ​​carbon rims. Because most fibers begin to delaminate at temperatures between 180°C and 200°C - in plain English: the rim dissolves and we unstable. Special production processes were able to shift this critical point in the new Mavic rims to over 200°C - according to the French manufacturer, such temperatures do not occur in practical use, even with extremely long grinding brakes.

By the way: At Mavic, the rim prototypes are not only tested for their performance and durability in the test laboratory, but also put to the test in practice: Mavic’s “brake test mountain” is the Mont Ventoux. Here, with an additionally weighted test wheel, constant brake grinding is tested over more than 20 km at an average of 7,5% - if the rim survives this ordeal, it should indeed be difficult to break down.

Of course, there will also be disc versions of the new wheels: These differ from their rim brake counterparts only in terms of the braking surfaces and the hubs: While the latter naturally use disc-specific models, the braking surfaces of the disc versions are due to the special treatment dispensed with the laser. Speaking of hubs: Nothing has changed with the new wheels compared to their predecessors and they continue to rely on the proven 360 Instant Drive technology with low release angles and high durability.

The new Mavic wheels at a glance

Mavic “Riding is Believing” – test ride the new wheels for free at the dealer

With the new Riding is Believing test program, Mavic wants to enter into a dialogue with customers and buyers and also use their valuable feedback to be able to respond to these wishes in the future. The promotion starts worldwide on May 1st - you can find the participating dealers on Mavic.com. Specifically, the process looks like this:

1. You register online and book your desired wheels at a dealer of your choice
2. The dealer prepares the wheels for you
3. You pick up the wheelset and test it – free of charge
4. You can then use an online form to send feedback to Mavic