Mavic

Cosmic Pro Carbon Wheel - Clincher

Every cyclist benefits from the aerodynamic advantages of deep carbon rims on race day, but the inherent drawbacks — iffy braking, possible heat failure, not wanting to expose them to daily abuse — mean that we also rely on training wheels for shoulder season base miles or days where we're not pinning on a number. Mavic's Cosmic Pro Carbon Clincher Wheel provides a single-wheelset solution for cyclists who want to simplify their operation, combining the aerodynamics of a 52mm carbon fairing with the solid braking and reliability of an alloy rim that features many of the same technologies as the venerable Ksyrium. The Cosmic Pro Carbon is comfortable on race day, training day, and every day in between.

The wheels' alloy spines are extruded from the same Maxtal alloy found in Ksyrium Elite rims. Compared to standard 6106 aluminum, Maxtal is lighter and comes with a claimed 30% increase in fatigue resistance. That means the Cosmic Pro Carbon is up to the kind of daily abuse that we'd hesitate to dump onto most full carbon clinchers. The rim is milled according to Mavic's signature ISM pattern, further reducing weight without compromising structural integrity.

The two-pawl freehub is refreshingly quiet in an age of look-at-me buzzing wheels, and the double-sealed, QRM+ bearings are, of course, easily adjustable with an Allen key and Mavic's proprietary wrench. The rims and hubs meet courtesy of radially laced, bladed spokes, and the rear drive side is reinforced with a crossed two lacing pattern for improved power transfer. The included Yksion Pro tires are every bit as race-able as the wheels themselves, with a reasonably supple 127tpi casing and KEVLAR and nylon reinforcement in the front and rear, respectively, that privileges puncture resistance (front) and efficient road feel (rear).