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Mavic 2009: New road wheels, footwear & clothing

New 'rim to rim' carbon fiber spokes are much lighter than steel and feel noticeably slippery at high speed.

  • The new Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLR is possibly our favorite model in the road lineup with its excellent combination of light weight, noticeably speedy aerodynamics and clincher convenience.
  • The bonded carbon cap hides a new aluminum rim that is milled in between the spoke holes to shave weight.
  • New 'rim to rim' carbon fiber spokes are much lighter than steel and feel noticeably slippery at high speed.
  • The hubs can be made lighter, too, since the spokes don't really anchor there anymore.
  • The R2R construction technique also yields slimmer hub flanges for a better aerodynamic profile.
  • Even though the spokes are carbon, the wheel can still be trued thanks to threaded ends and internal nipples.
  • The mid-range Ksyrium Elite arguably gets the biggest upgrade of the range with substantially lighter weights for '09.
  • ISM-treated rims take off weight where it's most noticeable.
  • The rear rim is now asymmetrical, too, for more even spoke tension.
  • The Ksyrium Elite also gets new hubs for '09.
  • It's a detail that most don't even think about but it's significant nonetheless; the '09 Ksyrium Elite now gets Mavic's higher-end skewers, too.
  • A new R-SYS Premium model will wear a sleek new black finish.
  • A few grams are shaved with titanium axle ends and titanium-shafted skewers.
  • The R-SYS Premium's carbon hub caps don't offer much functional advantage over the aluminum ones but they sure look cool.
  • Mavic moves into the footwear market with a complete line of road and mountain models for '09.
  • The intriguing Energy Lock system arches up and over the back of the heel to lock it in place.
  • The lightest models even use titanium cleat inserts to shave precious grams.
  • Current Adidas users will find the Ergo Strap system familiar.
  • We don't know how well these new buckles work just yet but they're at least small and tidy.
  • The lightest Huez model is claimed to weigh just 195g for a single UK sz8.5 shoe.
  • The Huez' Ergo Lite upper looks fragile but feels surprisingly sturdy.
  • Mavic's Energy Frame upper uses almost no conventional seams to minimize irritation.
  • The Mavic label will also grace a complete line of apparel and will be headed by the ultra-techy Altium line.
  • The lightweight Helium jersey even uses mesh pockets to save weight.
  • Laser-cut holes add ventilation without adding extra stitching.
  • The Plasma jersey looks to be Mavic's best ventilated piece for hot summer days.
  • Thankfully, Mavic will offer a women's version of the Altium lineup.
  • Mavic will also offer a comprehensive range of outerwear from ultra-lightweight shells to beefier models such as this one.
  • A unique XL Vent feature allows for more ventilation without opening up yourself to the elements too much.

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New 'rim to rim' carbon fiber spokes are much lighter than steel and feel noticeably slippery at high speed.

© James Huang