Legendary wheel brand Mavic brings three new Crossmax carbon wheelsets to market for cross-country and trail riding.
Mavic’s new Crossmax SL Ultimate, Crossmax SL R and Crossmax XL R wheelsets all feature an all-new carbon rim, a new-design Mavic Infinity hub platform, 15x110mm/12x148mm front/rear wheel spacing, and 24 spokes (with one spoke length only).
The Infinity hub platform used throughout the wheelsets provides, according to Mavic, optimised spoke lacing for efficient power transfer, contactless spoke lacing resulting in no noise under load, and ease of maintenance.
Its new rear hub design with ID360 freewheel system is compatible with all cassette driver standards and features a double ratchet freewheel, oversize axle and bearings, plus a removable sound damper — so you can choose to ride in silence or impress your friends with your loud freewheel clicks.
Meanwhile, the rim itself is European-made carbon and built using two different construction techniques. The high end SL Ultimate model is handmade using adaptive layup with strategically positioned carbon layering, reinforcement at the spoke holes and it comes with a racing pedigree (Mavic’s athletes raced this version for the short 2020 XC World Cup series in the Czech Republic).
Crossmax SL Ultimate
The SL Ultimate model is the all singing, all dancing top-of-the range Crossmax wheel for top-flight cross-country racing. This wheelset is hand produced in Europe using an adaptive layup process to provide the lightest, stiffest and fastest wheelset in the range.
Its rim has a 25mm internal width and hookless profile, aluminium nipples and 24 straight pull double butted spokes. A nice touch is that every pair of Crossmax wheels arrives with two spare spokes for just in case.
- Rim: 29-inch diameter, 25mm internal width, 30mm external width, adaptive carbon layup
- Hub: Infinity platform, 15x110 (f) 12x148(r) spacing, 6-bolt or center lock disc option, hookless, tubeless ready
- Spokes: 24 x straight pull double butted
- Nipples: Aluminium
- Weight: 1,340g
- Price: €1,850
Crossmax SL R
The Crossmax SL R, aimed cross-country riding and racing, is the next tier down from the Ultimate but provides most of the same features, albeit with “handcrafted enhanced carbon” construction instead of its big brother’s adaptive layup. The hookless rim has a slightly larger 26mm internal width, but otherwise it has the same wheel spacing, Infinity hub platform and 24 double butted spokes.
Mavic manages to shave a considerable amount off the price tag through these changes, bringing the wheelset price down to €1,200.
- Rim: 29-inch diameter, 25mm internal width, 32mm external width, enhanced carbon
- Hub: Infinity platform, 15x110 (f) 12x148(r) spacing, 6-bolt or center lock disc option, hookless, tubeless ready
- Spokes: 24 x straight pull double butted
- Nipples: Aluminium
- Weight: 1,570g
- Price: €1,200
Crossmax XL R
The Crossmax XL R version is built for trail riding — or, as Mavic puts it, “Trail, down country, all mountain” or whatever else you want to call modern mountain biking. In brief, this wheelset is for big outings involving massive climbs, techy descents and a range of terrain under wheel. It’s an “all-round trail slayer”, Mavic says.
Its wider 30mm internal, 37mm external width and low profile (32mm depth), Mavic says, is for efficient climbing and overall strength for the way back down. The wheelset features the same Boost spacing and 24 double butted straight pull spokes as the SL wheels and manages to weigh only an additional 40g compared with the SL R set.
- Rim: 29-inch diameter, 30mm internal width, 37mm external width, carbon
- Hub: Infinity platform, 15x110 (f) 12x148(r) spacing, 6-bolt or center lock disc option, hookless, tubeless ready
- Spokes: 24 x straight pull double butted
- Nipples: Steel
- Weight: 1,610g
- Price: €1,190
