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ZIPP 302 vs Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon Exalith

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  • April 9, 2018 at 7:11 pm #28349
    rcolaco

    Hello guys,

    First of all I want to thank you for accepting me in this forum.

    I have a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels on my bike, that are excellent wheels, but I want to buy a pair of carbon wheels to use in weekend long workout sessions and races, keeping my alloy Ksyriums for day-to-day workouts and commutes.

    I’ve done a lot of research but I’m very undecided between the two sets of wheels I put in the thread title.

    I found Mavics for sale online for around 1.000 € with tires and brake pads included and Zipps for around 1.100 € without tyres or brake pads.

    I should be able to buy a set of continental GP 4000s II tyres (my favourite tires), tubes and brake pads for around 150 euros, so the Zipps will be around 250 euros more expensive than Mavics.

    In your opinion the Zipps are worth the difference of about 250 euros (215 pounds) or do you think I will get better with the Mavics.

    Are there other options that you can recommend me for about the same price?

    Thank you for your feedback.

    Regards.

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  • April 12, 2018 at 2:44 pm #916697
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    MoutonDeMontagne

    Think that offers over.

    Think that offers over. Closest is the Strike (62mm Depth) for £1099 minus the aditional 10% at the moment. 

    https://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-wheels/reynolds-strike-clincher/tubeless-wheelset/11099019.html

    April 12, 2018 at 10:05 am #916695
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    rcolaco

    i don´t see any Reynolds Aero

    i don´t see any Reynolds Aero 58 for 900 pounds on ProBikeKit. They have that wheels but the price is over 2000 pounds.

    April 11, 2018 at 9:58 pm #916693
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    Chris Hayes

    Damn…RColaco  – Now you’ve

    Damn…RColaco 🙂 – Now you’ve got me weighing my wheelsets and looking for new ones!  I think the 9100 DuraAce currently on offer at Evans represent fantastic VFM at GBP700 (1400g with skewers, top hubs, and a 0.7mm thin ally braking strip, comfortably under 2kg with tyres – a kilo lighter than my winter Open Pros – which were sluggish at the weekend!).  

    Then I think I’d be looking at the Reynolds Aero 58 clincher.  I love Reynolds wheels – plenty of history there.  They also meet your 45mm section requirement and can be literally stolen for GBP900 from ProBikeKit (I think this was a GBP2k+ wheel when it came out)…. 

    April 11, 2018 at 8:16 pm #916691
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    stucolnago

    I have the 2015 Mavic Cosmic

    I have the 2015 Mavic Cosmic Pro Exalith’s.

    They are old school, very narrow and a very v shaped rim. 

    But it all depends on how and where you intend to use them. 

    Carbon rims in the rain or in the mountains in high summer are not for me. A friend, whilst traversing the Pyrenees two years ago had a carbon rim on the front wheel disintegrate on him.

    I do not own a set of carbon rimmed wheels so cannot comment further.

    The Mavics are a handful in the wind and also I found when descending fast in the mountains the front wheel is moving around all the time. I am 72kg so maybe too light, if I were heavier maybe they would be more stable.

    But I love the sound of the Mavics as I accelerate, they are fast in the right conditions. They do look fast as well. I have had no problems with them so far.

    I think the best solution would be a 60mm rear with a 40mm front.

    And if you disc brakes then carbon is best.

    April 11, 2018 at 7:50 pm #916689
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    OrangeRidley

    I’ll add the Prime wheels

    I’ll add the Prime wheels from CRC/wiggle into the debate. They’re cheap, pretty light, tubeless ready and brother nrg driverplan (now Ribble pro cycling) rode them last year when they had to buy wheels. I have two sets, alloy and carbon, they’ve both been reliable with the alloys used for cross. The hubs are easy to service, the rr series carbons (cheaper slightly heavier) use normal spokes and the bnd pro cycling mechanic (and rider) who I know thought they were decent enough.

    April 11, 2018 at 7:10 pm #916687
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    cmcg867

    Just chiming in to say that I

    Just chiming in to say that I doubt you’ll have an issue with the Hunts, they have plenty of guys out there there riding Ultra-Endurance stuff on them. If they had reliability issues we’d know about it by now…

    Hell, my dad commutes daily on his and he’s not a small guy. He’s broken Ksyriums before, to give you an idea of how he rides. 

    For my 2 cents, I race on Bontrager Aura 5s (same shape as the Aeolus, alloy rim with a carbon fairing) and I love how they carry speed. At 1750g they’re not crazy heavy either, you definitely don’t notice it while riding, plus you get the benefit of an alloy braking surface. 

    But really all this is academic. I was looking at the Mavics, but got the Bontrager because I was offered a good deal on them. In reality, whether you go for Mavic, Zipp, Hunt, Hed, Reynolds, Bontrager, Fulcrum or something else, at that price point and with good tyres they’re all going to feel pretty damn good. For my money I’d talk to some local shops and see what they can do on each choice (many price match nowadays), then make a decision from there.

    April 11, 2018 at 4:09 pm #916685
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    rcolaco

    Hi philhubbard,

    Hi philhubbard,

    I already looked at Cero´s, but like Hunt´s or Token´s, I don´t know about their reliability and I think I prefer someting a bit heavier but that I know will last forever.

    Reynolds seems to be a good choice too, and they are tubeless… Maybe the Reynold Assault could be a good choice for what I need.

    Thanks.

    April 11, 2018 at 3:37 pm #916683
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    philhubbard

    Have you taken a look at the

    Have you taken a look at the Cero RC45’s?

     

    A lot lighter than what you were looking at; https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/wheels/cero-rc45-evo-carbon-clincher-wheelset-2017

    April 11, 2018 at 3:26 pm #916681
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    MoutonDeMontagne

    Never heard of them so can’t

    Never heard of them so can’t comment – similar vein to your feeling on the Hunts I Guess. 

    Looking at Merlin however, they’ve got great prices on the Reynolds wheels which I’d take anyday over the Mavics Cosmics. Nearly bought a set of the Assaults when I was looking for some, but went for a shallower (35mm) set of Campags due to weight and price. 

    This website did a review many years ago, and found them excellent and a guy I used to ride with in the club used them all year round and they were bombproof. 

    The key for me, when buying Carbon wheels is the braking, as was going to be using them in the Alps. Thus Campag/Fulcrum, Mavic, Zipp and Reynolds full carbon braking surface is tried and tested not to fail, some of the cheaper brands may not be so robust. I can confirm, having demo’ed the afformentioned brands, that they all brake well. 

    See:

    https://www.merlincycles.com/reynolds-assault-c-tl-clincher-road-wheelset-2017-102465.html

    or for super Aero:

    https://www.merlincycles.com/reynolds-assault-strike-clincher-wheelset-2017-104365.html

     

     

    April 11, 2018 at 2:43 pm #916679
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    rcolaco

    Can we include Token wheels

    Can we include Token wheels in the discussion?

    Do you think they can compete with my other options?

    https://www.merlincycles.com/token-c50-zenith-carbon-clincher-road-wheelset-110227.html

    The price is awesome, but I don´t know if they are any good…

    April 11, 2018 at 1:11 pm #916677
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    Anthony.C
    rcolaco wrote:
    I am not considering the Cosmic Pro Carbon since they are just 100 € cheaper than the Exalith version and are heavier. And the Exalith looks cooler 😛

     

    They may look cooler but they weigh the same, according to Mavic.

    April 11, 2018 at 11:06 am #916675
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    rcolaco

    I am not considering the

    I am not considering the Cosmic Pro Carbon since they are just 100 € cheaper than the Exalith version and are heavier. And the Exalith looks cooler 😛

    Do you really think the Zipps have significant aero advantage over the Mavics? Both have the same height and similar rim width… And the Mavics have aero spokes.

    Thanks

    April 11, 2018 at 10:03 am #916673
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    MoutonDeMontagne

    [/quote]

    [/quote]

    Maybe you are the thinking of the old Cosmic Carbons, the Zipps have a relatively narrow internal rim width of 16.25mm and the Mavics are 17mm. Mine don’t rattle but it is probably just the inner tube valve which is easily fixable.  

    [/quote]

    Ah, my bad sorry I was thinking it was 17.25mm for the Zipps, which is in fact the 303 not the 302. 

    April 11, 2018 at 9:45 am #916671
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    Anthony.C
    MoutonDeMontagne wrote:
    I would’t get caught up too much between 40mm, 45mm and 50mm wheels. Alot of pros this season have been rocking the Dura-ace C40’s. All of them will be significantly more aero than your Kysriums.

    Keep an eye on the weight too, as although you’ll be more aero, you’ll also start adding more weight the deeper you go especially at your price point, which may end up making the bike feel more sluggish especially if you’re racing crits with frequent accelerations, or steep climbs.  

    Final one on Hunt, you raise a fair point about longevity, but the bonus of being relatively small is their customer service is pretty good, and the hubs are Novatec which have a fairly decent track record. 

    I’d still be tempted to go for the Zipps as they’re a full carbon construction, nice wide internal and external diameter which’ll give you a nice smooth tyre profile and designed purely with Aero in mind. Whereas the cosmics are efectively a Kysrium with a thin carbon faring.  They also rattle which gets really irritating for those club mates riding with you 😉

    In the end though, you pays your money and rides your bike 🙂 

     

    Maybe you are the thinking of the old Cosmic Carbons, the Zipps have a relatively narrow internal rim width of 16.25mm and the Mavics are 17mm. Mine don’t rattle but it is probably just the inner tube valve which is easily fixable.  

    April 11, 2018 at 9:26 am #916669
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    MoutonDeMontagne

    I would’t get caught up too

    I would’t get caught up too much between 40mm, 45mm and 50mm wheels. Alot of pros this season have been rocking the Dura-ace C40’s. All of them will be significantly more aero than your Kysriums.

    Keep an eye on the weight too, as although you’ll be more aero, you’ll also start adding more weight the deeper you go especially at your price point, which may end up making the bike feel more sluggish especially if you’re racing crits with frequent accelerations, or steep climbs.  

    Final one on Hunt, you raise a fair point about longevity, but the bonus of being relatively small is their customer service is pretty good, and the hubs are Novatec which have a fairly decent track record. 

    I’d still be tempted to go for the Zipps as they’re a full carbon construction, nice wide internal and external diameter which’ll give you a nice smooth tyre profile and designed purely with Aero in mind. Whereas the cosmics are efectively a Kysrium with a thin carbon faring.  They also rattle which gets really irritating for those club mates riding with you 😉

    In the end though, you pays your money and rides your bike 🙂 

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