Mavic Ksyrium Pro Disc UST wheelset review

Mavic has always been cautious about pushing out new technologies too soon. It only introduced all-carbon clinchers in 2016, as it wanted to be sure that its rim brake models could withstand the temperature build-up on long descents. So its switch to tubeless on all its wheels, including the Ksyrium Pro Disc is a vote of confidence in the technology.

Underlying the change is a modification to Mavic’s rims to a wider 19mm internal section, giving its new tubeless-ready Yksion Pro UST tyres a broader stance and increased air volume. It’s also switched to the now more popular 25mm tyre width, although it says that you can run tyres up to 32mm wide. The tread has “tubeless” embossed on it, to make sure that you are using the correct tyres for the rim.

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As with the non-tubeless rims, Mavic has used its ISM 4D milling process to remove material between the spoke holes on the Ksyrium Pro Disc. Mavic says that a light rim is key to a responsive ride, which the Ksyrium Pro Disc certainly provides: it just feels fast, despite the shallow rims being unlikely to provide the gains claimed for deeper section aero wheels.

The milling also gives an attractive sinuous profile to the rim. Mavic’s Fore drilling method for the rim mean that the tyre bed is only pierced by the valve hole, so there’s no need for tubeless tape. Its spokes thread into the inside edge of the rim.

Mavic cites improvements to rolling resistance and grip as benefits of a tubeless system, as well as the more frequently claimed improvements to comfort and puncture resistance. If running tubeless, Mavic says that the maximum pressure you should use is 87psi (6 bar) for its 25mm tyre and 70psi (5 bar) for a 28mm. Stick in a tube and the set-up is good up to 110psi (7.7 bar).

I ran the Yksion tubeless tyres at 80psi, which gave a subtle, comfortable ride, soaking up the typical UK tar and gravel road surfaces, while not feeling squirmy or sluggish.

But it’s not all about the rims and tyres, with Mavic making top notch alloy hubs, with sealed cartridge bearings. Its Instant Drive 360 system gives you 9 degree engagement. You can fit an optional-extra Campagnolo cassette body or, if you want to run SRAM’s wide range cassettes, an XD body. The swap-over doesn’t require any tools.

Mavic uses the Shimano Centerlock rotor system on the Ksyrium Pro Disc and all its disc brake wheels, which gives a clean look and means that you can fit a wide range of road-oriented disc rotors, including the new Icetech rotors in the Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets.

There’s also a 6-bolt option available, although Mavic is moving increasingly to Centerlock only on its latest wheels, like the new Allroad gravel range.

There’s lots of frame compatibility, with the Ksyrium Pro Disc front hub convertible between 12mm and 15mm thru-axles and quick releases and the rear working with 12x142 thru-axles and 135mm quick releases (although these are not available in Germany).

Mavic also uses its zicral straight-pull alloy spokes in the Ksyrium Pro Disc wheelset – 24 front and rear, to deal with the disc brakes’ stopping force. They’re chunky and aero, looking smart and purposeful. There’s one yellow spoke so you can easily spot where the valve is.

Mavic quotes a wheelset weight of 1650g, but we weighed our Ksyrium Pro Disc wheelset at 1720g, with both the front and rear wheels exceeding their claimed weights.

Set-up and ride

Hassle free tubeless set-up needs close tolerances between the rims and tyres. Mavic has nailed this. It’s relatively easy to pop the bead and unseat the tyre to get sealant in, then reseat the tyre. Getting a tubeless tyre to seal is often tricky, but this was dead easy with the Ksyrium Pro Disc, requiring only a track pump to seat the beads. Once seated, the tyres kept their pressure well; they were fairly airtight even without sealant.

Mavic says that the Ksyrium Pro Disc will work with other makers’ tubeless tyres, although obviously it promotes its own Yksion line. Based on our experience of the performance of the tyres on Mavic’s wheels, we’d see no reason to swap.