Mavic R-Sys SLR wheels review

Probably the best looking wheels you can buy, can the Mavic R-Sys SLR live up to expectations?

Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Mavic R-Sys SLR wheels stunning-looking wheels offer good stiffness, come pre-fitted with tyres, are lightweight, and also offer class-leading braking.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Exceptional braking power

  • +

    Stunning good looks

  • +

    Durable

  • +

    Respectably light weight

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Brakes take a while to bed in

  • -

    Slight lateral flex when sprinting hard

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We found the Mavic R-Sys SLR wheels to be slightly heavier than the claimed weight of 1,295g a pair, although not by much, when weighed on the Cycling Weekly scales. These wheels score highly in the looks department, with black rims complemented by carbon spokes and charcoal hubs. However, the colour did mean they were often mistaken as being made from carbon, not alloy.

>>> Buyer's guide: road bike wheels

The rims come with Mavic’s Exalith braking surface, which features a machined surface for increased friction. When used with the included specific pads, the stopping power was nothing short of exceptional. For the first 300km, they squealed and screeched to such an extent it would cause children and old ladies to jump at zebra crossings. Fortunately, after this time, they bedded in and the noise died down.

The durability of carbon spokes may be a worry to some, but having ridden almost 1,000km and having unintentionally hit some rather deep potholes, there were zero issues with truing or tension. When sprinting hard out of the saddle, a slight flex and small amount of rear brake rub was detectable. Cornering at speed or descending inspired confidence, with plenty of lateral stiffness.

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Mavic includes its 25mm Yksion Pro Power and GripLink tyre system. These tyres are light, provide decent grip in both wet and dry, but do not have great puncture resistance.

For more details visit the Mavic website.

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Oliver Bridgewood - no, Doctor Oliver Bridgewood - is a PhD Chemist who discovered a love of cycling. He enjoys racing time trials, hill climbs, road races and criteriums. During his time at Cycling Weekly, he worked predominantly within the tech team, also utilising his science background to produce insightful fitness articles, before moving to an entirely video-focused role heading up the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel, where his feature-length documentary 'Project 49' was his crowning glory.