Mavic ksyrium elite - identifying year

[bewheels]

All,
I have a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels. They are not S, SLR, or anything else..just plain Mavic Ksyrium Elite. Silver if that helps.

I understand that there are two different sizes that were used for spoke/nipples over the years. I currently do not have the spoke wrench and want to make sure I pick up the right one.

Is there a way to identify what type I need?

Also, any trick to working on them? I have build many sets of wheels during the 80's and 90's. While I am no stranger to building wheels, that was a while ago and I have not work on machine built wheels like this...bladed spokes, radial front lacing, etc. I do still have my old Park spoke tension meter.

Basically there are a few spokes that are a bit twisted (or wound up) that I would like to get straighten out...they have got to be the reason I am slower than I was 25 years ago...

[pdmtong]

In 2010 the elites dropped weight when Mavic milled out the rim between the spokes. The 2010 to current all have the same rim profile. So compare to today's offering as a start point. Not sure how readily available spokes are for older wheels

[bewheels]

Hmmm...
Here the profile I have:

1697880012

[shovelhd]

Looks like the older model.

[dvs cycles]

Hmmm...
Here the profile I have:

1697880012

I have a pair like that I bought in 2004 I think.

[druptight]

Try this site: http://www.groupesportif.com/mavic/wheel_id.html

Pick your wheel on the left and it should help you figure out which year yours are. I've found a more useful Mavic identification help site before, but I couldn't find it now.

[regularguy412]

The 2006 models I had looked like that but different stickers/labels.

Mike in AR:beer:

[bewheels]

Try this site: http://www.groupesportif.com/mavic/wheel_id.html

Pick your wheel on the left and it should help you figure out which year yours are. I've found a more useful Mavic identification help site before, but I couldn't find it now.

Thanks all.
The site is very helpful (both this forum and the link above). One of the identifying factors they list is the rear wheel lacing method. Mine match this - "REAR- RADIAL LACED DRIVE SIDE, CROSSED NON-DRIVE SIDE" that started in 2007-2008 - but the stickers don't match nor do they use black nipples.

Perhaps Mavic ran some OEM batches?

At any rate...I may just take then to a shop and see what spoke wrench fits them and go from there.

[oldpotatoe]

All,
I have a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels. They are not S, SLR, or anything else..just plain Mavic Ksyrium Elite. Silver if that helps.

I understand that there are two different sizes that were used for spoke/nipples over the years. I currently do not have the spoke wrench and want to make sure I pick up the right one.

Is there a way to identify what type I need?

Also, any trick to working on them? I have build many sets of wheels during the 80's and 90's. While I am no stranger to building wheels, that was a while ago and I have not work on machine built wheels like this...bladed spokes, radial front lacing, etc. I do still have my old Park spoke tension meter.

Basically there are a few spokes that are a bit twisted (or wound up) that I would like to get straighten out...they have got to be the reason I am slower than I was 25 years ago...

This tool

http://www.parktool.com/product/spoke-wrench-for-mavic-r-wheel-systems-sw-13

and maybe this

https://www.google.com/search?q=twist+resist+tool&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&oq=twist+resist+tool&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.7526j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8#q=twist+resist+tool&tbm=shop&spd=11087753777969115504

Mavic also makes a black round puck looking thing to hold their spokes while turning them..lube liberally when turning!!

They do sometimes 'barber pole'..twist...

Built wheels before?.sell these things(crappy rear hub design, proprietary spokes/rims, not supported by Mavic)

Get some decent hubs, rims and spokes and build your own..better all around..

[bewheels]

Built wheels before?.sell these things(crappy rear hub design, proprietary spokes/rims, not supported by Mavic)

Get some decent hubs, rims and spokes and build your own..better all around..

Yes. I dropped out of cycling for a decade for various reasons and last year started getting back to it. However I did not want to spend a ton of money getting back into without knowing that my health was going to allow it to happen - justify the expense. When it came to sourcing wheels (parts or prebuilt) it was less expensive to pick these Mavics up on eBay then to buy the parts.

Personally I think Shimano and Campy hubs are great. Smooth, quite, bombproof, easy to maintain, build up nicely, ...

[oldpotatoe]

Yes. I dropped out of cycling for a decade for various reasons and last year started getting back to it. However I did not want to spend a ton of money getting back into without knowing that my health was going to allow it to happen - justify the expense. When it came to sourcing wheels (parts or prebuilt) it was less expensive to pick these Mavics up on eBay then to buy the parts.

Personally I think Shimano and Campy hubs are great. Smooth, quite, bombproof, easy to maintain, build up nicely, ...

Yep, welcome back, hopefully you will enjoy the 'bike', again

[Bob Ross]

Also, any trick to working on them?

I've gone through two or three pairs of those (all the pre-2010 version). Best trick I found for working on them is:

- find a large cylindrical container, like a trash can or an oil drum, with a circumference that's smaller than the Ksyrium's rim
- lay the wheel down on top of the container, centered over the opening
- climb up on top of a 6' painters ladder
- jump down on to the hub so that the entire wheel collapses and crushes up into the bottom of the container
- drag the container out to the street on trash collection day
- go buy a good set of wheels

[oldpotatoe]

I've gone through two or three pairs of those (all the pre-2010 version). Best trick I found for working on them is:

- find a large cylindrical container, like a trash can or an oil drum, with a circumference that's smaller than the Ksyrium's rim
- lay the wheel down on top of the container, centered over the opening
- climb up on top of a 6' painters ladder
- jump down on to the hub so that the entire wheel collapses and crushes up into the bottom of the container
- drag the container out to the street on trash collection day
- go buy a good set of wheels

Yep, biggest disadvantage to these is that they don't fit into trash cans.

[russ46]

Regarding the wrench, I bought one of the web that said it fit Mavic wheels. It had a different size on each end & one fit.
After my experience, I would think twice about replacing the spokes. After getting the wrench I only found 4 or 5 spokes that I could get loose. The rest were frozen (a fairly common problem because their design involves dissimilar metals) so I had a LBS order a complete set. After rebuilding the wheel (using antiseeze) I found during the truing process that the hub bushing was worn & needed to be replaced which meant I bought a new housing. I found a bushing only on ebay but I decided I didn't want to go that route. Anyway, if I had to do it all over again, I would trashcan the wheel.

[bewheels]

I am sensing a pattern :)

So far I have about 1,000 miles on them and they have been fine (knock on wood).
My take away... I will continue to use these until I kill them. In the mean time I will keep my eyes open for other options including accumulating the needed parts to build a new set.

[GregL]

This has been a timely thread. I have a set of the original Ksyrium Elite wheels similar to the OP's. It appears to me that they use conventional spoke nipples that are placed into an adapter that in turn threads into the rim. Please see attached pic from Park Tool. Accordingly, it looks like any trueing can be accomplished with a conventional spoke wrench. Is my assumption correct?

Thanks,
Greg

[oldpotatoe]

This has been a timely thread. I have a set of the original Ksyrium Elite wheels similar to the OP's. It appears to me that they use conventional spoke nipples that are placed into an adapter that in turn threads into the rim. Please see attached pic from Park Tool. Accordingly, it looks like any trueing can be accomplished with a conventional spoke wrench. Is my assumption correct?

Thanks,
Greg

Yep although I think the pictured wheel of the OP do not have standard nips and to true you turn the insert. On yours, you turn the nipple.