Experience with Kysrium SL

[soul survivor]

Please reply with your experience riding Kysrium SL's with a Serotta steel bike.

Thanks,

Soul Survivor :beer:

[Nooch]

no experience on a serotta, but I enjoy them on my caad9. I was running Kysrium Equipes (almost fake kysriums, really, in comparison) and noticed that they spun up much quicker and held speed better. they were also noticably lighter.

now, i'm a heavier, younger guy than you are, and I'll say that I'm not too in tune with ride comfort (as I ride an aluminum 'race' bike), so I can't speak to that.

you should check out the Kysrium SR's that we have at the shop -- They're beautiful, but I don't know if there is any white in your build.

[PanTerra]

Please reply with your experience riding Kysrium SL's with a Serotta steel bike.

Thanks,

Soul Survivor :beer:

I ride a CSi. I had Ksyriums SLs for a couple of years. Very light and responsive compared to Bontrager Comps that were OE on my old steel LeMond, which I moved to the Serotta when i got it. Spin-up was noticebly quicker on the Ksyriums and just as harsh. After splitting the two rims at nipples a and going through the expense of out of warranty repairs, I moved to Mavic open pros 3x-32 double-butted 16/14 ga. spokes. The ride was so much better without having to sacrifice a lot of performance. I changed the wheelset to open pros on the CSi after taking the picture in my sig. I now have them on both bikes.

[97CSI]

Used '04 Elites for two years on the CSI and were flawless (I'm 200 lbs). Tried SLs on a new CDA the following year and was very stiff. So stiff that I got rid of them. This was with 23s inflated to 115. If I had been smart enough to change to 25s at 100 psi they would likely have been just fine. :crap:

[norcalbiker]

I have a set of Premium SL and I have no complain whatsoever. I think it is one of the best built wheels as far as durability.

[endosch2]

I have SLs on an HSG ti - they are great wheels - I have never had to touch them for anything. 7500 miles no problems what so ever...

[Volant]

My experience on a CDA with SL's was 'fine'. Not the most comfy combo, but a lot of that could've been to the tires/pressure I was running (20mm at 120 psi). It was a 'fast' combo, however and the wheels saw a lot of bad roads and stayed true without any problems.

[maxdog]

I have a set of Premium SL and I have no complain whatsoever. I think it is one of the best built wheels as far as durability.

I agree with the above, as far as weight/durability, on an off the shelf wheelset.

[RADaines]

I replaced mine with hand-builts after less than two years. I got fed up with the front hub coming loose after every ride and the "slippage" in the free wheel from having too few pawls. Way over priced.

[Chief]

I replaced mine with hand-builts after less than two years. I got fed up with the front hub coming loose after every ride and the "slippage" in the free wheel from having too few pawls. Way over priced.

I did the same for the same reasons.

[oldguy00]

I used SL's and ES's (both in tubular version).
They worked great, no issues with anything coming loose, no broken spokes.

I own handbuilts too. I liked the ksyriums more, but the handbuilts were half the price...

[oldpotatoe]

I overhaul many of these. Poor rear hub design, particularly on such expensive wheels. 2 pawl system when every other road rear hub that has pawls uses 3. Plastic bushing at the base of the freehub body that wears, also gets draggy unless cleaned and oiled fairly frequently. I have also warrantied or repaired a fair number for spokes/eyelets pulling out(probably a couple of dozen wheels even tho I have sold 2 in the last 10 years).

Expensive spokes as well.

[TAW]

I had some Ksyriums on a CSI for a while. I liked them, but not on the CSI. The combo was a little jarring on rough pavement. I may also add that I work in a shop where Ksyriums are sold on bikes and I've encountered few problems with them if they are maintained. I owned Ksyriums for probably 8 years and rode them as my regular training wheels and had 1 spoke break in that time. But that's just my perspective. ;)

[TimmyB]

considering you can pick up a used set for 350-500, they're pretty hard to beat in terms of value IMO. I have a set that came with a bike I bought a couple years ago. I like the wheels. I use them as my race / crit wheelset (albeit on a steelman, not a serotta) due to their durability / stiffness. Got crashed out of two races this season - both times the wheels were a little out of true, but nothing throwing them in the stand couldn't fix. I did bend a rim one time though... the wheels have 3 types of (expensive) spokes. That was kind of a bummer. Note to self: even if there's just one small patch of slick pavement, diving into a hairpin can cause you to skid for 10+ft and nearly hit a wall of sharp death rocks :crap:. Luckily I dismounted inches away and managed to keep the bike from hitting the wall :cool: . Moral of the story: I've seen these wheels go for 350 on here. Provided they aren't completely beat, the value's pretty darn good. Would I have spent 1k on a new set? No chance...