Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL Premium

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Singapore

Favorite Ride:
Long Brick (Long Bike, Short Run)

Bike Setup:
2005 Scott CR1 Team (comes with 105 grouppo)
Zero offset seatpost (Thompson)
Profile Design Lightning Stryke clip-on aero bar
Fi'zi:k Arione Tri saddle
Polar 625X as bike computer & HRM

Summary:
2007 Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL Premium wheelset bought used (with Continental Grand Prix 4000s mounted) at buddy price.

Have been looking out for a used set (to save some $$), because I was after a set of strong aero wheels. Being 6ft and 80+kg, I managed to get my OEM Ksyrium Equipe rear wheel out of true in about a year, so I am very concerned about strength of carbon/aero wheels. Being a poor climber, I tend to stomp up the steeper hills (not many in Singapore), so I am after wheels with minimal flex.

On the vanity side, the naked carbon weave on the wheels matched my 2005 Scott CR1's naken carbon weave very well. Add to that the carbon Profile Design Lightning Stryke clip-on aero bar and we are bordering on carbon overload here. :-) I also prefer the more "understated" decals on the SL Premium (versus the louder yellow decals on the SL), which go very well with the white decals on my 2005 Scott CR1.

Overall a fast, stiff wheelset that looks great. Who cares that they are nt technically carbon wheels (more below)?

I am considering to use them as my full-time training & race wheels. Is anyone doing the same and has that worked well for you?

Strengths:
These are strong, stiff wheels. I am 80-82kg and there is no noticeable flex even when I am stomping out of saddle. Turn in is excellent, which gives confidence when cornering. These are not fragile carbon wheels that I have to be ginger with.

The change in ride quality and roll "smoothness" from my OEM Mavic Ksyrium Equipe is pretty obvious. Road buzz is reduced without taking away the edge in road feel. Instead of the usual "clacking" affair, free-wheeling brings about muted "purring". :-)

These wheels certainly feel fast, and seems to enable me to go at a higher gear than norm (as echo'ed by the rest of the testers here). I have only had them for a few weeks, and initial observation from my regular time trial loop is that my 2 hour TT has been reduced by at least 6mins, which is ~5% improvement. Would have to go for a few more rides before I can confirm tangible time savings, but they sure feel fast.

Weaknesses:
Technically, they are not carbon wheels (like the tubular ZIP 404s or Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate), the rims are made of alloy and only the fairings are made of carbon. But that does not detract from the fact that they are strong, aero, fast wheels.

I can save considerable weight by going to full carbon tubular wheels, but I just can't be ass'ed with pre-stretching tubulars and bringing around sticky tape/glue.

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe that came with my 2005 Scott CR1 Team.

Price Paid:  $1150.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
Key Biscayne, FL

Bike Setup:
2006 Specialized Tarmac Pro:
Full carbon
Ultegra/DA
Profile T2 Carbon Clip on Aero Bars
2008 Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL Premiums
Continental Grand Prix 4000 Racing Tires

Summary:
Fantastic upgrade for the money. ZIPP's will set u back at least $1700 for 404's. On eBay you can get brand new Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL Premium for between $1100 - $1200. I love the wheels. Not only do they look great, but perform great a well.

Strengths:
What impressed me the most was their ability to hold high speeds. For long flat rides they are great.

Weaknesses:
They are a bit harder to get up, primarily due to their weight, but once you get there its smooth sailing!

Similar Products Used:
My stock wheels are Mavic Ksyrium Elites.

Price Paid:  $975.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
Miami City Hall to Sticky Buns near Homestead

Bike Setup:
Cannondale CAAD 9 Optmio 1 (DA setup, Selle Italia seat, FSA SL-K crankset)

Summary:
This is for a set of 2007 Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL premiums. Good wheels, good looking, good value. I rated this product a 4 b/c I haven't tried the Zipp 404s yet (which everyone tells me I'll love) I would need to spend some time on other wheels before making a true assessment as to value etc... I see these wheels all over the local Crit racing scene, so there must be something to them.

Strengths:
Great looking wheels (look great on my raw aluminum frame), that aero sound, easy tire mounting, softened the rough road, feel smooth, great at speeds (was cruising along at 27 mph no problem), good for sprints, much less expensive than other popular wheelset (e.g. Zipp, Mavic reputation for durability), very smooth rolling

Weaknesses:
takes a little more effort to get them going. The spokes are attached at the rim, not the carbon fairing which means that the carbon fairing has holes in it for the spokes to pass through... meaning when raining, rain might get inside the wheel... Has not been a problem for me but, it could be... I'd just use different wheels for that.

Similar Products Used:
Ksyrium Elites (which I use as my primary training wheels)

Price Paid:  $920.00 at Wholeseller

Favorite Ride:
Mountainy

Bike Setup:
Van Tuyl VT 840, Ultegra SL Compact, Zipp 145 Stem and B2 Handlebar, Mavic Cosmic Carbone Premium wheels, Polar S720 bike-computer.

Summary:
Bought these wheel at the start of the last road-season. Main drive for buying was that I wanted a carbon wheelset to finish off the carbon rest-of-the-bike. When you want a carbon wheelset for daily use, then this is the one

Strengths:
Aerodynamic (nobody can catch up going downhill ;-)), looks (especially with the weaving-pattern showing and the less-dominant letters on it), stiffness.

Weaknesses:
Already broke one carbon rim, when a friend scraped it with his pedal. This is already fixed by insurance, however. It is also not really lightweight, but that's what makes it suitable for daily use

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Ksyrium

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
beach road/ napean hw

Summary:
(Note i have the standard cosmic carbone sl 2006 mondel)
i was in for a bit of a shock coming off the stock DA22's that come standard on a 2006 giant ocr3. When i got these babies on the road, the didfference was immediately noticeable, i simply floated over the road, that dead feeling you get on an indoor trainer, where you have to keep pushing to keep going went away. they have a lovely smooth feeling on the road.
they are also as tough as nails, that is truely one of the strongest buying points of these wheels. on a day inundated with rain i went over a gigantic pothole which was filled with water, had i been riding a pre 2008 set of zipp 404's i would be stuck with a broken wheel.
while these wheels may not offer the impecable aerodynamics, lightness or hub of a zipp wheel they outdo them in strenth and durability, they aint race day only wheels.

Strengths:
-durbility
-because of they realtively heavy weight (1785g)once crusing over 30km/h they spin longer, and maintain momentum longer than a lighter wheel.
pretty aerodynamic, they simply cut through the wind

Weaknesses:
weight weight weight!
to a weeny they are a nightmare, you could easly make your bike 700g lighter if you had the money, i wouldnt buy these if you libe in a mountainous area