Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate

Price Paid:  $1800.00 at Private Sale

Favorite Ride:
All

Bike Setup:
Cervelo R3-SL, Full Campy Record

Summary:
They are everything Mavic says they are. Extremely stiff, fairly light, and freakishly quick. I've put several hundreds miles on these so far and besides a slight creaking in the front wheel, which comes and goes (still working on that), they have performed flawlessly. They are a good blend of lightness and speed, while also being very strong on climbs. As a conparison, I also have a set of Campy Hyperon Ultras, and the Mavics climb just as well, but the ride is definitely a bit harsher. Will continue to review over the next several months, as I plan on tackling a few centuries on them. We'll see if my butt can take the punishment, as I weight around 180 lbs. I've also been riding them around 115-120 psi, so I will try lowering the pressure to 105-110, to see if long-term comfort improves. They are mounted on a Cervelo R3-SL, an incredibly stiff frame, which may actually be accentuating the stiffness of the wheels. Also, the braking is fine (wet surface included), too many people say braking sucks on carbon. I've never had a problem, it just takes getting used to versus metal. At 40mm rim height, I would say the wheels are about average in cross winds. Definitely less affected than Zipp 404s, Aeulos 5.0, and Carbones, but that's to be expected. However, as expected, higher profile rims maintain a slight advantage in high-end speed, but not much. Overall, I feel the wheels come as advertised.

Strengths:
Unbelievable stiff, fairly light, and very quick (quicker than any wheel I have ridden to date).

Weaknesses:
Might be too stiff, we'll see. Price is a bit high, but in the ballpark of other high-end wheels.

Similar Products Used:
Campy Hyperon Ultras, Bontrager XXX lites,
Reynolds MV32C, Bontrager Aeolus 5.0, Zipp 404s, Zipp 303s, Mavic Carbone Premiums.

View Comments (1)

Would you like to Comment?
Join RoadbikeReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Price Paid:  $2300.00 at Probikekit.com

Bike Setup:
RR: Scott CR1 with Chorus
TT: FELT B2 with Dura Ace

Summary:
After having tried many top end wheels in races and TT's I figured at that price all would be very similar, and lets face it they are. I have had the Cosmic Carbone Ultimates for a few weeks now and I am impressed.

I describe them to friends as 'as stiff as 404's and as silky smooth as Boras, but lighter than both'. And they are just that, stiff as hell and real smooth. I run Vittoria Corsa CX tubulars and it just tops off a fantastic package. They descend smoothly, they climb amazingly, so stiff, quiet and light indeed.

I have heard others complain about the braking surface and it not being grippy enough, but in the dry the brake pads provided by Mavic stop me better than my rubber pads on my training wheels!! Don’t know about the wet though and to be honest no matter what top end wheel I would have bought I don’t think I would run them in the wet anyway, they are too precious to me, I want to have these babies forever ?

These are a very high end wheelset that will not let you down in road races or time trials, I am going to keep them for dry races and the occasional show off Sat morning ride, not for every day, but that is why I bought them and that is why I have training wheels…

Plus if you do your homework you dont have to buy them for AUD$4000 or US$3000

Strengths:
Bling!!

Extreme light weight, Real fast, Stiff as you could hope for, Smoothest ride

Good value, if you look around

Weaknesses:
Cant replace spokes front spokes if you break them, but if you check out these links on Youtube, you will see how strong they really are and that made the decision for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t--bvVVVISo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tGOi5saJuU&feature=related

Similar Products Used:
Campy Boras, Zipp 404's

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Colnago C50 sloping,Campagnolo Record 2007 groupset with Cinelli Ram bianca bars and post finished with fizik aliante carbon.

Summary:
Ok having used most wheels used by the peloton i was looking for something a bit special to finish my world champ edition colnago C50.I was looking at these wheels straight off but thought too much money (also only in tubulars)so i went with the zipp 303 clincher which seemed to tick all the boxes and when they arrived they certainly looked the part but MAN! these wheels are flexy (despite manufacturers claims)and worse they creak and groan into the bargain.So after a quick e-bay sale went for the ultimates.Now words fail me these wheels are awesome they look amazing they ride just like ksyriums until you get out of the saddle and then KPOW its like your on rails.Trust me there is zero flex with these wheels no noise and the accelaration is just breathtaking,plus the cornering these wheels handle incredibly,i rode a Crit recently and was dropping in the bends like a pro.I am verry fickle with bikes and wheels but think i have finally found a pair of wheels i will be keeping for a long time!These wwheels are so superior to anything ive used before (ive been racing for over twenty years)it almost feels like cheating!!!

Strengths:
Weight (only 1180g),Stiffness (if these wheels are flexing you won't be able to tell),Handling,if you ride crits youll appreciate the handling of these wheels.

Weaknesses:
I could say the usual lame comment like the price,but then i believe you get what you pay for,and if thats true then these wheels are a bargain!But seriously if i had to name weaknesses then i would say the transfers are a bit over the top and will not suit every bike but then thats Mavic and they are easily removed (which i am considering doing)and then theres the braking in the wet which is non existent but then thats the case for all carbon rimmed wheels isn't it?

Similar Products Used:
Campagnolo eurus,Mavic Ksyrium (all of them) and Zipp 303

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Mill Valley Cyclewor

Favorite Ride:
Alpine Dam, Mt. Diablo, House of Pain

Bike Setup:
Look 595, Campy Record and Conti 4000 Tubis...

Summary:
These wheels are absolutely unbelievable. Simply the best wheels I have ever used....hand down, no arguments. I have had the luck and good fortune to log a great deal of miles on a great number of different wheelsets from carbon to aluminum, tubular and clincher. Nothing I've ever ridden comes even close to these. Nothing. They are of course....super light. That isn't much to rave about these days as every manufacturer on the market is coming out with lighter and lighter components. What is impressive is the performance. As you expect, they spin up incredibly fast and slice through the air the way you would expect an "aero" wheel to. But most impressively....they are stiff as can be. Stiffer than the ES wheels, stiffer than the SL wheels and stiffer than many competitors wheels I've ridden. (No...I'm not sponsored by Mavic, I wish!!) Don't worry about the carbon spokes...there is no sign of deflection or flex at all. Cornering is amazing as is the braking. (but I happen to prefer the braking properties of carbon wheels as opposed to aluminum). If it is in the budget and you are looking for a race wheel which provides true "bang for the buck" advantage, look no further.

Strengths:
Fast, stiff, aero, tubular and light.

Weaknesses:
Expensive and tubular.

Similar Products Used:
Reynolds, Lightweight, Topolino, Zipp