Mavic Aksium Wheelset Review

The Mavic Aksium, an entry-level wheelset from the French wheel builder Mavic. Renowned for its bombproof reliability, these are the wheels of choice for many of us when fall arrives, and the going gets tougher. Although these are entry-level wheels, they borrow a lot of technology from Mavic's more expensive products. This makes them a great choice for those who want to avoid using their shiny racing wheels in training, or are in need of a relatively inexpensive set of winter wheels.

Hardware

The Aksiums are made using a 21mm high aluminium rim with an increased width over the previous model. The hubs use Mavic's proprietary QRM bearings, which are well-known for being low maintenance and very reliable. The outer hub casing is made from aluminium as well, to keep the weight down. Connecting the rims and hubs are 20 stainless steel flat aero spokes in each wheel, which are laced radially in the front and on the non-drive side in the rear, while using a crossed-2 pattern on the rear drive side, which increases the wheels strength and stiffness.

Mavic Aksium Elite

The regular Aksium wheelset is great, but Mavic decided to improve on these by making the Elite version. These shed a good 10% of their rim weight, by using a sleeve joint rather than a pin version. The Elites also come with Mavic's own tyres, the Yksions, which weigh in at an impressive 230 grams for the 25mm version and feature a 120tpi carcass, making them fairly supple and fine for racking up those training miles.

Performance

If you're in the market for the fastest wheels which will cut through the air, or the lightest ones to fly up a mountain with- then look elsewhere. The Aksiums are fairly heavy at 1843 grams (Elites weigh in at 1779 grams on our scale), though they do spin up easily thanks to the QRM bearings.  Besides the flat-blade spokes, the wheels offer little in aerodynamic advantages.However, if you're looking for a set of rugged, tried-and-tested wheels, then the Mavic Aksium is a very interesting choice. They’re well-equipped to cope with bad weather -rain, snow, or dirt are all well within the capabilities of these wheels thanks to the sealed cartridge bearings- which means you can leave your expensive, shiny racing wheels indoors to fight another day. The bearings also feel smooth and the wheels keep rolling along nicely.The increased rim width over the previous generation means these wheels work great with 25mm tyres, and offer you a good amount of comfort on longer rides. The rims have been reinforced around the spoke holes with what Mavic refers to as H2 Hammer Hardening. Users of the very old Ksyrium's may remember stories of spokes being pulled through the surface of the rim, but that is a thing of the past with these beefier eyelets.Finally, Mavic uses a machining process called UB control to improve the texture on the brake surface. This increases your stopping power and eliminates vibrations under braking, allowing you to fly down mountains with the confidence that you'll be able to come to a safe stop once you’ve reached the end.

Conclusion

We found that the Mavic Aksium has been popular for years with both racers and recreational cyclists alike, but for different reasons. As said, racers love these as a spare set of wheels, but for many recreational riders these have been a go-to choice for years as their primary wheelset. The Mavic Aksium is sturdy, reliable and almost maintenance-free, which makes it a great wheelset for winter-warriors, and sunshine-soldiers alike, but also for high-milers and commuters who don't want to have to think about frequent maintenance. Have a look at the customer reviews left on our product page, and maybe soon these wheels will be adorning your beloved bike as well!