Mavic is a very traditional company; the yellow banner (and car) is one of the most recognizable in cycling. It brings an emotion, a racing heritage, and a long history in wheelcraft. Sometimes, however, that doesn’t mean the latest and the greatest. Largely, we see the foundational cycling companies being reluctant to change, especially when it comes to their core product.
The new and improved Mavic team is seeing things differently and is not only ready for changes like 32″ wheels for mountain/gravel, but they are also leading the charge. We spotted some cool 32″ alloy mountain bike wheels, new unreleased Comete 50 race rockets, and an “M” strap styled all-around road shoe.
Mavic Cross Max 32″ Alloy Wheels
When we see new products, it’s usually from the top down. We’re seeing 32″ race wheels, crafted from carbon, and built to the lightest spec to help sell the move to a larger (and heavier) standard. But what some don’t see is that most will not be rolling those sweet 32″ carbon wheels. The masses (especially when 32″ comes to mainstream production) will be riding stout 32″ alloy wheels that need to be dialed when the “go to 32” lever is pulled.
Mavic is ahead of the curve on this one, and has a production 32″ Cross Max Alloy wheelset ready to roll, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it as a 32″ OEM spec in the near future.
The rim appears to be 30mm wide and uses a standard J-Bend Mavic Cross Max hubset with a 6-bolt interface. There was no talk of price, cost, or availability – but one thing is for certain. Mavic is ready for the 32″ revolution, having already produced a high-end carbon version of the Cross Max SL with the KTM XC team. Now they are aiming for the market entry point.
Unreleased Mavic Comete 50 Road Wheels
Another in-plane sight-spotting was a set of Mavic Comet 50 carbon beauties on a just-as-classy LOOK frameset. The Comete 50 wheels are Mavics’ all-around race wheels, and this new version boasts some excellent updates.
The most notable is the carbon spokes, paired with alloy nipples. Most importantly, the spokeheads are captured in the hub and not slotted.
This allows all the spokes to stay in the hub rather than “disengage,” as some have in tragic instances in the classics.
The hubs have a classic Mavic look with ceramic bearings and a slightly aero shape, but not so thin as to affect the bearing diameter.
Rim-wise, the updated Mavic Comete 50 looks slightly wider. Mavic has been a slower adopter of the wider rim, but they seem to be coming around. The wider look of the Mavic Comete 50 suggests it would be a great complement to 28-32mm tires. No prices, specs, or information were given, but this new Mavic Comet 50 looks to be a great addition to the new Mavic lineup.
Mavic AKSIUM Strap Shoe
The shoewear from Mavic has an all-new AKSIUM-level shoe ($179) aimed at the rider who is not into BOA. The idea was to create a better strap, one that is easy to dial in over the forefoot.
This design focus led to the new “M strap,” which allows riders to dial in pressure and snugness where they’d like, without overloading the entire system.
The sole is nylon, and is focused on entry to mid-level performance and comfort. The AKSIUM looks like a great addition to the lineup, easing riders into a stiffer-soled, spin shoe without overpricing. I’d like to see this tech crossover into a super-lightweight XC shoe.