Mavic Crossmax ST

The 2009 version of the Mavic Crossmax wheels have a few improvements over the many previous versions. According to Mavic they offer a more dynamic ride thanks to the introduction of Zicral alloy spokes that are apparently 10% stiffer for the same weight as stainless steel. There are also Fore drilled rims and Isopulse lacing and a few other new features that don’t make much sense to most people. Over all the wheel has been upgraded and aimed at the XC rider who wants a wheel that can cope with all situations but while still weighing as little as possible.

We put them on a bike and headed out to see how they actually preformed. While fitting them we did notice that they seem light but still have a solid robust feel. Hitting the trails we found they were responsive while cornering but we did find they flexed a little more than we would have expected. This flex however didn’t seem to be detrimental to the overall performance of the wheel set, so we are not too worried, but it may have long term problems. Overall these wheels are not bad but they are not that great either.