Above the beautiful French alpine town of La Clusaz, Mavic launced their latest line of enduro-specific products - the Crossmax Enduro Wheel and Tire System and the Crossmax Enduro shoe - to cycling journalists from across Europe and America. To present the products were MTB Product manager, Manuel, and Melanie and Jeremy who oversee footwear and tire development respectively. Also at the launch to explain their input and to answer questions were Mavic's professional riders Anne-Caroline Chausson and Jerome Clementz. Jerome also joined us for a day's riding to test the products and show us how it's done.
Mavic Crossmax Enduro Wheel Tire System (WTS)Mavic’s Crossmax Enduro wheel is the culmination of twenty-eight years of experience building high-performance wheels and rims for mountain bikes. The French component maker says that the addition of a tire to make an integrated wheel/tire system (WTS) makes history for the company. While the WTS system may be new to the mountain bike world, Mavic first launched the concept on the road with reasonable success. The two new tires, the Charge and Roam XL are front and rear-specific in both tread design and casing diameter. Mavic refers to the system as ‘Crossmax Enduro’ and as one may expect, the project relied heavily on two of the sport’s top professionals: Jerome Clementz and Anne-Caroline Chausson, during the development and testing stages. The developers identified differing needs for each WTS and produced them to satisfy these specific requirements. The front wheel and tire are made for grip, stability, handling and comfort, while the rear system looks to provide responsiveness, minimal rolling resistance and traction.
WTS Basics
•Crossmax Enduro Front Wheel/Charge tire: 21mm rim and 2.4 aggressive tire • Crossmax Enduro Rear Wheel/Roam XL tire:19mm rim and 2.3 faster rolling tire • Front hub compatibility: 6 bolt, 15 mm & 20 mm (QR with optional adapters) • Rear hub compatibility: 6 bolt, QR & 12x135 & 12x142 • Available July 1, 2013
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• Weight: WTS: 26" =1660 g per pair. 825 g front / 835 g rear Tires: 26”: front 2.4 = 950 g / Rear 2.3 = 850 g • Weight: WTS: 27.5" =1710 g per pair. 850 g front / 860 g rear Tires: 27.5”/650b: front 2.4 = 990g / rear 2.2 = 870 g • Cost: WTS: 26" and 27.5"/650b = $1000
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Crossmax Enduro Wheels Crossmax Enduro wheels are 100% developed to maximize the enduro experience, with different rims widths front and rear to accommodate different tire width and tread pattern. The front wheel has a 21mm rim to house the 2.4 width tire and give greater stability. Stability also comes from the stiffness created by 24 Zicral spokes and Inter Spoke Milling. The comfort factor is provided by crossed spokes for vertical compliance. The rear wheel has a rim width of just 19mm. Whilst this may seem rather narrow, Jerome Clementz, who was integral in the development process, was assured that up to a 2.5 width tire would fit, and therefore a 19mm rim was plenty wide enough. It was also re-asserted that this is a racing product and therefore the increased weight that would come with increased width, along with a decreased efficiency from a wider width tire, would compromise the performance of the WTS. With the desire to produce a responsive wheel, the Crossmax rear wheel has a ITS-4 hub, Isopulse (20 spokes. Radial driveside, crossed disc side) and is UST/tubeless ready.
Mavic Charge and Mavic Roam XL Tires The Mavic Charge (left)
and the Roam XL.These tires are designed to be 'all-rounders', able to deal with what an enduro race will throw at you. They are designed and developed by Mavic but manufactured elsewhere in France. There are no plans for a 29-inch version as Mavic feel 650b/27.5-inch wheels/tires are likely to be the choice for enduro racers in the coming years.
The Roam XL is a rear wheel specific tire especially formulated for Enduro racing which looks to combine speed, traction and strength. It is designed for efficient rolling, traction and cornering and comes with dual ply 'Guard' casing, dual compound tread and is UST/tubeless ready. The Roam XL features ramped centre knobs for lower rolling resistance and smoother first contact with the ground , high side knobs for better cornering and has a tread pattern designed for mud evacuation while rolling. The Crossmax Charge is a front wheel enduro specific tire with aggressive design for braking, grip and control. The Charge has Super Contact Compound (SCC) for grip, high side knobs for better cornering and aggressive center knobs for efficient and predictable braking. Large 2.4 casing increases comfort and 'Guard' dual ply reinforced casing gives reliabilty, as does Mavic's UST Tubeless Ready system.
Pinkbike's First Impressions | Crossmax Enduro Wheels: One day of riding, on an alien bike, makes it very hard to isolate the feel of a wheel. What can be said is that Jerome and Anne Caroline seem to have a genuine love of the product, and that fifteen eager journalists and a generous handful of Mavic employees bombing downhill all day did not experience any problems, not even a burp.
Tires: Charge and Roam XL Despite knowing that front and rear tires may handle very differently it still took a lot of getting used to. The Charge gripped, tracked and inspired confidence on a range of terrain and in both the dust and mud, while it took significantly less than a fist full of back brake for the Roam XL on the rear wheel to come into your peripheral vision. However, once we started riding with rather than in spite of the tires, in the style they are designed to complement and enhance, they felt good; fast, fun and functional. There was only one real complaint from the tires, and that was their braking traction in the wet. In the steep, muddy gullies scrubbing speed was a problem, but then it was greasier than a cheap fry-up and was thus perhaps beyond the reasonable realm of all but a dedicated mud tire.
Conclusions: To really appreciate the WTS I think you need to be looking for a tire that is 100% enduro specific and race-ready, which is exactly what Mavic are marketing. This specificity, plus the reliability features such as 'Guard' casing, make the Crossmax Enduro Wheel Tire System capable of winning Enduro races. Ultimately, watching Jerome ride made it very clear why the Mavic Crossmax Enduro WTS is as it is. |
Crossmax Enduro ShoeThe Crossmax Enduro shoe is, essentially, a marriage of Mavic's cross-country specific Fury and the much heavier duty trail/freeride Alpine XL. Its discipline-focused concept, development and testing make it the first enduro racing specific shoe on the market. The close collaboration with Mavic's pro riders Jerome Clementz and Fabien Barel is indicative of the importance of race performance in the product. According to Mavic, the Crossmax Enduro shoe "gives superb power transfer, all day long comfort and enhanced protection."
Crossmax Enduro Shoe Details
• Ergo Fit 'Orthalite': A sock liner for softer, more cushioned fit on and off the bike • 3D Breathable Mesh: Keeps the foot cooler and drier • Ergo Lite Toe Cover: Strong toe cap offering lite protection and support • Mid ankle protection with perforated neoprene • Available September 2013 • MSRP: $220
| • 'Ergo Lite Ratchet': Lightweight ratchet with highly precise adjustment • 'Quicklace': Lightweight lacing system for one pull tightening • Lace Cover • Designed to take cleats • 'Trailgrip Outsole': 'Contagrip', the best in traction and durability • Ergo Tongue Concept: Overlapping tongue for maximum foot hold, comfort and breathability
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Crossmax Enduro Shoe Construction NotesIn terms of comfort, the Crossmax Shoe offers an overlap 'Ergo tongue' and an 'Ergo Fit Ortholite' insole to give a cushioned fit, plus a 3D breathable mesh that is designed to keep the foot cooler and drier. Protection wise the Crossmax Shoe has a lightweight but seemingly sturdy toe cap, perforated neoprene mid ankle protection, a heavier-duty heel cup and a hook and loop fastened lace cover. The 'Quicklace' system that allows the shoe to be tightened to fit your foot with one pull is carried over from the Alpine XL, although it stops short of the ankle to allow for the 'Ergo Lite Ratchet' which tightens across the top of the foot and locks the foot in place. This combined system for creating a uniformly snug and secure fit is designed to optimise comfort and power output, increasing pedalling efficiency and control. In addition to this performance aspect is the 'Contagrip' sole for optimal grip on all terrain. The cleat plate has three options for positioning.
Pinkbike's First Impressions | The Crossmax shoe revealed a weak point early on when I tried to attach my SPD cleats. The tread on the sole of the shoe made the space for the SPD cleat too narrow. This may be a result of the small shoe size (Eur 38, USA 7), either way it looks like a bit of DIY could sort the problem easily enough. On a hot day of riding my feet never felt sweaty or swollen, but nor did they feel cold or particularly wet after trampling through snow and crossing innumerate streams and the occasional water-logged field. The Crossmax shoe holds your foot very nicely; it is well supported throughout, allows supple movement through the ankle and feels sturdy yet comfortable. For someone who really struggles with numb feet when riding, I was very pleasantly surprised that blood remained in the balls of my feet and toes all day, a small miracle that I attribute to the ergonomic insole. The stiff sole felt good riding both up and downhill, giving efficient power transfer and a solid, confident feel on the pedals. The slight flex in the front of the shoe supposedly makes walking easier and more comfortable. However, for me, the 'some-but-not-all' approach felt like an indecisive middle ground. That said, we did not do a great deal of walking, and, moreover, the Crossmax Enduro shoe is made for racing with the riding performance thus the priority, for which it felt very adept. The greatest praise I can give these shoes is that, whilst riding, I forgot about them. The Crossmax Enduro Shoe is certainly comfortable and, after just one day's worth of riding, seems competent and suited to its purpose. - Anna Buick |
Photographs: Jeremie_Reuiller©MavicSAS (unless shown otherwise)
www.mavic.com
I already have a mavic WTS. Its called crossmax with kenda small blocks.
Yellow is Mavic's 'brand color' like Turquoise is to Yeti. Deal with it. There are plenty of trendy catalogue companies pushing garbage hoops that come in rainbows of colors to match your diminutive fruity fashion 'taste' that only teens and rappers high on cough syrup can appreciate.... :-P
Why hasn't Freetard riding taken off yet?
I ride a little of everything, myself. I am a cyclist.
Wishing they brought back that R-SYS carbon spoke concept for these wheels, that would have been sweet.
Mavic, make sure to pick up on the color issue!
Seriously, the only advantage of this wheelset is that you get the best of the crossmax sx and st. That's it, that's all.
Most brands exaggerate tyre size number to come out lighter. Continental DH tyres in 2.5" weigh approximately 150g more than 2.5" Maxxis - too bad that Maxxis DHF is actualy a 2.3" tyre and in proper 2,5" size which is their 2.7", they would weigh the same. At the same time Continental commits same crime on trail front, with their 2.4" MKings being as narrow as a proper 2.2" tyre. Marketing.
Less pressure is nice but down to a certain point where the tyre (if casing is too soft) start wobbling.
Sure, if you break some spoke, you are in 2-3week wait for replacement, if you break a rim - you are seriously f*cked. Then Mavic SHOULD learn that CrossMax SX wheelset should be as wide as Flow EX. That wouldn't give them that feather weight though.
I hope they do make bead hook... even ZTRs have it
It's funny to see everyone scurry like cockroaches to name their stuff "enduro specific" trying to cash in on the buzzword of the year. Reminds me of Freeride stuff in the early 2000's and most of it is's just re-badged/named stuff from X companies "trail" line only now "trail" isn't cool anymore (except in the pages of MBA where they just make up names for stuff randomly), everyone's gotta have a full load of "All Mountain/Enduro" as if it's really any different. Oh and then charge 20% more for it cause well... it's "enduro". I really like the Enduro format of racing, but to SOME OF US, AM is all Mountain biking has really ever been. Even when I was lugging around a 40lb bike, I was just riding up a trail so I could bomb down it. Same thing it's always been only now the marketing morons and bean counters see dollar signs and we've got a whole "new" category of riding. Unless you were a Lycra Loser, you've probably already GOT gear for riding Enduro...
finally..I like Yellow mavic product, own Fury and Alpine XL too (paid 112 €), superb shoes.
lol
Mavics are at least made in Europe so you pay for infamous French unions
Stans are lowend. You get what you pay for.
I use SunMTX33 and SunRingle Drift 2.1 (really the same) and Sun 600 Al. Around 350-$400 set. All with Novatec hubs. Also troublefree my daughters Azonic Outlaws.
However I personaly, a self-sponsored loonie, would never ever race proper Enduro in proper mountains on such wheels...
I'm just pissed I recently bought a pair of Alpine XLs in white/black. Not nearly as fast.
Seriously though, I do love the Alpines.
Now we have Enduro....I will still be riding whatever i want, whatever they want to call it...
However, i have had 3 sets of mavic wheels of various kinds and they have all been overpriced rubbish...
the freehub body/cassette body is stuck in the dark ages..the rims have always been ok, but i have had issues with the axles and the hub body's shattering (mavic would not cover under warranty as they were miserable french blokes) not vere had this problem with HOPE....
HOPE forever "
NO other tire in the world is asked to comply with a rim that is 1/3 its width for a reason
Oh yellow only...good luck with that.