Mark Adams Entry level at Mavic doesn’t mean low end. This wheelset provides top Mavic technologies for disc brake road bikes. Straight pull spokes, versatile and lightweight rims, serviceable cartridge bearings… At a very attractive price, the Aksium Disc will make any bike better.
Benefits:
- Disc brake optimized rim profile
- Disc friendly spoke geometry and lacing pattern
- Wider rim for a broad choice of tyre dimensions
- High quality cartridge bearings: QRM
- Rim resistance: pin joint rim, disc specific
- Straight pull round spokes, stronger than J-bent
- Contained weight
- Consistent and stable spoke lacing
- Low friction hubs
Mavic Aksium One Disc Wheelset Review:
The Mavic Aksium One Disc is the latest entry level wheelset from Mavic to feature disc brakes. For this model, disc brake hubs have been made to fit the rims, instead of converting rim formats to fit the hubs, as has been the case with some other manufacturers. More conversion reduces the production costs, but it also hurts overall reliability and increases the risk of having incompatibility issues.
The Mavic Aksium One Disc wheelset come with a claimed weight for the wheelset of 1045 grams. That’s only a few grams heavier than the Mavic Cosmic Elite SL wheelset, which at 860 grams for the pair, was already a lightweight wheelset for the price (and still is). The Aksium One Disc wheelset is also 200 grams lighter than the pricier Mavic Ksyrium Pro Disc.
The new 2DT hubs use technology developed for Mavic’s Ksyrium Pro Carbon wheelsets. They are wider than the previous Mavic Aksium Discs, and they are compatible with both Quick Release and 12 mm thru axles. The front hub is compatible with 10 mm thru axles, but we don’t recommend upgrading a front wheelset with 10 mm thru axles to a disc brake wheelset. That would only make sense if we wanted to change the wheel size, since a 20 mm thru axle is compatible with 10 mm thru axle wheels.
The new freehub design is also similar to the freehub of the Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon, with the difference that the Aksium One Disc freehub is compatible with both Shimano and SRAM 10 and 11 speed cassettes.
Designing a new wheelset for disc brakes required Mavic to perform some complex calculations to optimize the geometry of the rims to take full advantage of disc brakes benefits. The rims have an asymmetric profile to increase stability when braking, and a non-parallel section width profile. The calculation has to take into account several parameters such as the height of the levers, weight distribution, size of the contact patch and the traction performance of the tyres.
The rim depths of the front and rear rims are different to ensure the tyre is placed under tension during braking, which helps to reduce the amount of energy lost during deceleration – an effect known as heat-soaking. The rim depths have been optimized to minimize flex, as flex has a negative impact on both heat-soaking and brake-lever modulation. The result is a lighter and tougher rim with a better performance.
The low spoke count enabled by the new straight pull spokes was achieved by optimizing the spoke tensions to keep an even spoke tension. This new rim/hub/spoke geometry lowers the spoke tensions, enables loads up to 1500 Newtons to be distributed on each spoke, and enables the wheelset to withstand the loads of aggressive riding.
With the Aksium One Disc wheelset, Mavic recommends the use of tubeless tyres. Tubeless tyres are more resistant to flats, and can provide better traction with a wider variety of tyres.
Just like the previous generation Aksium Disc wheelset, the Aksium One Disc is designed for the use of disc brakes. Although it’s possible to mount these wheels with the more widely available road quick release skewers, you still need to get a pair of thru axles.
The second generation Aksium Disc uses 12 mm thru axles just like the first generation Aksium Disc wheelset, but the front wheel is now compatible with 10 mm thru axles. The quick releases also use a 12 mm thru axle for the front wheel, and a regular QR for the rear wheel.
The 12 mm thru axle is a nice option, but the non-standard 10 mm thru axle format on the front wheel is restrictive, and we would not recommend upgrading a front wheelset which features 10 mm thru axles with the Aksium One Disc.
The front axle uses a regular quick release, and conversion to a thru axle is simple. A standard 15 mm thru axle will mount on the front hub, and the back wheel uses a standard quick release.
The Aksium One Disc rims are made from MAXXIS ARAMID.
Considering that the Mavic Ksyrium Carbon rims have a breaking strength of 270 kp, the Aksium One Disc rims are surprisingly strong. The ARAMID used by Mavic is distinguished by its high strength and low weight. MAXXIS makes use of super narrow aramid fibers, which are then combined to produce a fibrous foam material that is resin-impregnated. It’s a process that is virtually unaffected by heat, and the consistent shape of the fibers keeps its strength when it’s subjected to tension.
The ARAMID rims, straight pull spokes, 2DT hubs, cartridge bearings, Yksion Elite Guard tyres and the tubeless tyre format make this the most reliable and up-to-date wheelset for disc brakes on the market.
Mavic recently provided these two short videos which demonstrate how to pack the wheelset for transport, and how to remove the tyres.
Most of these video tutorials are for racing bicycles, but they can also be useful for touring and commuting bicycles.
Mavic Aksium One Disc Wheelset Review:
The new Mavic Aksium One Disc wheelset provide the performance of disc brake wheels at an entry level price.
Specifications:
- Weight: 1045 grams (for the set of front and rear wheel)
- Spoke count: 18 front, 24 rear
- Rim depth:
- Front: 55 mm
- Rear: 60 mm
- Drilling pattern: 2/2
- Hubs: 2DT
- Compatibility: 12 mm and 15 mm thru axle
- Freehub body: SRAM10/11, Shimano 10/11 speed
- Cassette: Shimano 10/11 speed
- Rim width: 23.5 mm non-parallel, 23 mm non-parallel
- Tubeless : Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Manufacturer: Mavic
- Rim: MAXXIS ARAMID
- Hub: 2DT
- Spoke: Straight pull
Note: Due to production differences between front and rear wheels, the weights may vary slightly between the front and the rear wheelsets.
Mavic Aksium One Disc Wheelset Review: Entry level at Mavic doesn’t mean low end. This wheelset provides top Mavic technologies for disc brake road bikes. Straight pull spokes, versatile and lightweight rims, serviceable cartridge bearings… At a very attractive price, the Aksium Disc will make any bike better. Disc brake optimized rim profile Disc friendly spoke geometry and lacing pattern Wider rim for a broad choice of tyre dimensions High quality cartridge bearings: QRM Rim resistance: pin joint rim, disc specific Straight pull round spokes, stronger than J-bent Contained weight Consistent and stable spoke lacing Low friction hubs Hide Full Review.
