The Yksion Elite Allroad tires would not be my choice for a loose gravel or roads with a lot of sharp rock, but on dirt roads, broken pavement and hardpack gravel, the Yksion 30c tires may be ideal, and the Ksyrium Pro Disc Allroad wheels appear to be up for the challenge of any terrain and tire. Halfway through the ride, I took even more air out, much to the surprise of my road and high-pressure-oriented companions, probably ending up at a still-conservative 45-50 psi, and suffered no burps or punctures.
Other testers weren’t so lucky, but many were riding around 80 psi, which is what the Mavic mechanics set up the wheels with. Perhaps their higher pressure, and thus higher tire thread tension, resulted in tire cuts?
One of the many varied surfaces we tested the Ksyrium Pro Disc Allroad wheels, tires, and cycling gear on. The road turned to more dirt & rocks later on. © Cyclocross Magazine
Of course, many gravel racers are going wider, especially for rougher events like the Lost and Found, where this author rode 40c and 1.8″ tires, at 26 and 22 psi, respectively. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, gravel means so many different things to different riders and different regions, and tires and tire pressure should vary accordingly.
Mavic’s new Ksyrium road line is highlighted by the new Ksyrium Pro Disc Allroad wheel/tire system, as shown on this Cannondale Synapse disc test bike. © Cyclocross Magazine
The biggest story is the wheels, even if you end up swapping out the tires. Mavic seems to have taken their time to update their Ksyrium wheels, and judging by our initial ride on the Mavic Ksyrium Pro Disc Allroad wheelset, they’ve used that time well to do their homework. The wheels are versatile, should be future proof for a while, and given the weight and price (with tires), beat some much-pricier carbon options.
Stay tuned for a lot more on the new Mavic Ksyrium product line, including the new Pro Carbon SL Clincher and Tubular wheels, and our scenic test rides in Wyoming and Idaho.
