Mavic’s affordable heavy-duty setup is narrow for its weight, but if you don’t run monster rubber or skinny axles it’s a rock solid off-piste option. The 21mm internal width rim is restrictively narrow for the intended purpose of the wheel though, and fatter than 2.35in tyres can feel unstable and pinched, particularly at lower pressures.
Despite boulder, drop and burst tyre abuse, we still haven’t dented or scratched the rims. The 28 fat, steel, straight-pull spokes locked into low-flange, large-bodied hubs keep the wheel stiff and precise. Their hefty weight is offset by the fast pickup, gouge resistant, steel bodied ITS-4 freehub.
After a year of service-free, all-weather thrashing we’ve had no trouble with it or the adjustable QRM+ bearings. The Maxle rear hub conversion is simple but the loose fitting front spacers only come in 20mm.
