Gear News

Mavic launch tubeless wheel-tyre system across entire range of performance road wheels

French brand joins tubeless market with new ‘Universal System Tubeless’ system for road wheels

Mavic have joined the burgeoning tubeless market by introducing the ‘Universal System Tubeless’ (UST) wheel-tyre system, which will be made available on all major performance-driven road wheelsets. Mavic say the system is easier to use and safer than competitor offerings.

Mavic have long been proponents of offering a wheel-tyre system in clincher form, having moved into the tyre market back in 2009. Since then, Mavic’s Yksion tyres have been pre-installed on the rim, with claims of improved integration and performance as the wheels and rubber are designed to work together.

However, despite moving into the mountain bike tubeless market with the launch of UST in 1999, Mavic have held out on offering a road tubeless setup. That began to change in 2015 with the launch of the Allroad tubeless wheels for gravel riding – and now Mavic have gone the whole hog with the introduction of UST for road.

Mavic have introduced a tubeless wheel and tyre system across their range of performance road hoops, including the Ksyrium line-up

The UST system, which Mavic claim is the only tubeless setup which comprehensively meets ISO and ETRTO safety standards, sees the rim and tyre developed together for integrated tubeless performance. The launch of UST comes with the strapline: ‘Easy. Safe. Fast’.

While Mavic’s new tubeless tyres can be used with rims from other brands in the same way the brand’s clinchers tyres are compatible with other clincher rims, Mavic have redesigned the rim contour profiles in selected Comete, Cosmic, Ksyrium and Allroad wheels to improve ease of fitting, as well guarantee as a secure seal at the bead.

The Yksion Pro UST tyres are based around a new compound called 11 Storm

Revamped rim profile

As a result, the rim sidewall height has been increased to 5.2mm, while a 0.25mm internal ‘hump’ has been introduced so the tyre bead is enclosed more securely within the recess, with a claimed improved ability to run on a flat (and to keep a flat tyre on the rim). Moreover, to ease mounting, Mavic have introduced a central groove with a 4.5mm radius.

The UST rim profile has a 4.5mm central groove and 0.25mm ‘lip’

It’s all these changes together that Mavic says guarantees the safety and effectiveness of the UST system, with other brands’ offerings analysed to determine measurable improvements. That’s alongside Mavic developing its own testing rig, in which worst case scenarios in terms of bead fitting have been tested out extensively.

Eventually, Mavic say they arrived at an optimal tyre bead diameter measurement of 619.6mm with a tight 0.2mm tolerance, even though the ETRTO working group specifies no rule governing this. It’s said that the parameters provide the best combination of safety and ease of mounting, with Yksion Pro UST 25c tyres tested against competitors.

In terms of rim width, that varies according to the wheelset and the width of the corresponding tyre it’s designed for. The Ksyrium Pro (rim brake), for example, has an internal rim width of 17mm, while the disc version measures 19mm. Move into gravel territory and the Allroad Pro has an internal width of 22mm.

Mavic say the wheels and tyres underwent extensive testing during development

As for the Yksion Pro UST tyres, they boast a new compound, named ’11 Storm’, and which Mavic say gives the “best balance of grip and low rolling resistance”. They tyres are constructed from a 127 TPI casing and will be available in 25c and 28c sizes. The 25c tyres are claimed to weigh 260g each.

Benefits and availability

On the road, Mavic claim removal of a tube from a setup decreases rolling resistance by 15 per cent, while a tubeless tyre will still roll five per cent faster even if it’s pumped to 85psi, 15psi lower than an equivalent clincher setup.

The new Mavic Yksion Pro UST tubeless tyre features a compound called ’11 Storm’

That should improve comfort levels without sacrificing performance, while the French manufacturer says that in a parallel test between a Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL C and Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL UST, both of which weight a claimed 1,390g without tyres despite the changes in rim contour design, there’s a 40g overall weight saving with the relevant wheel-tyre systems installed, including sealant.

The following wheelsets will be made available in the new UST tubeless format from August 1, 2017, unless otherwise stated. UK prices are yet to be confirmed.

Mavic Comete Pro Carbon SL Disc (1,755g)
Mavic Comete Pro Carbon SL (1,635g)
Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL Disc (1,570g)
Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL (1,450g)
Mavic Cosmic Elite Disc (available now, 1,770g)
Mavic Cosmic Elite (available now, 1,850g)
Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL Disc (1,510g)
Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL (1,390g)
Mavic Ksyrium Pro Disc (available now, 1,620g)
Mavic Ksyrium Pro (available now, 1,420g)
Mavic Ksyrium Elite Disc (available now, 1,690g)
Mavic Ksyrium Elite (available now, 1,520g)
Mavic Allroad Pro Disc (1,660g)
Mavic Allroad Elite Disc (1,720g)
Mavic Allroad Elite RB (1,600g)
Mavic Open Pro Disc rim (420g)
Mavic Open Pro (420g)
Mavic Yksion Pro UST tyre (260g)