Carbon spokes are four times stronger than the previous R2R design, according to French brand

By Jack Evans

Published: Wednesday, 01 February 2023 at 12:00 am

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Mavic has introduced the Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc, claiming the 1,255g wheels are the lightest in their class.

The tubeless, disc brake wheels combine aerodynamics and stiffness for rapid acceleration on the flat and climbs, according to Mavic.

Costing £3,575 / €3,900, the Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc is one of the most expensive road bike wheels on the market.

Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc spec and construction

The Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc front and rear wheels have claimed weights of 575g and 680g respectively.

The carbon rims are 45mm deep. The rim width measures 19mm wide internally and 27mm wide externally. This is optimal for 700x25mm tubeless tyres at a maximum safe pressure of 87psi, according to Mavic. The widest road bike tyre Mavic recommends using is 700x32mm.

Because the mid-section carbon rims are not drilled, Mavic says they do not require rim tape to remain airtight, simplifying tubeless setup.

Mavic

According to Mavic, the carbon fibre spokes and high, thin carbon hub flanges confer an aerodynamic advantage.

The rim-to-rim technology (R2R) runs 10 spokes from one side of the rim to the other through the hub. This totals 20 contact points on each rim.

Mavic says the R2R design increases stiffness and removes the need to fit the spokes mechanically to the rim.

The Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc’s R2R is four times stronger than the previous R2R design, according to Mavic.

Mavic

Stiff hub axles and oversized cartridge bearings are claimed to ensure the Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc’s longevity.

The hubs come with thru-axles (12×100 front and 12×142 rear) and can be converted to quick release. They only work with Center Lock disc brake rotors.

The wheel maker says the Shimano/SRAM freehub can be converted to Campagnolo.

The French branch says each wheel’s 71 carbon fibre pieces take 10 workers eight hours to hand build.