Gravel Goodness: MAVIC Allroad Pro Wheels + Yksion Allroad Tires

With the ever-increasing popularity of the gravel ride, industry leader Mavic has improved upon its Ksyrium Allroad wheel set to make it tougher, faster, and more versatile. The pinnacle of this lineup is the new Mavic Allroad Pro Disc Wheel set paired with Mavic Yksion Allroad UST Tires.

PELOTON

The most noticeable feature of the wheels are the super-wide UST tubeless ready rims. With an internal width of 22mm, these rims pair neatly with 700x30c or 700x40c Mavic Yksion Allroad tires. Wider rims mean extra volume and the ability to run lower pressure on a variety of demanding surfaces. Zicral spokes link the super light ISM 4D rims – with every gram if unnecessary material milled away – to Mavic’s new Instant Drive 360 freewheel for a nearly bulletproof build and at 1610g per pair, they are definitely competitive. The current disc brake standard means you get 24 spokes front and rear for maximum brake torque distribution, 6-bolt and center-lock rotor compatibility, and hubs that convert smoothly between 12mm and 15mm thru-axle, as well as quick release.

The tires do more than just compliment the rims nicely. Mavic’s tire and rim combos previous to road UST were good, but did not deliver any more performance as package than you could find with another brand’s good tire. Mavic’s new road UST means the tires and rims really are a match made in heaven. The rim hook and the tire bead fit like a lock and key, the rim diameter and tire diameter match like an eHarmony success story. The Mavic Yksion Allroad tires mount easily, inflated without a compressor and have not suffered any ear-popping blow offs. 120TPI, single compound rubber, and an extra layer of casing mean they are light and fast without sacrificing too much flat protection. With a few ounces of sealant added to the recipe, we were floating on slick pavement and devouring extra crunchy river-bottom trails.

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We don’t get a lot of rain here in Southern California, but we were fortunate enough to have two cold rainy days for a true test of this wheel set’s grit. The tread has a bit of a hybrid look, with tight knobs of similar height creating a fairly uniform profile. The first thing we noticed was how well the Yksion Allroads rolled on wet pavement. After pushing through a few turns to test the limits of their grip, we were pleased to find that there was no sudden loss of traction. They will lose start to squirm sooner than a road tire, but it’s predictable and easily managed, then back to singing down the straightaways while spun out in the 40Tx11T gravel gearing.

But off-road is where this wheel set really shines. We rode a mix of groomed fire road and jumbly river bottom singletrack and discovered a few things. These rims are stiff. They made a bit of noise through really scattered rocky bits, but they held their line and maintained a perfect true even after riding into mean potholes we didn’t see during an evening ride when our headlight died (We know, proper preparation etc . . . We were just really excited to get out and ride!) The tires were great on the fire roads, but did leave a little to be desired on the looser sections of singletrack. We feel, though, that the loss of traction through the gnarly bits was more than made up for by the fast rolling nature of the tires on smoother trails as well as on road. This is a tire for big loops that include not only deep gravel but smooth tarmac too.

The Mavic Allroad Pro Wheelset is a solid performer with a manageable price tag when compared to full carbon hoops and the Mavic Yksion Allroad UST Tires really are a great match. We had just as much fun riding these hoops on-road as we did off. If you are looking for a do-everything wheel set/tire combo the Mavic Allroad Pro Wheelset with Yksion Allroad UST tires are worth a look, if you want a high volume, super fast tire for gravel, that sets up tubelessly with consistent ease, you’ll have a hard time finding a better set.

$1100 (including tires and valves); 1610g (not including tires); Mavic.com