At our team training camp in Meran, after the long winter, we got our gear for the new season out and were able to test it extensively.
Over the course of the season we will keep giving impressions and feedback on how we use our material, how it works and how it is technically structured. The use of certain models or materials often influences performance in training or competitions. Of course, the same also applies to clothing, which we also report on and explain function, comfort and optimal areas of use.
The Mavic Cosmic Carbone 40, which had already proven itself last year, is also back in the squad for this season. This is a full carbon rim with remarkable technical details and tailor-made technologies from Mavic. The CC40 has a 40mm high profile and the rim is available in both tubular and clincher versions. Wired tires are simply more practical in the event of a puncture, especially for everyone - change the tube, inflate it and continue - no cumbersome gluing or worrying about whether the puncture spray actually seals the defective tube tire.
In competitions or marathons, I usually ride on tubular tires, but what's the point if you want to ride your carbon rims off the race track and can't help out with a material truck with a new wheel? While you can't really mend a tubular tire - except with breakdown milk or a completely new tire, a new tube is usually sufficient for a clincher tire. Carbon clinchers are therefore the model of choice for everyone who likes to ride on carbon rims - after all, they look great and make every wheel the right projectile!
This is exactly what the bike industry reacted to years ago. Almost all manufacturers now have such wheels, but many have had and still have problems, as clinchers have some details that require technically clean solutions. The combination of carbon and wired tires has its pitfalls. Mavic spared no effort and developed one of the most technically complex clincher wheels with impressive features and technologies.
Technique – technology
In the case of clincher rims, the outward pressure of the tire and the associated increased force cause particularly high material stress in the area of the rim flange, i.e. the extension of the rim into which the casing engages. With tubular tires, the forces are much smaller, there is no need for a rim flange, because the tube is a closed edge and absorbs the forces of the air pressure without passing them on to the rim. So this is the weak point of all clincher wheels, because pure carbon cannot absorb these forces well. In addition, there is the heat of the brakes, which carbon cannot do much with due to the material.
Aluminum offers advantages precisely at this weak point, on the one hand in absorbing forces and on the other hand through its ability to dissipate heat (aluminum is one of the best conductors of heat). After many manufacturers had major problems at the beginning, Mavic came up with a special solution for the rim flange. An aluminum inlay reinforces the rim flange, so each of the two materials can fully exploit its advantages and the result is a much more stable and safer wheel that you can rely on in every situation. Some end users are somewhat confused by this – “why carbon when it contains aluminium” is often heard. But the practical test proves Mavic absolutely right.
In addition, the CC40 is one of the few wheels whose rim base does not have to be drilled through to anchor the spoke nipples, thanks to Mavic's special Fore technology. This is made possible by a very complex drilling process that does not drill through the rim in the classic way, but only displaces the material under great heat. In the same work step, the thread for the nipple is milled directly into this material. This is an extremely material-friendly process that saves weight and improves rigidity and durability.
With the CC40, the nipples engage in a small aluminum block, which is fixed in place by the fine grooves and adhesive in the carbon rim just behind the rim bore. Thus, the small aluminum counterparts remain in position and the nipple can be securely anchored. All this makes the rim ring much more stable and ensures the outstandingly constant braking performance of the CC40, since the outer rim part does not have to be drilled through, and the tedious threading of the nipples as with other manufacturers is therefore no longer necessary. Without drilling, the "bridge" is noticeably stiffer - which is also necessary, because after all it is really caught in the pliers of the brake shoes and then gives way during extreme braking maneuvers, which causes brake judder.
Without drilling you achieve a perfectly even braking performance, longer durability and stability of the impeller. It also saves the use of rim tape. After the impeller rotates, the weight that has a large distance to the center of rotation is particularly noticeable. A light rim is therefore better than a heavy one. In the case of the hub, for example, this physical principle is less important because of the small distance to the center.
driving impression
I would almost say that the CC40 clincher is even equal to the tubular model or the Ksyrium in terms of braking performance and safety. The aluminum inlay causes a little more weight, but the gained safety aspect and the technical advantages more than make up for it. Unlike many clincher and sometimes even tubular models from the competition, the rim brakes very evenly, without "jerking"! This increases confidence in the material immensely, you can brake harder and later than with other rims. The longevity is also significantly increased by the aluminum inlay. This results in large part from the improved "heat regulation" of the rims.
Even the steepest descents and sometimes rough ground on the descents through the vineyards could not harm the CC 40 rim. The internal comparison at the end of the descent even resulted in a significantly hotter rim on the classic aluminum model (in our case the Ksyrium Elite) in direct comparison. A major advantage, of course, because extreme heat can cause a tire to burst, and that's not something to be trifled with. A well-known problem for everyone who descends a little less quickly than me and also has to brake a few kilos more. Here the aluminum shows its advantages for the second time, because it dissipates the heat better within the rim and distributes it, so to speak, over more material.
Even on the particularly windy days, the CC 40 was able to fully convince us. While the higher models such as the Cosmic SLE required considerable steering skills, the 40mm high rim was just about comfortable to drive. What we also tried was a comparison in terms of aerodynamics. My team rider Ulrich is the same weight as me and so we threw ourselves down the mountains next to each other on different wheels. For example, our test track was the long descent from the Gampenpass and the CC 40 showed its performance here too. Of course that's debatable, but it was surprising to me that there was a visible difference.
summary
The CC40 as a clincher version is not only a very attractive wheel from a technical point of view! In addition to the existing Cosmic Carbon 40 clincher with wheel bags, tires and carbon-coated hub including titanium quick-release skewers for a retail price of €1990, the CC40 is now also available as a cheaper version. Called Cosmic Carbon 40 Elite, you get the same technology here, but without wheel bags and with standard hubs and quick release for €1590!
But as always, the best for last: For all Mavic carbon rims (Ultimate, CXR and Cosmic Carbon models) there is now the MP3 package from Mavic for just €1 on top! This means free replacement even in the event of a fall and external influence - i.e. fully comprehensive insurance without excess! The CC40 will definitely serve my pro team riders and me again throughout the season and will be put through its paces at the toughest alpine marathons. Feedback and field reports can be read here again.
