Mavic Aksium 2013 - Brand New .. Out of True

[Stubborn Fettler]

After weeks of fussing over which training/commuting wheels to buy I finally settled on tried and tested Mavic Aksiums (...well the 2013 version). I pulled them out of the box and straight onto the bike (since they had tires on them and I couldn't be bothered to check them out on the stand first). I got them on the bike and thought I would just test the trueness using my thumbnail ... all looked good laterally and then I visually noticed a bump in the roundness on the back wheel. So I put them on my stand ... the back one is out by only about 1mm but it is very pronounced and right on the sleeve joint which I understand Mavic changed this year on the Aksium (I had assumed this will have been 'trickle down' tech from more upmarket models). Since it is right on the sleeve joint you can't adjust it (i.e. half way between 2 spokes). The front one is similar be not quite as pronounced. The 'problem' would seem to stem from the low spoke count and weak joint.

My first thought was to just send the darn things back ... but thought I would check with this forum first to see if I am fussing unnecessarily. All my other wheels ... cheaper Mavics and Alex don't have this problem. My only upmarket/low-ish spoke count wheels ... Roval fusee's... which came with my bike, that the 'road wheel snobs' and 'weight weenies' seem to scoff at, don't have this problem either - they have remained arrow straight and round as ... a very round thing.

Any thoughts out there please?

[xerxes]

I would contact Mavic and see what they have to say.

[Bill]

Most definitely what xerxes said. If you are paying a high dollar then by all means be a little picky and tell the company!

[nfmisso]

There is a reason I like Sun CR18 rim with 36 and 40 spokes And Alex DM19, and Velocity Dyad......

Seriously, listen to Xerex and Bill.