R-Sys Explosion

[Wines of WA]

The Editor in Chief of Velonews had a horrifying experience with Mavic R-Sys POST-RECALL wheels: http://www.velonews.com/article/93054/a-shattering-experience---a-post-recall-r-sys-wheel-failure

Wow, I wonder if this is the final nail in the coffin of these ill-conceived wheels. Tubular carbon spokes seem like such a bad idea for so many reasons.

Mavic also uses solid flat spokes in the Ultimate and Cosmic Carbone SLRs. Are these too prone so such failure?

 

[James Huang]

Those other carbon spoked wheels aren't really subject to the same failure mode as the R-Sys. In general, carbon fiber offers its biggest advantages and can be phenomenally strong when it's employed in tension, which is how it's used on wheels such as the Cosmic Carbone Ultimate and Cosmis Carbone SLR and all other carbon spoked wheels that I'm aware of.

The R-Sys spokes see both compressive and tensile loads, which is the main reason why they're tubular and not bladed. I don't have any firm engineering data but a number of user reports (including Ben's) suggest that the spokes might not have enough hoop strength to withstand some of the compressive loads that the wheels see in real world use and there also may not be enough redundancy built into the wheel to withstand a few broken spokes.

 

[Wines of WA]

Mavic Ultimates and hammer

Thanks James. I just found video proof of what you say about the Ultimates' use of different carbon spokes in different tension. This is pretty insane (and I sure wouldn't do this to the R-Sys): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzyYMePLYPY

 

[BroDeal]

I posted a pic of a crash caused by an R-SYS failure in the "Giant warranty" thread.

 

[Pietro]

I posted a pic of a crash caused by an R-SYS failure in the "Giant warranty" thread.

Mavic's 'response'..("it wasn't my fault")

-http://www.velonews.com/article/93240/mavic-responds-to-wheel-collapse-article

 

[Mathew]

The tire, the tube and the frame were not Mavic products.

If he had been using mavic tires, tubes and a frame he would have been covered, apparently.

 

[Pietro]

The Editor in Chief of Velonews had a horrifying experience with Mavic R-Sys POST-RECALL wheels: http://www.velonews.com/article/93054/a-shattering-experience---a-post-recall-r-sys-wheel-failure

Wow, I wonder if this is the final nail in the coffin of these ill-conceived wheels. Tubular carbon spokes seem like such a bad idea for so many reasons.

Mavic also uses solid flat spokes in the Ultimate and Cosmic Carbone SLRs. Are these too prone so such failure?

Balls-ey

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