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Mavic Allroad SL Wheels Are Classically Designed & Dependable All-Arounders  

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels rim
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The Mavic AllRoad SL wheelset returns to the classic alloy performance and versatility that the Iconic French brand is best known for. With brands (Mavic included) leaning into budget-friendly carbon wheels, it’s nice to see a performance-driven alloy wheel hold its own, especially one that looks to blur the lines of all-road and gravel wheelsets.

Mavic-AllRoad-SL-Wheels-lone-wheel--scaled
(All Photos: Jordan Villella/Bikerumor.com)

Mavic AllRoad Line

The Mavic AllRoad SL wheelset is part of the brand’s movement into the gravel and larger volume side of drop-bar life. The All Road line dropped with four variations of the wheelset. The entry point is the AllRoad disc (also available in 650b), followed by AllRoad S with more premium features. Then, fading into the race-ready designs; AllRoad SL and AllRoad SL Carbon, both hookless. To find out all the details of the Mavic AllRoad line, check out our technical piece here. 

Vittoria-RideArmor-Tire-mounted

What makes the Mavic AllRoad SL Different? 

Let’s start at the rim: Mavic runs a modern 25mm internal on the AllRoad rims – although some brands are now edging towards 29mm (and upwards) internals on all-road and gravel-focused wheels. 

This approach works in Mavic’s favor for the AllRoad line. The rim’s profile adapts to a reasonably large road, cyclocross, or gravel tire (anywhere from 28-40mm) without distorting the shape. Mavic claims the wheels can accommodate up to a 64mm tire, but I think that might be pushing it. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels details
Rim depth at its shallowest point

The rim shape is classic Mavic: bare sculpted alloy, SUP welded with a slight variable height (20mm/22mm). It is hookless, tapeless, and well-crafted. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels center lock

What about the Hubs? 

The AllRoad SL uses the Mavic Infinity Hub with Instant Drive 360, a tech you’ll see on most of their high-end wheels. The Instant Drive 360 uses drive rings similar to other ring drive hubs on the market and are very easy to service and swap out (more on this later)

Presentation and Packaging

When my Mavic AllRoad wheels arrived, they came in a thick box with lots of cardboard padding. They shipped with nearly everything I needed to service the wheels and freehub body. Plus, there are some Mavic stickers that every shop has plastered on work stands. What I’m trying to say is that they came with intention. These wheels were meant for use, day in and day out, so you’ll need to service and care for them. 

I’ve seen beautiful wheelsets upward of $3K ship in a cardboard box I wouldn’t ship a tire in. These $950 Mavic wheels arrived in a way that ensured a solid customer experience. It’s small things, but I was impressed with the thoughtful care. 

I was slightly bummed to see that no extra spokes came with the wheels. Some wheel manufacturers going above and beyond lately have made a few extra spokes part of the purchase. Hopefully, we will see something like this soon from Mavic.

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels side wall

Tubeless Setup 

It’s always a good thing when the setup is uneventful, and I don’t get Stan’s everywhere. The AllRoad SL was uneventful and effortless. No taping or real work was required. I installed the provided valve and my set of Vittoria (Ride Armor 32mm) tires, and I was good to roll. 

The Mavic valves are slotted to accommodate tire liners and rim savers for those who choose that life. The rims, though hookless, are still reasonably narrow, with a bead around 2mm thick. 

A note: It’s best to check the side wall of your go-to tires before committing to a hookless rim. Though most tires over size 28mm are approved for hookless, it might surprise you that some aren’t. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels

Classic Styling 

Mavic is classic and still has the classic yellow and black styling that this Pittsburgh’r loves – not only because it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ colors. Because it adds that extra bit of pop to a bike without being overwhelming.

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels pirelli 40 mounted

The AllRoad SLs have minimal graphics, just enough to know the model and brand. I would have loved to see that lone yellow spoke on these wheels. Or maybe just the one on the rear wheel…but one can dream. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels woods

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheel – Details

  • Hubs: Infinity Hubs, QRM Auto bearing preload technology, Instant Drive 360 freewheel 
  • Spokes Lacing: Double Crossed Front and Rear, Contactless
  • Nipples: Fore integrated aluminum Count: 24 front and rear
  • Rim Height: 20/22mm, Hookless, Internal width: 25mm, External: 
  • Rim Tubeless Tech: UST tubeless technology with Tapeless Tubeless Technology and SUP Welding
  • Weight: 1730g (with valves)
  • Price: $950
  • Availability: Now 
Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels font hub

Ride Impressions

My first rides on the Mavic AllRoad SL wheels weren’t “all road” but straight up the road. I mounted them on a review road bike and hit some of my favorite pave’. The Trek Madone frameset accommodated the 32mm tires well enough, and I got a taste of the wheels’ performance on the tarmac. 

I initially thought, “These are comfy.” Having spent many miles on the current test rig, I knew it was the wheels. The Mavic AllRoad SLs replaced the 42mm deep Bontrager carbon wheels on the Trek. The weight was nearly the same between the wheels, but the profile and ride quality drastically differed. 

Vittoria-RideArmor-Tire-gravel-

All Day Comfort 

Speaking solely on the wheels’ comfort and ride quality (not aero-efficiency), I felt more excited to take on a long day in the saddle. The larger-volume 32mm Vittoria tires paired well with the 25mm internal of the AllRoad SLs and seemed mated for each other. 

Climbing and chugging along on the flats, the AllRoad SLs performed well. They were stiff and responsive (though not as stiff as the carbon wheels they replaced) and were an asset on poorly maintained roads. 

Challenge Gravine Gravel Tire front

What About Gravel? 

My gravel times on the AllRoad SLs weren’t limited to cobbled old Pittsburgh roads. I took these guys out on proper chunky bits. I had them paired with the Challenge Gravine tires, and the match was perfect. The shallow rims’ forgiving nature, paired with the supple cotton casing of the Challenge tire, worked out well. 

What the AllRoad alloy wheels lack in aerodynamics compared to their carbon brethren, they make up for in ride comfort and nostalgic looks. I raced Mavic Ksyrium SLs on the road for years, and when I look at the AllRoad SLs, I get a slight memory flicker of those super cool wheels with the single yellow spoke. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels hub

Hub Performance 

The Mavic Infinity Hub with Instant Drive 360 has just enough engagement for road and gravel. Mavic equips the AllRoad SL with the 24-tooth (15-deg of engagement) Instant Drive 360 driver. Those looking for more can upgrade (it’s a super easy job) to the 72-tooth driver with 9-deg of engagement. 

As for weather resistance, I’ve ridden these wheels in all weather. I’ve even thrown in a bike wash with a pressure washer a few times after muddy gravel rides, just for good measure. The bearings are just as smooth as the day I received them, and even with many dings, the rims are surprisingly dent-free. 

Mavic AllRoad SL Wheels pirelli 40
Is that a 40mm Pirelli P Zero? Yes…

Final Thoughts 

For under $1000 ($950, to be exact), the Mavic AllRoad SL wheels are very much worth it. Yes, Mavic just released a $1000 performance carbon wheel. But is it as comfortable a ride as the AllRoads? 

If you’re a rider who likes to mix things up—gravel one day, a road ride over the weekend—and want one wheelset to do it all, the AllRoad SLs are it. The weight is a slight drawback, but the performance, comfort, and styling stick out in a world full of harsh riding budget carbon wheels. 

Mavic.com

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Joe
Joe
12 days ago

This feels like a product that 5 years behind on release.

Frank
Frank
12 days ago

I can’t figure out why they would make an aluminum rim hookless. Aren’t they using extrusions?

Josh
Josh
10 days ago
Reply to  Frank

Higher volume and lower pressure for off-road use; hookless can provide some marginal ride quality gains, slightly lighter weight, and a smoother profile for tubeless tites that Mavic is able to take advantage of in the Allroad S and SL wheels. The hook can be done away with as the bead interface is not at the hook, but at the lowest point of the rim wall and rim bed junction.

Happy riding
Josh
Mavic USA
Waterbury, VT

Matthew
Matthew
11 days ago

> I installed the provided valve and Vittoria (Ride Armor 32mm) tire, and I was good to roll.

Does this mean for $950 you get a pair of valves and tires, or just the valves?

Tristan
Tristan
11 days ago

You describe them as “Classically Designed & Dependable”

Prior to Mavics bankruptcy the threaded rim / aluminum FORE inserts were renowned for seizing, breaking, and ultimately not being able to true the wheel. That design is nether classic nor dependable. Is there something different with this new iteration that wasn’t mentioned?

Brent
Brent
4 days ago
Reply to  Tristan

To be honest they were seizing when you were not looking after them.
I never had a problem on a probably now 8 years old Ksyrium SLR Exalith I use on winter (and that includes on salty roads). sure thing if no one touches them in years, then you may face a problem.

PoorInRichfield
PoorInRichfield
10 days ago

I wanted to like Mavic wheels until I broke a spoke. Finding a replacement wasn’t easy and very costly. I don’t know what the advantage is (if any) to having the chunky, threaded spoke nipples on an aluminum spoke compared to traditional steal spokes and traditional nipples that are much smaller and proven to work.

Josh
Josh
10 days ago

Mavic is now fully operational in the US with a Mavic Service Center based in Waterbury, VT. Here is where we operate warranty and customer service in the US, as well as ship small parts to retailers and riders. Depending on the part, sometimes these will ship from our aftermarket warehouse in Plainfield, IN. Mavic does keep stock and produce spare parts, repair parts, and replacement parts for 5 years after the last available catalogue date through 2024. In 2025, this will increase to 7 years. That being said a lot of our legacy parts continue on as they may be used somewhere in the current line, or in a later product. To find parts, connect with a local retailer, or directly with Mavic through the contact form on the Mavic website. This connects directly to us in Waterbury, VT. Using the serial number from the wheel, we are able to bring up a parts diagram and list which will tell us what we are looking for, if we have, and where we can find it if we don’t.

Two pieces of tech we can point to that helped to alleviate the cost and difficulty in finding parts are the infinity hub, and the ID360 freehub platform. Infinity hubs use one spoke length, meaning less for us to inventory, less for retailers to inventory, and generally more cross over in spoke lengths. For the rider this means support parts are much easier to find. MTB product ships with 2 spare spokes for XC per wheel, and 3 per wheel for DH and Enduro. Add into the the ID360 freehub, which is a dual ratchet, single spring style freehub, and you’ve got a very robust and reliable platform. Of course, proper care of equipment is required for longevity, and we strongly recommend regular service intervals and cleaning of equipment regardless of the robustness of the platform.

Regarding your question of nipples; increased nipple size brings lateral rigidity of the complete wheel for snappier acceleration up on the pedals and a solid/stronger spoke/rim connection.

That’s the kind of detail that only a global system approach can bring vs a traditional wheel assembly with parts that are not optimized to enhance the whole wheelset dynamic/weight/life span, etc.

Cheers and happy riding
Josh
Mavic USA
Waterbury, VT

Josh
Josh
10 days ago

Hey All,
Josh here from Mavic in the US!
Service parts are available for five years after last available catalogue date and ship out of the Mavic Service Center in Waterbury, VT or our after market warehouse in Plainfield, IN (depending on the part). Starting with 2025 product this parts availability increases to seven years. We are well stocked with parts in the US at the MSC. To help keep things simple the infinity hubs allow us to use one spoke length per wheelset. Add in an ID360 freehub and you have a very robust platform with easily serviced and available parts. We also have some older parts, but that will be hit or miss. All parts searches start with contacting the Mavic Service Center or Customer Service through the website, with the serial number of the wheel from the rim, and we go from there. We are ready and happy to help!
Happy riding!

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