Mavic
Encyclopedia
Mavic is a French
bicycle
parts manufacturer, its name an acronym for Manufacture d'Articles Vélocipédiques Idoux et Chanel, founded by Charles Idoux and Lucien Chanel. The company is noted as a manufacturer of bicycle wheel
s. Mavic is based in Annecy
, France
. Since the 70s the company is official partner and sponsor of the Tour de France
.
s, and children's pedal cars, but it is best known for light alloy rim
s. Recently, the company has expanded into producing technical shoes and apparel for cyclists.
It is owned by the French ski manufacturer Salomon
(which is owned by a Finnish
conglomerate, Amer Sports
, that also owns the Austrian ski manufacturer Atomic
and the tennis racquet maker Wilson
).
Mavic designed a spoke nipple mounted on the inside of the rim rather than from the tire side. This allows a rim to remain unpierced on the tire side with the exception of the valve hole. Less material is used in the rim. The Ksyrium wheelset was the first road to utilise this "fore" feature.
Mavic developed electronic gear-shifting system
in the 1990s, first called Zap, later re-engineered as Mektronic. The Mektronic was used by riders including Chris Boardman
. However, it suffered engineering problems, notably that Boardman's bike shifted gear unpredictably, and was discontinued.
The top road wheels for many years were Ksyrium and Cosmic series. The Ksyrium has given way to the R-Sys. The R-Sys has tubular carbon fiber spokes that work in tension (like a traditional bicycle wheel) and compression (like a wagon wheel with wooden spokes). The spokes are held via "fore" technology at the rim and the TraComp ring at the hub. This allows lower spoke tension, which makes lighter wheels. The semi-aero Cosmic wheel is all carbon except for the rear hub.
In 2009 Mavic released a recall on their R-Sys wheel. Having reports from customers on catastrophic failure during rides.http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/06/bikes-tech/a-shattering-experience-a-post-recall-r-sys-wheel-failure_93054
Mavic also makes clincher rims. The Mavic Open Pro is popular for everyday road use. CXP rims are the semi-aero counterparts.
Mavic has made a carbon fibre deep section front wheel with five wide carbon spokes, the Io, which has been very successful.
Some racers use it for road time trials, but this is not approved by Mavic as the rims are not designed for braking.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
parts manufacturer, its name an acronym for Manufacture d'Articles Vélocipédiques Idoux et Chanel, founded by Charles Idoux and Lucien Chanel. The company is noted as a manufacturer of bicycle wheel
Bicycle wheel
A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels....
s. Mavic is based in Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Since the 70s the company is official partner and sponsor of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
.
History
The company has manufactured wheelsets, hubs, brakes, mudguards, cassettes, chainrings, headsets, computers, chains, stems, bars, cranks, bottom bracketBottom bracket
The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle that the crankset attaches to, and the bearings that allow the spindle and cranks to rotate. The chainrings and pedals attach to the cranks...
s, and children's pedal cars, but it is best known for light alloy rim
Rim (wheel)
The rim of a wheel is the outer circular design of the metal on which the inside edge of the tire is mounted on vehicles such as automobiles. For example, on a bicycle wheel the rim is a large hoop attached to the outer ends of the spokes of the wheel that holds the tire and tube.In the 1st...
s. Recently, the company has expanded into producing technical shoes and apparel for cyclists.
It is owned by the French ski manufacturer Salomon
Salomon Group
The Salomon Group is a sports equipment manufacturing company that originated in Annecy, France. The company was started in 1947 by François Salomon and his wife and son. In 1997 it became part of the Adidas group. On 2 May 2005, Adidas-Salomon announced that it had agreed to sell the Salomon...
(which is owned by a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
conglomerate, Amer Sports
Amer Sports
Amer Sports Oyj is the largest manufacturer of sporting equipment in the world. Established in 1950, the company is based in Helsinki, Finland...
, that also owns the Austrian ski manufacturer Atomic
Atomic Skis
Atomic is an Austrian company which manufactures and sells skiing equipment .-Background:...
and the tennis racquet maker Wilson
Wilson Sporting Goods
The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently is a foreign subsidiary of the Finnish company Amer Sports....
).
Technology
The company has employed innovative production with metals and especially alloys. Salomon had Mavic produce the edges for its skis and snowboards.Mavic designed a spoke nipple mounted on the inside of the rim rather than from the tire side. This allows a rim to remain unpierced on the tire side with the exception of the valve hole. Less material is used in the rim. The Ksyrium wheelset was the first road to utilise this "fore" feature.
Mavic developed electronic gear-shifting system
Electronic gear-shifting system
An electronic gear-shifting system is a method of changing gears on a bicycle, which enables riders to shift with electronic switches instead of using conventional control levers. The switches are connected by wire or wirelessly to a battery pack and to a small electric motor that drives the...
in the 1990s, first called Zap, later re-engineered as Mektronic. The Mektronic was used by riders including Chris Boardman
Chris Boardman
Christopher "Chris" Boardman MBE is a former English racing cyclist who won an individual pursuit gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics and broke the world hour record three times, as well as winning three stages and wearing the yellow jersey on three separate occasions at the Tour de France...
. However, it suffered engineering problems, notably that Boardman's bike shifted gear unpredictably, and was discontinued.
Road racing
Since 1973 the company has provided technical service to races. Yellow cars and motorcycles follow the race with wheels and bicycles. Mechanics change wheels or bicycles for any rider. Mavic has never made complete bikes so the service frames are provided by an outside manufacturer. Cannondale and Litespeed have been used.The top road wheels for many years were Ksyrium and Cosmic series. The Ksyrium has given way to the R-Sys. The R-Sys has tubular carbon fiber spokes that work in tension (like a traditional bicycle wheel) and compression (like a wagon wheel with wooden spokes). The spokes are held via "fore" technology at the rim and the TraComp ring at the hub. This allows lower spoke tension, which makes lighter wheels. The semi-aero Cosmic wheel is all carbon except for the rear hub.
In 2009 Mavic released a recall on their R-Sys wheel. Having reports from customers on catastrophic failure during rides.http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/06/bikes-tech/a-shattering-experience-a-post-recall-r-sys-wheel-failure_93054
Mavic also makes clincher rims. The Mavic Open Pro is popular for everyday road use. CXP rims are the semi-aero counterparts.
Track
Mavic makes some of the most popular and successful carbon disc wheels, which have been used to win many races.Mavic has made a carbon fibre deep section front wheel with five wide carbon spokes, the Io, which has been very successful.
Some racers use it for road time trials, but this is not approved by Mavic as the rims are not designed for braking.
Mountain bikes
The UST (Universal System Tubeless) tubeless design eliminates an inner tube, which allows lower inflation pressures as the threat of pinch flats is eliminated.Trademarks
Mavic has used a variety of trademarks during its history, often based on the versions of the company name. In 2008 it introduced a stylised letter "M" for use on its products.External links
- Mavic official homepage
- Velo Retro:Mavic Timeline
- Through Time: Reliability by Mavic on MyByk
- R-Sys Wheelset review, Bicycling Magazine, July 2007
- VeloNews article on Mavic Service Course