http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.ns ... parniceSt6

Check out the Euskatel rider's rear wheel. See anything unusual? No aluminum braking surface. Has mavic (finally) decided to make a deep-section all-carbon wheel, or is this just a re-badged wheel?

Winokourov rode the same. The fact that two different teams use them pretty much rules out, that it might be some mechanic's homebuilt solution (like telekoms Campa-hubs-with-corima-rims-"boras" they used two years ago), whaddya think?

..especially when you take into account that the magenta guys *should* ride shimanos in the first place. seems the riders *really* don't like them at all; first Neutrons, now mavics...

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Snowman and Strong Walker
Scott Sc
my old stuff
my new stuff

I think it's a full carbon prototype

Re: Vino's wheels, I can't blow it up good enough to see the front hub better but I wonder if just like the pics from a few days ago (they were on Hyperons or Nucleon/Neutron) that T Mobile might be reusing last years wheels.....in this case ala Mavic decals??

The hubs? not clear, might be mavic, might be campa as far as i'm concerned.
Hm, but why Mavic? the telecomics are sponsored by Shimano this year.

i really dunno what all this stuff with riding all these different wheels is about. Maybe Shimano signed them only for the gruppo but not for the wheels???

Martin

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Snowman and Strong Walker
Scott Sc
my old stuff
my new stuff

Saw Paolo Bettini with full-carbon cosmic-branded wheels in Hyeres, at Tour de Med.. Didn`t get a chance to look closely at them though...

Here are two other pictures that give a better look at the hubs:

_________________
Snowman and Strong Walker
Scott Sc
my old stuff
my new stuff

So maybe Mavic is getting some help testing out their next generation aero wheels - lets be patient and see..............

Those are definetely mavic hubs. They have the same shape (exact same) as my mavic cosmic elite training wheels. If mavic is really making all carbon prototypes, all I can say is finally - the current cosmic carbones are great for anything thats flat, but mavic needs a lightweight deep section carbon solution. I just hope they make it as durable as mavic wheels are known to be. The rim looks like its shape is very similar to Campy's bora rim shape. Maybe there's some deal with campy to share rims or something? I'm pretty sure that campy makes the bora in-house, but has the hyperon made by corima this year. Hopefully we will find out more soon.

I would think that it is just a carbon rim built up with mavic hubs and spokes. The shape of the rim is definitely not mavic. I talked to the mavic guys and they made it sound like there would never be a mavic wheel without an aluminum braking surface- they feel that carbon braking surfaces are so dangerous that it would be irresponsible to build up a wheel with anything other than aluminum.

Well that might be, but for sure it was built up by Mavic itself..... Telekom, Euskaltel, Fassa Bortolo, several teams used them. Maybe they're for the pro's only.... but hey it was about time Mavic made a set that's light AND aero....

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Whow! That's a pretty damn nice garage door!

First of all, I doubt if Mavic uses carbon in their Carbones. Those things are just Reflex rims with some type of fairing that could be carbon or just plain plastic for all anyone knows. And even if it is carbon, it adds nothing to the structural integrity of the wheel. It just makes it look nice. So they should leave the carbon to those who do it best-the time for them to have made a carbon rim has past them by-at this point all they will be able to do is copy what someone else has already done, or they will sub-contract carbon rim makers like alot of other companies do to make something for their line.

Looks like I'm wrong...

Sweet!

More stuff can be found at:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/teamtech04.p ... es/sanremo

Damn you, Divve! Beat me to it!