The Aksium wheel from Mavic has been a best seller since day one. The design and price point has been ideal for replacement or for upgrading from low-end stock wheels. The Aksium Disc Front Wheel carries the marque into the disc brake realm, and the same rationale and justification as buying the rim brake version applies to the Aksium Disc. With an internal rim width of 17mm, you can run tires up to 32mm widths with no issues. Packaged here as a quick release wheel, the Akisum Disc Front can easily be adapted to a 15mm thru-axle with the correct end caps. The disc interface is for 6-bolt rotors.

Mavic extrudes the 21mm profile rim from S6000 aluminum, which light, and draws significant strength from shaping. The joint is pinned, as there is no need to be concerned about a brake track. To add strength the H2, or Hammer Hardening, process increases the rim material and it's ability to resist crack and pull-through at each spoke hole. This allows the use of ABS brass spoke nipples and higher tensions than regularly used in an alloy rim. For that purpose, steel straight-pull, round spokes are used. This front wheel features a 24 hole count, and 2x lacing on both sides for a high tension wheelset that handles surely, stays true, and is allowed to give a little during impact, protecting the integrity of the wheel.

It is the machined alloy hub that makes this happen. The straight-pull spokes are allowed to move in the their flanges at impact, offering just enough give, along with the spokes themselves, to decrease the energy transfer from impact. Just because a wheel is stiff and true doesn't mean it can't offer this. The straight-pull option and the hub flange design helps keep your wheels running longer, despite the aggressive trail use they are designed for. Mavic uses an oversized alloy axle and their excellent QRM sealed cartridge bearings to keep things rolling and tracking smoothly.

The rim strip, BR101 quick release and 15mm end caps are provided with the Aksium Front Wheel. Mavic recommends that you limit the Aksium Disc minimal jumps (6" max), so it isn't a cyclocross rated wheel, but can easily manage gravel and rough roads. A 265lb (bike and rider total) max weight is also cited. And so the Aksium Disc serves the same purpose in Mavic's line-up as its rim brake sibling. You don't have to invest much to get a solid wheel with good performance and overall high Mavic quality. That makes it the perfect back-up wheel, replacement, or upgrade.