MTB Spokes

Replacement spokes for wheels with proprietary lacing

This page features Mavic replacement spoke kits designed for their system wheels: Crossmax, Crossride, Crossone, XA, Aksium and Deemax. These are not individual spokes for custom wheel building, but the exact part numbers needed to rebuild a stock wheel.

Identifying the right kit

• The exact wheel model and its generation: a Crossmax SL does not take the same spokes as a Crossmax SLR.
• The diameter : 26, 27.5 or 29 inches.
• Front or rear : lengths differ, and on a rear wheel they often differ between the two sides as well.
• The length in millimetres, specified on each product page. This is the most reliable reference if you have an original spoke to measure.

Why a proprietary spoke

System wheels use straight-pull heads, bladed profiles or specific nipples that don't match any generic spoke. Fitting a standard spoke to this type of wheel isn't just a makeshift fix: the head won't seat properly in the hub and will break quickly.

When to replace

• A broken spoke, almost always at the head, on the hub side.
• A loose spoke that no longer tensions when tightened: the thread is damaged.
• After an impact that buckled the wheel, when several spokes on the same side have lost their tension.

During reassembly

A new spoke with incorrect tension will cause the neighbouring spoke to break in the weeks that follow. Tension must be re-balanced across the entire wheel, not just on the replaced spoke, and both lateral and radial truing must be checked. If you don't have a truing stand or a tensiometer, this is a job best left to a workshop.

To find out more: How to choose spokes for your MTB wheels

See also: MTB Rims · MTB Hubs · 29-inch MTB Wheels