Fulcrum’s carbon Velocity aero street bike wheelsets get a ground-up redesign with deeper, wider & lighter rims that construct up into sooner wheels with higher general dealing with traits. Now with 42mm & 57mm deep choices, the brand new Fulcrum Velocity tubeless street wheels are extra versatile than ever, and get new low-key stealth graphics that can look nice upgrading any street bike…
Fulcrum Velocity 42 & 57 aero carbon street wheels
On paper, the brand new Fulcrum Velocity aero street wheels are simply a number of incremental upgrades over the earlier Velocity technology. However all of these enhancements actually do add up – deeper rim profiles, wider internal & outer rim widths, sooner hub engagement, decrease profile hubs, new aero spokes, lighter weight, and new low-key ending in addition.
The truth is, it’s that new end that Fulcrum hopes will assist drive extra cyclists to their wheels as a viable improve for his or her present bikes – abandoning flashy graphics, logos & carbon weaves, and changing them with matte finishes, laser-etched graphics & delicate logos designed to match any bike’s paint job.
These new Velocity wheelsets are technically a lot improved during the last technology, and are stated to be the “begin of a brand new period” of Fulcrum wheels to return, with higher dealing with and reactivity.
What does improved Dealing with & Reactivity imply?
An enormous a part of Fulcrum’s presentation to us about their new Velocity aero wheel, targeted on a measured enchancment in comparison with the earlier Velocity technology of their handling- the 57s are 17% higher & the 42s are 7% higher – and of their reactivity – the 57s are 10% improved & the 42s are 3% extra reactive. I wished to know extra how Fulcrum claimed to quantify such a subjective ‘feeling’, so I pressed them on it. And Fulcrum responded with an excellent clarification of their “new parameters within the pursuit of the proper system“, a manner of creating ‘experience really feel’ an goal knowledge level:
After intensive analysis by the R&D division with particular wheels, examined by means of a dynamic evaluation of riders with totally different bodily traits in quite a few driving circumstances, we have now outlined two efficiency indexes: HANDLING and REACTIVITY.
The bodily portions used to outline these indexes are mass (kg), rotational inertia (kg/m2), flexural stiffness (N/mm) and torsional stiffness (Nm/rad), while the joule (J) is used to measure the power dissipated.
HANDLING considers the power dissipated by the wheel throughout a change in path. The much less power is dissipated the upper the efficiency index. The dealing with evaluation considers the flexural deformation primarily based on rolling and inclination.
REACTIVITY considers the power dissipated by the wheel throughout a dash, due to this fact the flexural deformation and torsional deformation primarily based on the interpretation, rolling and inclination energies. In different phrases, the rider’s pedal stroke deforms the wheel and the power absorbed for the deformation is just not transferred to the bottom to maneuver ahead. The higher the quantity of power absorbed the decrease the reactivity and due to this fact the efficiency of the wheel.
– Federico Gardin, Fulcrum
Fulcrum’s idea was to attempt to set up a option to illustrate traits in every technology of wheels, and to assist riders higher differentiate their wheels. Merely put, a wheel can both be Reactive or Snug, however NOT each. “A better flexural stiffness leads to higher reactivity, while low stiffness is synonymous with consolation.” Stiffer isn’t essentially higher, so Fulcrum got down to higher quantify the final word traits they really feel outline that splendid stability for a sure rider and driving type.
So what all is actually new?
Tech particulars
First off, each new Fulcrum Velocity wheels are 2mm deeper, now coming in 42mm & 57mm depths. Then, they’re 4mm wider inside, now with a 2-Manner-fit 23mm hooked tubeless bead that can be utilized with tubeless or tube-type tires. That makes them just below 3mm wider exterior with a widened blunt nostril, for a max 29.3mm outer width that’s designed for optimized aerodynamics with trendy 28mm or 30mm tires.
In addition they characteristic traditional Campagnolo MoMag rim development tech, which suggests no holes are drilled for spokes within the rim mattress (the exterior nipples are guided into place with a magnet throughout wheel constructing) so the edges don’t require tape to be arrange tubeless.
Then, they get new low-profile alloy centerlock disc brake hubs with upgraded 3-pawl internals, and full-length alloy axles. The hubs nonetheless spin on cup & cone USB ceramic bearings, however get up to date with 12% sooner 36T / 10° engagement rings. And now Fulcrum builds the Speeds with double-butted, aero-bladed chrome steel straight-pull spokes, laced 2:1 for balanced pressure (24 entrance & rear) with alloy self-locking nipples and composite spacers between the nipple & rim to stop galvanic corrosion.
These new Fulcrum hubs are all made in Italy, whereas their carbon rims are made in Romania along with sister Campagnolo wheel manufacturing.
Within the ending division, the Velocity wheels now get a ‘Direct Inmold Matt End’ like premium Campy wheels which means they arrive out of the precision molds identical to you see them, without having for portray or protecting clear coat. That permits Fulcrum to laser-etch the stealth logos and their new graphics highlighting the important thing tech featured within the wheels, and simply add a single water-transfer chrome brand on the valve that displays no matter colour your bike is painted.
The tip end result, Fulcrum says the broader, deeper wheels cut back head-on drag by 10% and are noticeably lighter. The brand new Fulcrum Velocity 42 has a claimed wheelset weight of 1410g (60g lower than the outdated Velocity 40), and the brand new Fulcrum Velocity 57 has a claimed wheelset weight of 1495g (85g lower than the outdated Velocity 55).
Fulcrum Velocity 42 & 57 – Pricing, Choices & Availability
The brand new 100% made-in-Europe Fulcrum Velocity aero carbon street wheels promote for $2700 / 2265€ for a pair with both Shimano HG11, SRAM XDR, or Campagnolo N3W freehub our bodies, all for 12mm thru-axles.
The lower-depth Velocity 42 wheels can be found at this time. The deeper Velocity 57, and a combined depth 42/57 pairs will each be out there beginning in June 2023.
