British wheel model Parcours and Belgian hub gear maker Labeled have launched the primary strong disc rear wheel to include the Labeled Powershift two velocity hub. The Powershift system replaces a entrance derailleur and double chainset, providing aero benefits. It additionally permits riders to make use of a bigger chainring and sprockets to extend drivetrain effectivity.
The brand new Parcours Labeled Powershift disc wheel capitalises on the aerodynamic properties of the Parcours Disc2 wheel, which was launched in October 2022. At launch, Parcours claimed a 1,240g weight for that wheel, which is tubeless-ready, whereas it mentioned that its 22.5mm inside rim width made it the widest disc wheel at present obtainable.
It’s a part of the model’s #thinkwider wheel line-up, designed to be run with a 28mm tyre, though its exams have proven that there’s no aero penalty from becoming a 30mm tyre. Parcours says that its testing has additionally proven that its disc wheel doesn’t have an effect on dealing with over a spoked wheel.
Parcours has additionally labored with Labeled to include the Labeled hub into different rear wheel designs, together with the Ronde, Strade and Alta spoked wheels, however that is the primary disc wheel to be provided with a Labeled hub.
Broad gear vary with a single chainring
The Labeled Powershift hub is an inside geared hub with simply two speeds, with ratios that mimic a traditional double chainset. Shifting is wi-fi through the left shifter, which transmits a sign to the Labeled hub, to provoke a change between gears.
In contrast to a entrance derailleur system, the place the rider must ease off when initiating a shift, the Labeled hub could be shifted underneath a load of as much as 1000 watts, because the planetary gearing which it makes use of is all the time engaged. Labeled says {that a} gear change takes simply 150 milliseconds, which additionally makes for sooner gear modifications than a entrance derailleur.
Mixed with Labeled’s 11- or 12-speed cassettes, its hub gear provides riders the gear unfold and shut ratios of a double chainset in a single chainring configuration.
Labeled claims that its system is nearly as mild as a traditional double chainset, because it eliminates one chainring and the entrance derailleur. A single chainring can be more likely to be extra aerodynamic than a double chainset and entrance derailleur because it reduces frontal space and permits smoother airflow. We reckon {that a} swap to a single ring saves round 4 watts.
Labeled says that with out a entrance derailleur, riders may run a bigger chainring with the chain operating over bigger rear sprockets, which reduces the angle by which the chain hyperlinks should articulate and lowers the power on the rear wheel and crank bearings, in addition to permitting a straighter, extra environment friendly chainline.
Aimed toward triathletes and time trialists, the brand new wheel is more likely to show well-liked on rolling programs, the place the additional gear vary provided is a plus. We’ve already noticed the brand new disc wheel in motion on the PTO European Open and World Lengthy Distance Triathlon Championships in Ibiza in Could, with Ruth Astle and Kyle Smith, who each used the brand new disc wheel on their technique to setting respective bike legs that beat world-class fields.
The Labeled-enabled Parcours Disc2 wheel is priced at £1,099 / $1,449 / €1,429, to which you’ll want so as to add the Labeled Powershift hub system, which retails for €1,299. There are additional particulars on Parcours’ website.
