Today, Italian wheel model Fulcrum launched its first devoted all-road wheelset, named the Sharq. It’s a top-end carbon wheelset, that goals to supply riders velocity over blended terrain, from tarmac to gravel, versus its devoted gravel wheelsets (the Rapid Red sequence) and the street units (Racing Zero, Speed, and Wind sequence).
The Sharq attracts on the model’s present wheel tech, however with some new developments too, not least the wavy rim profile; a primary for the model, bringing it right into a small cohort of wavy wheel choices alongside the likes of Zipp and Princeton CarbonWorks.
Cyclingnews’ Tech Writer Will Jones has been testing a set prematurely of the launch, so you possibly can learn his Fulcrum Sharq evaluation for the complete story on how they behave.
Another in a rising sequence of wavy-rim wheelset choices, this time aimed on the all-road market. (Image credit score: Fulcrum)
Rim profile
It is sensible to start out with the rim profile. It’s the very first thing you’ll discover, and it’s the place the most important variations to the model’s different wheelsets reside. The rim profile, because of the wave, is between 42mm and 47mm, placing it squarely within the mid-depth, all-rounder class.
The wavy rim profile is, in line with Fulcrum, a mix of two wavy profiles. The first, a symmetrical wave, options across the nipples, earlier than mixing into an asymmetrical profile within the troughs.
The important results of this Two-Wave profile, Fulcrum claims, is a marked enchancment in crosswind stability. From 0-10º of yaw – the angles you’re extra prone to encounter in case you are travelling at greater velocities – there’s a 21% enchancment, leaping to 30% from 10-20º.
The rim mattress can also be not drilled for spokes, making it tubeless-ready out of the field without having for tubeless rim tape. Interestingly, the rim mattress – 25mm vast for reference – options what Fulcrum describes as ‘mini hooks’. Not hookless, however seemingly not a full hook both.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, critiques and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
The rim takes nearly all of the eye, however the hub is attention-grabbing too in that’s makes use of cup and cone bearings, and the spokes are new, too. (Image credit score: Fulcrum)
Spokes and bearings
Lacing the brand new rim to the hubs are all new spokes. These are 3mm in depth with a 0.8mm thickness and have been dubbed the ‘A3RO’ for apparent causes. The spokes by no means contact, in an effort to keep up spoke stress over the lifetime of the wheel, significantly over tough floor. In order to scale back torsion through the lacing course of the spokes have a flattened part on the hub interface so they can not twist.
Within the hub itself lies the model’s USB (Ultra Smooth Bearing) ceramic bearings. These are a cup and cone setup, slightly than a cartridge bearing. It’s not unparalleled although, with Shimano’s top-flight Dura-Ace wheelsets for instance nonetheless working cup and cone. This know-how has additionally been used on loads of Campagnolo and Fulcrum wheels for years now.
Weight and pricing
A set of Sharq wheels will set you again €2,460 / £2,289 / $2,807, and weigh in at 1,440g with a most system weight of 120kg.
For reference, the 45mm deep Zipp 353NSW, (the probably competitor wheelset that is truly between 42.7 and 46.5mm due to the wave), weighs in at 1,308g and is of an analogous value relying on the place you store.
