Bicycle For Sale And Review: Bargain 2012 Fulcrum Racing Speed Carbon Wheelset

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Bargain 2012 Fulcrum Racing Speed Carbon Wheelset - Tubular

Bargain 2012 Fulcrum Racing Speed Carbon Wheelset - Tubular

Product Description

It's no secret that Fulcrum is a brand extension of Campagnolo's storied wheel expertise, sharing much of the same Italian panache and many of the same technologies. The Fulcrum Racing Speed Tubular Wheelset is a study in wheel genealogy, as it doesn't sit far from the venerable Bora One in the Campagnolo family tree. After accounting for the fresh graphical print on the Racing Speed, there is really only one notable difference that sets it apart from its well-traveled Bora cousin. Most immediately noticeable is the Racing Speed use of Fulcrum's Two-to-One spoke lacing, compared to the Bora's striking G3 pattern. The Racing Speed also eschews the carbon fiber hub shells and ceramic bearings in favor of aluminum and steel, to offer a more economical alternative to both the Bora, and the Racing Speed XLR, the Racing Speed's big brother.Culled from the same molds that forged the legendary Bora, the Racing Speed Tubular Wheelset has 50mm-deep carbon rims built with Fulcrum's Dynamic Balance System, in which special layers of fabric are placed in the layup to balance the weight of the valve stem and associated extender. This lets the Racing Speed roll smoothly at any speed, especially on high-speed descents where the dreaded front-end shimmy might manifest itself. One other detail we like is the anti-rotation attachment system for the burnished stainless steel spokes, which assures that they'll always be slicing cleanly through the wind as intended.The front wheel uses 18 radially laced spokes with the nipples hidden inside the rim for improved aerodynamic efficiency. The rear wheel uses the same hidden nipples, has 21 spokes, and features Fulcrum's aforementioned Two-to-One lacing pattern. This arrangement features seven radial spokes on the rear non-drive side and, on the drive side, 14 tangentially laced spokes anchored to the oversized right side flange on the rear hub. The Two-to-One pattern ensures an instant, positive response to your pedal input and a better bal