Does anybody have any experience with Fulcrum wheels? The Racing 1 seems to be a shameless Ksryium SL knock off. Anybody have any experience with them?

Does anybody have any experience with Fulcrum wheels? The Racing 1 seems to be a shameless Ksryium SL knock off. Anybody have any experience with them?

Actually, since they are Campy wheels, they are shameless knockoffs of something in the Campy line.

Actually, since they are Campy wheels, they are shameless knockoffs of something in the Campy line.

Shameless. Absolutely shameless. Except now they're knocking on each other's aluminum spokes.

I know Fulcrum is designed, tested, bred, birthed, built - everything - by Campy. But do they include non-cartridge bearings? ie, they're adjustable, like all Record bearing sets?

I know Fulcrum is designed, tested, bred, birthed, built - everything - by Campy. But do they include non-cartridge bearings? ie, they're adjustable, like all Record bearing sets?

The Racing1, Racing3, RacingLight and RacingSpeed have adjustable bearings. The Racing5 uses sealed cartridge bearings. I don't know about the RacingChrono, but I would assume it is adjustable as well.

Just another way for Campy to push their wheel sets for more money. Those damn racing 1's kept me out of a full Campy CR1. I was ready to try it, but when the same bike is $1200 more (at ep!) with Record and those wheels, over DA and Ksyriums I will stick with Shimano.

K

Does anybody have any experience with Fulcrum wheels? The Racing 1 seems to be a shameless Ksryium SL knock off. Anybody have any experience with them?
CyclingNews.com did this review (http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2005/reviews/fulcrum_racing_1) of the Fulcrum Racing 1 wheels. Yes, some similarities with the Ks, but born & bred Campag. Upshot is that Campy wants to get their wheels on more Shimano equipped bikes - even though Campy wheels are Shimano-compatible there is consumer hesitancy to mix brands. They think an independent brand that doesn't scream Campy will have a better shot at being accepted by the Shimano crowd. Marketing at its finest (NTTAWWI).

Just another way for Campy to push their wheel sets for more money.

I'll bet it's much more a way to sell (better, and - yes - more expensive) wheels to Shimano users than a marketing ploy, without the aftermarket danger (Campy has always made a Shimano cassette body to fit 98+ or so Record hubs). I doubt it's not so much just arbitrary cost jacking.

It has everything to do with pushing Campagnolo technology to the Shimano public (the majority of roadies), something that can't be done under the Campy name. Thems what rides'em really luv'em.

I'd hope so, but the weight difference is just not there. Today I am ordering a new bike, I REALLY want campy, may even blow my wad on the bike, but I can't really justify $1200 more! I mean I have over 10K on a set of Ksyrium Equippes, NEVER, and I mean seriously never trued. I am hard pressed to ditch Mavic. I just don't know how to make this decision, I have looked at the wheels... and maybe if I had constant problems with my K's I would jump ship, but it is tough to make up my mind. They just did not make things any easier on getting into the market... who knows.

K

...Campagnolo technology to the Shimano public (the majority of roadies)...

American majority, perhaps.

Campy has always made a Shimano cassette body to fit 98+ or so Record hubs

Have you ever seen one? The Campag freehub bodies are aluminum, the Shimano ones are steel and weigh a TON!

I think the Fulcum freehub bodies are aluminum for either spline.

Just another way for Campy to push their wheel sets for more money. Those damn racing 1's kept me out of a full Campy CR1. I was ready to try it, but when the same bike is $1200 more (at ep!) with Record and those wheels, over DA and Ksyriums I will stick with Shimano.

K

I'm not sure I get this. Get DA if you want, by all means, but you could match record with Ks if you wanted, or with various campag wheels, or with various independent or custom options. Record doesn't cost 1200 bucks more than DA, and the wheels should be about a wash, whether you want something basic or something trick or something in the middle.

Have you ever seen one? The Campag freehub bodies are aluminum, the Shimano ones are steel and weigh a TON!


I guess that's the price you pay for needing to ride Shimano (but still being smart enough to ride Campy hubs).

In other news, have you even seen a Shimano brifter? A Dura Ace set is a quarter of a pound heavier than a pair of Centaur units, nevermind Record, which is a quarter pound lighter than Centaur. Cost for the Record units are cheaper than DA, too, but I don't know about list price. I recently read an interview with one of the Campy higher-ups that said Chorus was only 40g heavier than DA.

I'm not sure I get this. Get DA if you want, by all means, but you could match record with Ks if you wanted, or with various campag wheels, or with various independent or custom options. Record doesn't cost 1200 bucks more than DA, and the wheels should be about a wash, whether you want something basic or something trick or something in the middle.

I too was confused, but I think he meant that the added cost of Record AND Fulcrum wheels amounted to $1200 more than the same frame with DA and Mavic wheels. The Record group is often more expensive than DA as well, although Competitive Cyclist lists a Record group at $1421 and a DA group at $1568 (without hubs). Usually it's the other way around...

Even if Record turns out to be too expensive, Chorus is always a good option that is almost guaranteed to be cheaper than Dura Ace. And, as we all know, Mavic wheels are Campagnolo compatible, so there shouldn't be any problems.

Let me clear it up, EP'ed a new CR1, BTW went with the SL with DA and K's. The Campag will not be in until late december and those wheels I just can't justify. I might sell the DA for Record but I think I will like DA.

K