Parcours Chrono & Disc
Strike a balance between premium time-trial performance and great value for money with this wind-cheating set-up from Parcours
Going fast tends to be an expensive hobby but British brand Parcours, which set up shop in 2016, wants to change that with wheels offering tangible aerodynamic benefits that don’t cost the earth.
‘We wanted to make aero accessible to everyone,’ says Dov Tate, founder of Parcours. ‘All our wheels are tested at the A2 Wind Tunnel in North Carolina and we work with manufacturing partners in China, Taiwan, Japan and Belgium. This, combined with Uk-based quality control, is what enables us to deliver such good value.’
Tate recommends Parcours’ Disc rear wheel and Chrono front as the ideal combination to cheat the wind. ‘The Chrono front wheel is our out-and-out fastest spoked wheel,’ he says. ‘The 86mm depth reduces drag, while the blunt leading edge ensures that airflow from crosswinds remains attached longer, making handling more predictable. This means riders can stay tucked down on their aero bars even in gusty conditions.’
The Disc is made from a solid foam core sandwiched between structural carbon sheets, the idea being to strike the ideal compromise between stiffness and weight. ‘Our wind-tunnel testing has shown that the Disc is faster than a spoked wheel at all yaw angles. In fact, the stronger the crosswind, the greater the advantage.’
When paired with wider tyres, its wider-thanusual rim design brings additional benefits, such as lower rolling resistance and more importantly increased comfort, something that disc wheels typically aren’t known for.
‘Predictable handling means riders can stay tucked down on their aero bars even in gusty conditions’