FULCRUM WIND 40 DB
Fulcrum’s new carbon Wind range of wheels sits below the highend Speed and Racing carbon models but brings a lot of that technology into the mix. The rim is 40mm deep with a blunt aero shape and constructed using unidirectional carbon fibre layers. It can be used both as a standard clincher or tubeless. The rim edge is specially shaped to blend more smoothly with the tyre, eliminating an area of turbulence that can slow you down and disrupt the handling. Rim width is generous at 21.5mm externally and 19mm internally, according to Fulcrum.
All Wind wheels are hand-assembled. The components, aside from the light carbon rims, consist of CNCmachined aluminium hubs holding 24 straightpull spokes. The spokes sit in special alloy beds in the rim, which means perfect alignment and friction-free tensioning, plus the inner-rim bed isn’t drilled, resulting in a perfect seal for tubeless tyres – ours suffered no air loss over months of testing.
The hubs roll smoothly, freehub engagement is quick and, after hundreds of miles of testing, we haven’t detected any play at all. The Winds weigh 780g front, 900g rear – that includes tubeless valves, Shimano freehub (with options for Campagnolo and SRAM XDR) and 12mm end caps for thru-axles, so 1680g a pair, which is not detrimentally heavy.
On the road, the Winds impress with their resolute stiffness. This adds a responsive feel to direction changes and pedal inputs, especially when sprinting hard. Running the same tyres as the wheels they took the place of (Zipp 303 disc), the Winds are more rigid, though a bit heavier. Into a stiff crosswind they handle with an assured stability, making them a great companion for fast, undulating roads. If climbing is your main aim, though, you may want lighter wheels.