On the heels of Campagnolo's Bora Ultra 35 launch, sister company Fulcrum has announced its Racing Speed XLR 35 tubulars.
The wheels are largely the same, save the Shimano/SRAM cassette body. The Racing Speed 35 XLR set weighs 1,230g (530g front, 700g rear) and will retail for €2,399/$3,279.
The Racing Speed 35s are a Shimano/SRAM-compatible version of Campagnolo's Bora Ultra 35s
With their 35mm carbon rims, the Racing Speed XLR 35 wheels slot in between Fulcrum's 50mm Racing Speed models and the box-rim Racing Lights. BikeRadar got a look at the Fulcrum Racing Speed XLR 35 wheels at the Spring Classics.
As Campagnolo has claimed, the 35mm rim height could be a happy medium for riders looking for some aero advantages in a lightweight wheelset.
Perhaps most interesting about the new wheels is the braking arrangement. In addition to new, internally designed and produced carbon-specific pads, Campagnolo and Fulcrum have a treatment for the carbon brake track called 3Diamont Surface. For this, a diamond-tipped tool scrapes off resin, leaving a bare carbon surface for braking. The object is to eliminates impurities that can result from sanding the surface to remove resin, and ultimately improve braking in the dry and wet. Read our review of the Bora Ultra 35s, which we tested in a rainy Gran Fondo.
As with the Bora Ultra 35s, the Racing Speed XLR 35s feature ceramic bearings, and what Campagnolo and Fulcrum call 'Rim Dynamic Balance', meaning extra carbon is placed opposite the valve hole to balance out the wheel.
Another model, the Racing Speed 35, will be available with an aluminum hub and standard bearings for €1,699/$2,399. That set weighs a claimed 1,260g.
The Fulcrum Racing Speed XLR 35 wheels weigh 1,230g (530g front, 700g rear)
