Fulcrum Red Metal 3 mountain bike wheelset review

Good-looking, tight-running and tough enough for the trail, Fulcrum’s entry-level tubeless wheels offer great value for money. Having a tough rim is vital to avoid dents that can compromise tubeless seal, and we’ve hammered these Red Metals through the rocks without a warp or whimper.

The 24 bladed stainless steel spokes are laced 2:1 on front brakeside and rear driveside to equalise loading. They certainly feel tight and responsive under pressure, with no obvious yaw or wind-up. Internal 20mm axles (not 20mm through-axles though) mean good core strength too.

We blew them up tubeless without sealant with no trouble (first time on the front, second on the rear) and tubeless-ready tyres were equally at home once we’d ‘gooped’ them.  The near-silent freehub will appeal to stealth fans and pick-up is fast too. They’re reasonably light at 1,840g, for their stiffness, making them a good tubeless wheel for the money.