Fulcrum Quattro Carbon DB
Gravel here, cross there - when it comes to wheels, you inevitably ask yourself whether a special set is really needed for each area of use. Especially since the boundaries have become increasingly blurred since the introduction of disc brakes on the road. Of course, the requirements for a cross wheelset are different than for a road LRS. However, if you exclude the tire width (wide rims are now also widespread on the road) and disregard unreasonable lightweight construction, the differences become smaller and smaller.
This fact is all the more true for gravel bikes - the discipline sits somewhere between cross and road, so where should you orientate yourself when it comes to wheels? Well, that depends entirely on where the main area of use of the bike will later be. If you value off-road capability and avoid asphalt roads as much as possible, you should definitely look out for a CX set. Those who see gravel bikes as off-road road bikes will no doubt be happy with a wide road LRS as well.
As with the drive group (for introduction) here too we focus more on asphalt and gravel than on the greatest possible off-road capability. This is another reason why we chose the Fulcrum Quattro Carbon DB. Actually built for the road, but thanks to wide rims with a tire clearance of up to 50mm.
As the name suggests, the rims of the wheels are made of carbon. The core is made of 3K carbon and the surface is made of unidirectional fibers. The rims have a height of 40 mm and should also offer a corresponding aerodynamics. The rims are connected to the hub by 18 spokes on the front wheel and 21 spokes on the rear. On the front wheel, the spokes are radial on the right side and crossed twice on the brake side. At the rear, on the other hand, the spokes cross each other twice on the drive side. Background: The side on which the greatest forces act is crossed twice in order to be able to absorb the energy better and to ensure long-term concentricity.
The hubs consist of a machined aluminum body with durable and adjustable cartridge bearings inside. The hub flange is designed asymmetrically and thus distributes the spoke tension more evenly. With interchangeable end caps, the wheels can be adapted to the different axle standards, including our Scott frames. At 1.594 grams, the wheels aren't the lightest, but they shouldn't cause any problems on rougher terrain and the 40mm rims also ensure a lot of propulsion on the road.
Clément Xplorer MSO tires
The Clément company was founded in 1876 and quickly rose to become one of the most renowned bicycle tire manufacturers after the First World War. After the company was sold to Pirelli in 1980, tire production ceased in the mid-90s. The brand was only revived in 2009 and has since been offering tires again, especially in the cross segment. We chose the Clément Xplorer MSO as an alternative to the well-known tires of the "big players".
The Xplorer MSO should be the right all-round tire for our Scott gravel bike. The tire consists of a smooth-running tread with a fine profile and more pronounced side lugs for more grip in corners. The rubber compound is rather soft for more grip and more comfort. Both tires were pretty much exactly 475 grams and provide a good light base for our setup.
Nils says
Are the wheels built with tubes or tubeless?