Product news: With the Fulcrum Racing Zero CMPTZN DB, the high-end Racing Zero family of wheels from Fulcrum has a new, elegant member.
The Fulcrum Racing Zero concept was launched in 2007 as the first wheel with aluminum spokes and has been designed for ambitious racing cyclists ever since. After a short time, these wheels enjoyed great popularity because they offered a successful mixture of acceleration, low weight and reliability. The DB version was then introduced in 2017, with which the carbon version was finally also developed.
Since you never lost sight of your ambitious goals, the products were constantly being further developed. The result is the latest innovation in the Fulcrum Racing Zero CMPTZN DB wheelset. This is the lightest aluminum wheelset in the Fulcrum range for disc brakes thanks to a minimalist design. Nevertheless, the wheels continue to be among the most stable and responsive on the market.
One of the improvements has been made through the use of CULT bearings and the classic 2:1 lacing with double thickened oversize aluminum components. CULT stands for Ceramic Ultimate Level Technology, as the bearings have ball bearings made of extremely hard special steel. The material has a very high corrosion resistance, which makes it possible to lubricate the balls with a wafer-thin layer of oil instead of bearing grease. Thanks to the lack of lubricating grease, the high-quality ceramic balls with extremely precise surfaces result in a drastic reduction in the coefficient of friction and thus increase the smooth-running of the wheels by a factor of nine compared to standard solutions. This saves important energy thanks to the bearings alone.
Another highlight of this wheel are the spokes, which are sometimes mistakenly considered the least valuable part of the wheel and therefore offer significant potential for improvement. The Fulcrum Racing Zero CMPTZ DB wheelset retains the Fulcrum 2:1 spoke pattern. 14 spokes are placed on the side of maximum torque, 7 on the opposite side, with different arrangement between front and rear wheel. Despite the asymmetrical structure, this design guarantees the wheel symmetrical handling and promotes power transmission and acceleration. The spokes are made from an aluminum bar that is first pressed and then turned to get the right shape for the head that bolts to the hub and nipple. However, an aerodynamic profile is retained for the rest of the surface. The one-piece monolithic aluminum rear hub optimizes torsional stiffness and ensures efficient power transmission and system integrity.
The aluminum rim, entirely made in Italy, stands out for its unmistakable design and has a profile of 30 mm: the ideal choice for lightness and maneuverability. This wheel retains the 2-Way Fit technology, now a must for Fulcrum, allowing clincher or tubeless tires to be fitted without the need to add rim tape. At the same time, the Mo Mag technology makes it possible for the nipples, once they have been inserted through the valve hole in the rim, to be "guided" by means of a magnet to the attachment point with the spoke. With this simple trick you get an unperforated wheel on the inner channel of the rim well, but with lacing tightened by traditional nipples.
Finally, special attention was paid to the weight and appearance of the Fulcrum Racing Zero CMPTZN DB. By doing without stickers, the impeller is not only particularly light but also elegant and, thanks to different surface treatments, has a captivating black-on-black look. The Fulcrum Racing Zero CMPTZN DB set is available now and costs 1190 euros.