Product news: With the new Fulcrum Rapid Red 3, the Italian wheel manufacturer has presented its latest model in the Gravel segment. Although the focus is on comprehensive performance, the wheelset is made entirely of aluminum and is intended to impress with its versatility and durability.
Even if Fulcrum is always passionate about technical developments, the basic principle of versatility and reliability is the focus of every new project and thus also of every model. With the Rapid Red family, these properties are also combined with maximum freedom to offer gravel fans an unrestricted driving experience. The new Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 comes with an aggressive design including reflective graphic details to ensure more safety and visibility even when riding at dusk or when it takes longer.
The Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 wheels were developed completely from aluminum in 700C with 1710 grams and in 650B with 1640 grams. This is where the weight-saving CNC-milled rim is used, which with an internal width of 24 mm should be compatible with the widest gravel tires on the market. The renowned 2-Way Fit Ready system is also used here, which allows both a tubeless tire and a clincher tire to be fitted, ensuring maximum compatibility with the different tire types. In combination with the two different diameters 700C and 650B, a wide range of possible uses is covered. Thanks to this versatility and the flexibility in the choice of tires, the Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 can either become really fast speedsters on asphalt or robust wheels on difficult gravel sections. In addition, the Rapid Red 3 are compatible with all common road bike and MTB drive systems, thanks to the range of variants with HG or XDR freewheel body.
In order for the wheels to react optimally in every situation, the decision was made to use aluminum hubs with an adjustable cone bearing shell system in order to cope with the intensive loads of off-road riding. The bearing clearance can be adjusted using an adjustment ring and the axial tolerance can thus be adjusted and maximum ease of movement guaranteed. This system is used by Fulcrum on all high-end models. The brake disc is fixed to the hub via the so-called Axial Fixing System (AFS), an innovation that also leads to increased structural rigidity thanks to the larger contact surfaces between the components to be connected, thus ensuring precise and powerful braking manoeuvres. For best usability, the system is compatible with the Center Lock Standard.
Fulcrum also gave my spokes a lot of thought and finally decided on 24 hammerhead spokes, which are tapered to a thickness of 1,6 mm on the front and rear wheels, so that reliability and durability are guaranteed even on long rides and in the most demanding terrain .
The well thought-out alignment of the Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 turns the wheels into versatile and robust all-rounders that are particularly well suited for rides on changing terrain. The wheels have been available since July 1st for 605 euros from the manufacturer or from specialist retailers.