Fulcrum Red Wind H50 Clincher Review
Fulchrum Wheels was established in 2004 in Italy and has been distributing wheel components to over 30 countries since this date. The company initially designed its products for road racing but diversified into other modes while maintaining the consistent good quality of their materials, although these were considered to be at the more expensive end of the market.
These latest Red Wind wheels are offered at a price below £1,000 and have an integrated aluminium/carbon fibre rim structure. Added to this is an aluminium hub body to which are attached aerodynamic steel spokes which are of standard length and have self- locking nipples allowing for the easy adjustment of spoke tension. The wheels are built to basic principles and while the tyres fit almost perfectly, Fulchrum do like to emphasise some of the technical wizardry in their brochures.
The 50mm rim is considered by Fulchrum to be ideal for any route and these are further supplemented by an alloy braking surface and a pair of hub bearings weighing a total of 1,858 grams (not the 1,755 specified) which are very versatile and maintainable. Either a Shimano/SRAM or Campagnolo can be used with these bearings.
Another good feature of these wheels comes with the quick release mechanisms, which have been completely redesigned to give a lighter wheel. Regular spoke keys can be used for any adjustments and the material used is rust free and more resilient to wear and tear. Add in a pair of good quality wheel bags and Fulchrum certainly do offer a good product for the price.
It is on the road where the value of the product is measured and in this respect the Red Winds score top marks. Although there is some criticism levelled at aerodynamic wheels as a result of exhaustive laboratory tests, wheel performance should be more suitably measured out on the road. Cyclists do not ride their bikes through wind tunnels and are certainly less concerned with the statistical figures associated with height and weight of the rims and other more complex formulae.
Riders place more emphasis on the ability of a wheel to handle various types of terrain and in negotiating gusty cross winds especially on the open moorland roads. Sidewinds are handled in an exemplary manner by Red Winds and their general road handling ability is more than adequate. The wheels allow a cyclist to have a good confident ride at any desired speed and this is a more important factor than data derived from logarithms and technical jargon in wheel simulation tests.
Cyclists are also interested in value for money and at under £1,000 for a basic set of wheels from a very reputable manufacturer, there can be little doubt that Red Winds are a very attractive proposition. There may be more expensive products on the market which claim to offer better performance, but these wheels can be just as good and can offer greater flexibility on maintenance time.
Fulcrum Red Wind H50 Clincher
Rating by Adam Samuel: stars
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Written by: Quatos