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TECH NEWS

Fulcrum unveil Racing Zero Nite wheel

New version of Racing Zero has an improved braking surface and slimmed down front hub

Fulcrum are launching a Racing Zero Nite aluminium clincher wheel which they say provides better braking than the existing Racing Zero.

The structure and design of the wheel is mostly the same as that of the Racing Zero but a completely new treatment process has been applied to the rim. It’s this new process, Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation, that is said to improve braking performance.

“The Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation process both hardens the metal, increasing its resistance to wear, [and creates] a surface that improves braking performance in both wet and dry conditions,” say Fulcrum.

The Racing Zero Nite has been developed for use with Fulcrum carbon-specific red brake pads, so you can race with carbon wheels and train with aluminium without swapping the pads.

The front hub has also been modified and lightened slightly with a slimmer and smaller profile. As before, the front rim is 26mm deep while the rear one is 30mm.

Fulcrum say that the Fulcrum Racing Zero Nite will be available shortly with both Shimano and Campagnolo freehub bodies, although they don’t give an exact date. The original Racing Zero will remain available in 2015 at a more accessible price, although we don’t yet have that price, or the price of the Fulcrum Racing Zero Nite.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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11 comments

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pedalpowerDC | 9 years ago
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I've always liked my 2009 Zeros. They have been a very durable and light wheelset, although replacement parts have been very hard to find, both in 2010, when I needed a rear rim because someone put their front wheel into my spokes and particularly last year, when a rear spoke broke at about 50mph, probably because of fatigue. Because of that, I bought a whole box of replacement spokes. But, I don't ride them much now because I'm worried about breaking more spokes.

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Jacob | 9 years ago
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Are these as non Aero as the Mavic Ksyrium wheels? They look very good and I wonder what kind of warranty they offer on this new surface (not sure what Mavic offers for the Exalith surface).

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Ratfink | 9 years ago
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There is a competition to win a pair of each on the wiggle blog.
Also they list the price at £799 for the zeros and £1049 for the nites.

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bikemadjo replied to Ratfink | 9 years ago
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Thanks Ratfink, i've entered it now! need some new wheels!

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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Hurrah, they finally ditched the tacky red graphic. Yes, I am that shallow.

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ronin | 9 years ago
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Can't wait 'till the review. Just checked and Fulcrum don't mention them on their website.

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peted76 | 9 years ago
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That is one sexy set of wheels. Would my performance suffer if I were to sell a kidney?

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truffy replied to peted76 | 9 years ago
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peted76 wrote:

That is one sexy set of wheels. Would my performance suffer if I were to sell a kidney?

It would improve, if you consider that you'd be one kidney lighter.

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mrmo | 9 years ago
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as per normal. any idea what Campag wheel this is? or is it a new wheel set TBA?

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ajmarshal1 replied to mrmo | 9 years ago
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mrmo wrote:

as per normal. any idea what Campag wheel this is? or is it a new wheel set TBA?

I'd expect to see a set of Shamals with that brake surface released very soon.

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ajmarshal1 | 9 years ago
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Want. The zeros in their current iteration are superb, these look amazing.

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