# Fulcrum 5 upgrade?



## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Are these a upgrade from the crappy mavic cxp22 with formula hubs. I know the stockers are crap and just need a good set of wheels for recreational riding. I have an oppertunity to pick up some Fulcrums for a song.

Thoughts?


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## Cooper1960 (Oct 14, 2010)

I know nothing about the wheels you currently have but the Fulcrum 5's are decent wheels. I have a set of the Fulcrums and thought I needed something better, spent $1000 on a set of Heds and really don't think I gained much. The Fulcrums are loud and heavier than my Heds but they roll great and stayed true while I was using them. I put less than 500 miles on the Fulcrums so long term dependability is something I can't comment on.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

Well, the Fulcrums would definitely be an upgrade from what you are currently on, however there are a few things that you may want to consider with the Racing 5. First off, it is radial lacing on the rear non-drive side. This is not the most ideal lacing pattern for lateral rigidity OR power transfer. 
Additionally, they really aren't that light. 1700 grams would hardly be considered a substantial upgrade. 
However, with all of that said, if you can get them really cheap, then why not go for it.


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## UDIS80 (Oct 23, 2010)

The Fulcrum 5 Discribe As A1779 Gr For Both
I Bought 2 Pairs And Every Pair Is Actuly 1987gr
200 Gr More Then They Show At Ther Web Site
If I New That I Will Nevr Bought Them


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

UDIS80 said:


> The Fulcrum 5 Discribe As A1779 Gr For Both
> I Bought 2 Pairs And Every Pair Is Actuly 1987gr
> 200 Gr More Then They Show At Ther Web Site
> If I New That I Will Nevr Bought Them


I hope your scales are more accurate than your spell checker.


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## UDIS80 (Oct 23, 2010)

Yes They Are


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Well, i picked them up. They were displays in a shop last season. Just hung on the wall and got looked at. No skewers, no packaging, 50 bucks. They are worth it to me.


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## dracula (Mar 9, 2010)

Cooper1960 said:


> I know nothing about the wheels you currently have but the Fulcrum 5's are decent wheels. I have a set of the Fulcrums and thought I needed something better, spent $1000 on a set of Heds and really don't think I gained much. The Fulcrums are loud and heavier than my Heds but they roll great and stayed true while I was using them. I put less than 500 miles on the Fulcrums so long term dependability is something I can't comment on.


Is your Fulcrum model from 2010? 

I think my Fulcrum Racing 5's from 2011 are fairly quiet. Maybe Fulcrum has fine tuned the free wheel? They are as quiet as my Shimano WHR 550. I used to commute on old Campa Zonda wheels and oh man they were really loud.

If money is no objection Fulcrum Racing 3 may be an alternative.

EDIT: I serviced and re-lubed the Fulcrum racing 5 2011 freehub and it is back loud again. It seems to me the noise of the freehub is a strong function of the lube used. I do not care and even like noisy a freehub as we are used to from campy freehubs and to some extent Mavic ones.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

The 5's are not too loud.

Heck, my WI freewheel is loud. Alot louder.


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## cxryde (Jun 5, 2008)

I have the Racing 3's and really like them.


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## goldenstaph (Jul 28, 2011)

cxryde said:


> I have the Racing 3's and really like them.


+1 for the Racing 3's. So much smoother and quieter compared to the OEM DT Swiss' on my Roubaix


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## SoFlaNut (Sep 19, 2011)

Could anyone tell me the difference between Fulcrum 5 and 7 beside .25lb.? I'm building a road bike for recreation riding.


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## dracula (Mar 9, 2010)

SoFlaNut said:


> Could anyone tell me the difference between Fulcrum 5 and 7 beside .25lb.? I'm building a road bike for recreation riding.


Depending on your weight but I would just just choose the Fulcrum racing 5.

The main difference: Fulcrum racing 5 features bladed spokes vs. round spokes. Also the spoke count is different (rear/front): 24/20 vs. 18/20. 

Both are sufficiently stiff for heavy riders. Following though not a comparison between racing 5 vs racing 7 instead a comparison vs racing 7 and racing 3. I reckon the racing 5 are situated somewhere in between:

The German "Tour" (issue 2011/3: "Vorsprung mit System", p. 112-122) magazine tested 4 hand built wheels againts 12 factory built ones.

The following is for the year 2011 (all the wheels are from 2011), (mm) = millimetres, (N) = Newton, lateral stiffness (front/rear).

In terms of aerodynamics only the Mavic Kysrium SR and one of the hand built wheels (28/32 spokes) do not cut the mustard. The wheels were tested with Continental GP 4000 S tyres. Aerodynamics is being tested by means of a wind tunnel where the angle of the oncoming wind in relation to the FRONT wheel is being altered from 0 to 25 degrees in steps of 2.5 degrees. The unit of this measurement exercise is Watts. 

The wind tunnel (CMEFE) is located within the technical university of Bern in Switzerland.

===================
FULCRUM RACING 3:
spokes: 18/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.8/16.1/31.4 
inertia (Joule): 119
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 51/48
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 20.6 x 23.3 (27.3)
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 659/900/121


FULCRUM RACING 7:
spokes: 20/24 round
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 8.2/19/37.9 
inertia (Joule): 140
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 62/55
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 21 x 24.6 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 870/1.108/124


EASTON EA 90 Aero:
spokes: 18/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.5/15.4/30.1 
inertia (Joule): 123
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 61/45
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.3 x 28.7 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 681/932/121

MAVIC Cosmic Elite:
spokes: 20/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.4/15.2/29.8 
inertia (Joule): 130
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 65/51
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.3 x 30.1 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 822/979/122

AMERICAN CLASSICS ALX 730 Tubeless:
spokes: 20/24 round
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.3/15/29.4
inertia (Joule): 116
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 55/32
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 21.9 x 23.2 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 685/863/119

CAMPAGNOLO Shamal Ultra 2 Way Fit:
spokes: 16/21 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 7.2/17.1/33.5
inertia (Joule): 109
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 47/44
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 20.7 x 23.3 (28 rear) 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 618/829/121

CAMPAGNOLO Zonda:
spokes: 16/21 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.9/16.3/31.8 
inertia (Joule): 117
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 50/49
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 20.5 x 23.5 (27.6 rear) 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 660/835/121

CITEC 3000 S Aero Carbon:
spokes: 20/24 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.2/14.6/28.5
inertia (Joule): 122
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 53/48
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19 x 32 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 692/887/?

MAVIC Ksyrium Elite:
spokes: 18/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 7.7/18.2/35.6 
inertia (Joule): 119
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 53/50
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.7 x 20.5 (23.3 rear) 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 695/885/117

MAVIC Ksyrium SR:
spokes: 18/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 8.8/20.9/40.8
inertia (Joule): 111
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 51/58
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.6 x 20.4 (23.3 rear) 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 694/795/110

SHIMANO WH RS 30:
spokes: 16/20 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.4/15.3/29.8 
inertia (Joule): 143
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 57/48
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 21 x 29.5 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 877/1134/123

VELTEC Speed 4.0 RC:
spokes: 20/24 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6.3/14.9/29
inertia (Joule): 129
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 53/43
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.7 x 38 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 777/936/119


FULCRUM RACING 7:
spokes: 20/24 round
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 8.2/19/37.9 
inertia (Joule): 140
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 62/55
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 21 x 24.6 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 870/1.108/124

4 classical hand built Wheel sets:

KOMPONENTIX Aero:
spokes: 16/24 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 6/14.1/27.6 
inertia (Joule): 122
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 41/38
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 18.3 x 31 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 668/922/?


KOMPONENTIX Allwetter:
spokes: 32/32
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 10.2/24.1/47.1
inertia (Joule): 123
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 62/46
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.7 x 18.8 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 705/926/?

WHIZZ WHEELS Leicht:
spokes: 28/32 bladed
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 7.3/17.3/33.8
inertia (Joule): 118
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 58/37
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.5 x 20.8 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 692/872/?

WHIZZ WHEELS Robust:
spokes: 28/32 round
aerodynamics (30/40/50 km/h) in (Watts): 8.7/20/7.40.4
inertia (Joule): 140
lateral stiffness (N/mm): 80/56
dimension (width x height) in (mm): 19.5 x 30.5 
weight (front/rear/quick release) in (gramms): 891/1054/?
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