For reference is there any difference between Campy Shamal Ultras and Fulcrum Zeros besides price and decals?

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"Je pédale, donc je suis" - René Descartes (I think )

2011 Canyon Aeroad CF
2012 Canyon Ultimate Al

Basically the latest generation Zeros are better than the last generation and very very similar to Shamals.

G3 spoking on Shamals. Zeros aren't G3, but are grouped.

Shamals used to have much narrower spokes, but I don't think there's much in it with the newer Zeros.

Shamals seem to come out a bit lighter, but there isn't much in it now.

Cheers. Didn't look closely enough to realize the fulcrum's weren't G3 as well. 10 grams lighter for the Shamals, (1425g v 1435g) for the weenies.

And what's the consensus on G3? Just another marketing gimmick or one of the better lacing patterns?


Apologies by the way for taking the discussion OT. Just curious to see if the majority think Racing Zeros are better than Ksyriums, than surely as parent company of Fulcrum, Campy made sure they have the superior wheelset with the Shamals.

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"Je pédale, donc je suis" - René Descartes (I think )

2011 Canyon Aeroad CF
2012 Canyon Ultimate Al

My Zeros are 1418g so lucked out there.

In terms of G3 lacing - I selected the Zeros over the Shamals because they didn't have the G3 lacing pattern - as a heavier rider I preferred more evenly distributed rim support. I notice that a recent Cycling Plus review was not a fan of the low-end Campy wheelset with G3 pattern on the front (Zonda?) as they also found the larger sections of unsupported rim to be detrimental to rim stiffness and ride quality.

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"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months"
Oscar Wilde

Could be the grease. They seem to use a grease thats too viscous on the pawls. Clean it out with degreaser and use some wet chain lube. Much better.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

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N+1 It Never Stops

Hi,



If it was the Zonda they tested it on then it sure takes an elephant to deflect those and if so then I doubt it would have anything to do with the used spoking pattern.
But maybe they were talking about a frontwheel with G3 pattern? Those have been, or maybe still are, around and that is no place to use a G3 pattern at all.

The G3 patterrn is one of the many variations on a spoking theme first invented by good old Gipiemme who, around that era (1970/80?), were building a lot of the Campa wheels.
Of all the odd spoking patterns only the G3 one was kept alive by Campa. Another one that pops up occasionally is the paired radial spoking pattern (aka G2).

Personally I don't think there's much difference between a G3 pattern and a 2:1 one in practice. The latter may have a more evenly distributed spoke arrangement, the former sports better tangentiality on the drive side.

Of course, the visual aspect of the G3 pattern is utterly more marketable....

Ciao,

P.S.: the G in Gx stands for Gruppo. So you have Gruppo de tre (G3) and so on and so forth.

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Hi fdegrove
Apologies - I wasn't clear (or correct) - yes it was a front wheel with G3 lacing and it was the Vento.

_________________
"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months"
Oscar Wilde

Why buy either?

If you want similar weight, better ride, better aero and the best hubs in the business then Dura Ace C24s are what you need. No marketing BS like 3G spoking, that stuff just works. Also they cost a lot less that the wheels mentioned. From GBP550 street price. And if that's too much the Ultegra ones are almost as good.

Or you could go for something conservative and handbuilt. DA, Record, DT240, Chris King or Tune hubs all work well, and then maybe an Ambrosio rim? Get someone good to build them (no the spotty apprentice at the LBS) and they will be bombproof and much more pro than the nasty pre-built campags. For example, I'm still riding a front GEL330 rim on chorus hub from about 15 years ago. Ride is lovely, bearings are now nicely run-in, weight is pretty good and I've never trued it.