Campagnolo wheels - Shimano cassettes

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deejayen
Posts: 128
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:24 am

by deejayen

For some reason I've always thought that Campag wheels were only available with Campag freehubs, and that Fulcrums were similar wheels with Shimano freehubs.

However, I've just noticed that at least some Campag wheels are available with either type of freehub. Is this a newish thing, or have I just been mistaken?

Are there any general reasons to choose Campag over Fulcrum for a Shimano-compatible wheel?

claus
Posts: 401
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:04 pm

by claus

It's not new. In 2012 I bought a pair of Campagnolo Shamal Ultra Titanium Wheels -- and never used them because they were heavier than advertised (I tried to sell them but nobody wanted to pay enough).
However, recently I was looking for a rear wheel which didn't have a cassette mounted and found those -- just to notice that they didn't have a Campagnolo freehub. Oops.

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TribesMan
Posts: 132
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2019 5:51 pm

by TribesMan

You could get Shimano compatible freehub for Campy wheels from at least 2001...

Fulcrum wheels are the same as Campy, the only difference is spoke pattern.
So if you prefer to have the spokes in "G3" pattern take the Campy branded wheels.

usr
Posts: 889
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:58 pm

by usr

If you're in the market for e-MTB wheels choice at the C-brand might seem a bit limited.

Generally I get the impression that they have started to deliberately avoid any of that 1:1 comparability that we saw in the aluminum wheels age when everybody assumed that Racing 1/3/5 where just Shamal/Eurus/Zonda with a different spoke pattern on the rear (and I guess they were right).

Attermann
Posts: 916
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Location: Denmark

by Attermann

Actually you mean zero = shamal, 1 = eurus 3 = zonda

And they are the same, just different spoke pattern

usr
Posts: 889
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:58 pm

by usr

Right, memory was telling me something about uneven numbers which has probably never been true (apparently they don't even have a 1 these days, but all the numbers 3 to 6)

deejayen
Posts: 128
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:24 am

by deejayen

I remember reading something which said that Campg didn't want to put Shimano freehubs on their wheels, so they established the Fulcrum brand in order to sell Shimano-compatible wheels.

I've come across their aftermarket Shimano-compatible steel freehub, but never realised their own wheels were available with a Shimano freehub. Presumably the ones on their higher-end wheels aren't steel...

blaugrana
Posts: 457
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:49 pm

by blaugrana

Yeah, they have been available with Shimano freehubs for a very long time. Of course there are some "purists" who say that you can't put Campagnolo wheels on a bike with Shimano groupset, but that's extremely silly, especially considering that the mid range Campagnolo wheels (like the Zondas) are very good value and are a fantastic upgrade for entry level bikes (which almost always have Shimano groupset). And on the other hand, and related to mixing Campagnolo and Shimano components, it is pretty common to see Shimano pedals on Campagnolo bikes these days (and personally, it's my favourite combination as well).

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pdlpsher1
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:09 pm
Location: CO

by pdlpsher1

I run Shimano groupsets and Campy wheels because Shimano wheels are crap. I mean the hubs are nice but Shimano doesn't make a carbon clincher rim-brake wheelset.

CyclingGiraffe
Posts: 328
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:04 pm

by CyclingGiraffe

deejayen wrote:
Thu Sep 16, 2021 1:57 pm
I remember reading something which said that Campg didn't want to put Shimano freehubs on their wheels, so they established the Fulcrum brand in order to sell Shimano-compatible wheels.

I've come across their aftermarket Shimano-compatible steel freehub, but never realised their own wheels were available with a Shimano freehub. Presumably the ones on their higher-end wheels aren't steel...
I think that Fulcrum may have been conceived originally as an OEM-spec for shimano-equipped bikes (which they would not have wanted to put "Campy"-branded wheels on). Campy wheels have long been available with shimano freehubs. Fulcrum's 2:1 rear lacing is very similar to Campy's G3 lacing, but slightly different spoke spacing at the rim on the drive-side spokes make them appear visually different because the "grouping of three spokes" (2 drive side, 1 non-drive side) is not as obvious. I believe Campy's shimano freehubs are available in steel or aluminum (I don't know which current models come with steel vs alu. freehubs).

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smokva
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:13 pm

by smokva

I also think that Fulcrum has been established to penetrate more on the market of non-campagnolo (shimano) road and mtb bikes. Having Campagnolo wheels back in days on shimano groupset was very uncommon. Campagnolo wheels on mtb would look weird even today. That's why they needed another brand.
Also, even on campagnolo equipped bikes now they sell more through 2 different brands.

I think Campagnolo's wheel business has been so good in last 10-15 years that they have totally neglected their groupset business in terms of pricing, positioning and selling. Maybe pricing of new 12 speed Shimano things will help them retake some of the lost market share. But I think that Shimano will still give better OEM deals.

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