The Sharq is the first wheel from Fulcrum that has been consistently optimised for long-distance and all-road use. With an internal width of 25 millimetres, it is correspondingly wide. Tyres at least 30 millimetres wide are recommended for road use; there are no restrictions for wider gravel tyres. The rim has a closed tubeless bed, so there is no need for an additional rim tape. With the currently hotly debated topic of Hookless the Italians have opted for a middle way: so-called mini-hooks are intended to ensure that the tyre does not come off even at high pressures. This means that the Sharq can also be ridden with clincher tyres with tubes inserted. A maximum permissible pressure has not been communicated.
Rim in wave design
Particularly striking is the carbon rim design, which has a distinctive wave shape, similar to the high-end race models from Princeton or Zipp. The rim height varies between 47 millimetres at the highest points and 42 millimetres at the flatter points. Here too, the main reason lies in the aerodynamics, or to be more precise, the best possible compromise between low air resistance and low crosswind sensitivity. In the press release, Fulcrum promises an improvement in crosswind stability of 21 per cent at moderate angles of attack of up to 10 degrees, and even 30 per cent at high crosswinds and a resulting angle of between 10 and 20 degrees.
New aero spokes
The spokes are also a new development: three millimetre wide and 0.8 millimetre thin aero spokes made of steel were developed for the Sharq. The front and rear wheels each have 24 spokes. A special feature is the connection to the hub, where the aero spokes are suspended so that they cannot twist. This means that the spokes are always perfectly aligned. The spokes do not touch each other at the spoke crossings, so that they retain their tension in the long term and the wheel is more durable overall.
Fulcrum gives the Sharq high-quality ceramic bearings and the weight is said to be 1440 grams per set. The rider weight limit is a generous 120 kilograms. The wheels are available for all common freewheel types; the list price is 2460 euros.
Jens Klötzer
Editor
