Fulcrum - Campagnolo comparison

spanner239
spanner239 Posts: 181
edited October 2013 in Road buying advice
I appreciate that Fulcrum is a subsidiary brand of Campagnolo, therefore a couple of quick questions?

1) Are both brands of wheels made alongside each other in the same factory?

2) In terms of comparison, am I correct in thinking that:
- Fulcrum Racing 5 = Campagnolo Vento
- Fulcrum Racing 3 = Campagnolo Zonda

Comments

  • adamfo
    adamfo Posts: 763
    This video shows both in the same factory

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIGm7pKx3rs

    I wonder if the wheels bellow the Zonda/Fulcrum 3 price level are now made in Taiwan ??
  • Great video, Discovery Channel "How It's Made?" by the look of it!
  • There ares some differences between Fulcrum and Campagnolo -

    Fulcrum use the 2:1 spoke pattern which has the spokes more evenly spaced around the rim, with twice the number on the drive side (DS) against the non-drive side (NDS), wheras Campagnolo use the G3 pattern, with closely grouped sets of 3 spokes again using double the NDS number on the DS.

    This means that there is a small but important difference in the treatment of the rim in the latter stages of production & to some extent in the final stages of the build or repair.

    There is also (obviously) a difference in the drilling of the rims and in many cases the spokes are not interchangeable either, being of different lengths on the drive side of the rear, and in some cases of subtly different material too.

    Campagnolo wheels down to the entry level now all use the Mega-G3 pattern and hub-flange design which builds a more reactive, stiffer drive side with DS spokes at a very slightly wider angle relative to vertical so giving a small amount of extra rear derailleur clearance relative to the biggest sprockets as well as a better DS / NDS tension balance against earlier versions.

    HTH
    Graeme
    Velotech Cycling Ltd
    http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    So what are you actually saying Graeme? That due to the differing manufacturing processes, Fulcrum wheels not as good or reliable as Campag? Similar priced products of course.

    How would this affect the average rider in the long term, reliability wise? Which part of the wheels fail first as a general rule? I'm not an engineer at all so haven't got a clue as you can see :lol:
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    gfk_velo wrote:
    Campagnolo wheels down to the entry level now all use the Mega-G3 pattern and hub-flange design which builds a more reactive, stiffer drive side with DS spokes at a very slightly wider angle relative to vertical so giving a small amount of extra rear derailleur clearance relative to the biggest sprockets as well as a better DS / NDS tension balance against earlier versions.

    Even Neutrons?
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    racing 5 are the equivalent of scirocco

    the front wheels are identical apart from the stickers-the rear have different spoke patterns

    so why do the fulcrums cost more?
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • racing 5 are the equivalent of scirocco

    the front wheels are identical apart from the stickers-the rear have different spoke patterns

    so why do the fulcrums cost more?

    I don't think this can be right, the Scirroco looks nothing like the Racing 5 and has a 35mm rim whereas Racing 5 has 27mm rear and 24mm front (according to the website).

    Don't argue on cost though as that is what raised my initial question, Vento are £152 vs Racing 5 at £175 (at Ribble).
  • gfk_velo wrote:
    Campagnolo wheels down to the entry level now all use the Mega-G3 pattern and hub-flange design which builds a more reactive, stiffer drive side with DS spokes at a very slightly wider angle relative to vertical so giving a small amount of extra rear derailleur clearance relative to the biggest sprockets as well as a better DS / NDS tension balance against earlier versions.

    HTH
    Graeme
    Velotech Cycling Ltd
    http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk

    It looks like the Vento is available in two versions, one G3 and the other looks identical to the Racing 5 even down to the asymmetric rims.