When Parcours known as their new inexpensive carbon FKT wheelset the “first actually aero-optimized gravel wheelset” I instantly needed to evaluation them. A lot of my gravel using is spent by myself within the wind, and whereas I don’t actually hit common speeds almost as excessive as critical professional gravel racers, I so respect the aero good points once they don’t compromise on weight, rider high quality, or stability in variable wind circumstances. And the FKTs are fairly mild, have the consolation good thing about large-volume tires, and made stable all-rounder efficiency guarantees…
Parcours FKT all-rounder aero carbon gravel bike wheels
Earlier than even exhibiting them to me, Parcours described their new FKT gravel wheels as quick, huge, mild & inexpensive.
Deep & aero sufficient for racing however not so affected by crosswinds in order to nonetheless be versatile for on a regular basis rides. Broad inside at 27mm hookless inner, and far wider exterior to ship clean aerodynamics for 35-45mm gravel tires. But nonetheless as mild or lighter than most different aero gravel wheels, even people who price much more. And sure, simply $1600 / 1560€. They aren’t low cost, however fall clearly within the extra inexpensive spectrum for carbon gravel wheels.
Positive, these are wheels designed for gravel racing. However actually with none actual downsides for slower riders, they appeared like stable all-rounders, too.
Now, what about these aerodynamic claims?
For nearly the final decade, we’ve seen an explosion of aerodynamic bike wheel design. And that development can largely be described as huge blunt-nosed aero rims that mimic a truncated NACA airfoil design, the place the rim ends close to the widest level of the airfoil and the tire takes over at that time. It’s a reasonably solid-performing design – working as wind hits both the tire or rim as the forefront – however seemingly greatest as much as a ~30mm highway tire, lest the rim will get loopy huge AND heavy.
Distinctive aero rim profile
Parcours did one thing very completely different with the FKT. They name it a “hybrid truncated digital foil design“. And it’s what they are saying makes these “actually aero-optimized” for gravel.
As an alternative of constructing the widest level of the rim on the bead, the FKT’s widest level is on the midpoint of the dim part itself. I measured the 40mm huge exterior widest level to be really 25mm from the tire, nearer to the spokes. The rim is definitely 32mm huge exterior the place it meets the tire. And the edges and tire sections are fairly comparable in each measurement and form – see my tough sketch, above. This creates a depressed space (crimson, in my doodle) the place air doesn’t appear to maneuver round a lot. And meaning the air flowing previous the wheel (blue) type of simply doesn’t contact the wheel there. In concept, that particular airflow patterning is what makes these wheels quick.
Actual-world gravel aerodynamics
Second of full disclosure right here. Parcours didn’t really present me this. Although, they type of described it to me. After which I drew that sketch after seeing how the wheels sorted using them on obligation gravel. You see, solely the broader blunt nostril of the rim will get soiled. The areas in crimson on my sketch don’t really are available contact with the mud kicked up as you trip, so there’s actual bodily proof of how the wind hits these aero gravel wheels.
Now, Parcours aren’t actually the one ones to do one thing like this. DT Swiss & Swiss Aspect’s newest 50mm deep aero gravel wheels angle again in virtually 2cm beneath the bead. However the Parcours FKT that I evaluation right here appear to most intently match the rim to its optimum tire profile for the smoothest aerodynamics at each the entrance and rear edges of the rim pedaling into the wind.
So, how did they really feel?
Driving Assessment: Parcours FKT impressions on highway & gravel
They’re fast, for certain. Mixed with the brand new 40mm huge Panaracer GravelKing X1 tires (at an actual 446g apiece) that these wheels had been optimized for, the Parcours FKT wheels roll quick over all kinds of onerous gravel surfaces and nonetheless really feel fast on tarmac. They usually don’t appear uncomfortably stiff. A good quantity of that credit score does go to the tires and their fast-rolling GKX1 tread design with steady blocky centerline tread. And the remainder might be break up between clean spinning sealed EXO stainless bearings and wheel aerodynamics.
With out goal wind tunnel testing for our evaluation, evaluating the brand new Parcours FKT gravel wheels comes right down to subjective really feel. Sure, they made an already fast bike really feel fast. And I did set just a few new private greatest instances on gravel segments that I’ve ridden on various completely different wheel + bike + tire combos. In reality, I set 8 Strava PRs on one midsummer trip alone, together with each a 7.5km descent and a 8km/500m climb.
Actual Weight & Worth
A lot of what I feel makes these aero gravel wheels a stable all-rounder improve possibility is their mixture of aerodynamic efficiency claims, light-weight, and affordability. It’s fairly straightforward to discover a set of carbon gravel bike wheels today that excel in a single or two of these classes. However nailing all three remains to be uncommon.
I at all times really feel like I have to take aero claims with a pinch of salt vs. real-world efficiency. However as foolish because it sounds, the mud sample that gathered on these Parcours FKT wheels is admittedly what satisfied me, and doubtless types the premise for this evaluation. You possibly can merely see how the air flows over the wheels, validating Parcours’ claims.
Weight-wise, these aero gravel Parcours FKT wheels weighed an actual 1561g on our scale (725g entrance / 835g rear) with rim tape, valves & centerlock rotor lockrings already put in. Common rim tape for every wheel in my expertise weighs about 10-15g, lengthy alloy valves weigh about 5g apiece, and alloy lockrings about 8g every. So let’s say that’s 50g of extras, making these fairly shut to identify on Parcours’ claimed wheelset weight of 1500g. There are lighter mid-depth aero wheels on the market, and lighter non-aero gravel wheels. However only a few that do each at 1500g.
Affordability is their icing on the cake. Absolutely not low cost, they’re way more inexpensive than the newest top-tier huge aero gravel wheels from DT Swiss or Zipp, each of that are additionally heavier. And totally on par pricewise with much less aero-optimized gravel wheels from different inexpensive carbon wheel firms.
Key Tech Particulars
I didn’t actually get into the core tech particulars of Parcours’ new FKT gravel wheels past their aero rim form, as a result of I already did that intimately again at first of July. Learn on right here for more information. It’s value pertaining to some key factors once more, although.
Importantly, Parcours lays up the carbon on this rim with the identical IMPACT+ tech from their Alta all-road & gravel wheels. This building makes use of an additional versatile proprietary resin to strengthen the carbon fiber on the hookless bead to “enhance sturdiness and influence resistance”.
They then lace up the brand new aero gravel rim to their identical highway disc alloy hubset with straight-pull bladed Sapim CX-Ray spokes (2-cross, 24 spokes per wheel) with exterior alloy nipples. These hubs function a 6-pawl freehub with two offset engagement factors per pawl to a 44T ring for 88 POE at 4° quick hub engagement.
The wheels come customary with a Shimano HG freehub, however might be switched out for a SRAM XDR physique like our check wheels once you order. There’s even the choice to get a Categorized hubshell construct that is able to drop in your Powershift rear hub internals. However, getting a Campagnolo N3W or Shimano MicroSpline freehub requires a customized wheelbuild.
Closing Ideas
We’ve been using the £1200 / $1600 / 1560€ 47mm deep aerodynamic carbon Parcours FKT gravel wheels because the begin of the summer time on a Canyon Grail. And summing up my wheel evaluation, I can comfortably say that I’ve really set some quickest recognized instances… nicely, at the least quickest for me. These wheels hit a candy spot of seen aero efficiency, light-enough weight, and reasonable-enough affordability that I feel they make an incredible all-rounder improve for many riders trying to get extra out of their gravel bike.
Whereas different wheelsets might need extra flashy attraction, these FKTs are ones that I’m somewhat unhappy to ship again to Parcours for the subsequent gravel biker to trip.
