Swiss Facet isn’t any stranger to optimized aerodynamics, and now claims their new Gravon Carbon 500 to be the quickest gravel bike wheels. However in actuality, that sounds extra like an announcement that they’re Swiss Facet’s most aero gravel wheels but. And their actual promoting level is a stability of velocity with relative affordability in comparison with among the extravagant massive title wheel launches..
Swiss Facet Gravon Carbon 500 aero gravel wheels get sooner
It was solely two years in the past that Swiss Facet first launched us to their Gravon aero gravel wheels, co-developed with DT Swiss. They usually mixed their transfer into gravel bike aerodynamics with a wealth of information displaying the Schwalbe G-One Pace to be probably the most aero gravel tire of their wind tunnel testing. Within the meantime, DT Swiss utterly revamped their aero gravel GRC lineup with a sooner, lighter, and dearer 50mm deep wheelset – developed in CFD and confirmed within the wind tunnel with Swiss Facet experience.
And as soon as once more, it seems like Swiss Facet has leveraged that DT collaboration to adapt the identical new rim form with a extra reasonably priced carbon layup and extra standard hubs & spokes to save cash whereas nonetheless going quick.
The result’s the brand new Swiss Facet Gravon Carbon 500, described as “probably the most aerodynamic gravel wheelset designed for quick and environment friendly gravel rides“.
Quicker within the wind tunnel, however actually not by a lot
So, how briskly are the brand new Swiss Facet Gravon Carbon 500 wheels actually? Fortunately, Swiss Facet’s specialty is geeking out within the wind tunnel, so we’ve obtained loads of graphs and comparisons to see how they declare to have shaved off watts to make you quicker. And with fascinating outcomes that oddly recommend that the aero gravel positive factors won’t be all they’re cracked as much as be!
Swiss Facet put the brand new 50mm deep aero gravel wheels face to face with the 42mm deep wheels that these change, and their low-cost 25mm deep alloy wheels that carry over.
All fitted with 40mm benchmark Schwalbe G-One tires in a Cervelo Aspero at an affordable 30kph, the brand new Gravon Carbon 500 save a claimed 8% vs. the prior 420, getting most profit when the wind is available in at an angle attributable to good ‘crusing impact’. However that appears to solely save a few single watt within the bike. The positive factors greater than double at 45kph, however they nonetheless usually are not enormous.
Possibly most fascinating to me is that the aero variations between the 25mm, 42mm & 50mm deep wheels are basically the identical because the aero variations between 35mm, 40mm & 45mm tires. The narrower tire was sooner on each shallow & deep rims with the 40mm lower than a watt slower at affordable novice gravel rider speeds.
Tech particulars
The large change within the new Swiss Facet Gravon Carbon 500 wheelset is the brand new rim. It’s 24mm hooked tubeless inside, with a max outer width of 36.5mm x 50mm deep total. They don’t say it explicitly, however the dimensions and distinctive form that tapers sharply from the widest level again to the bead recommend that is the very same profile on the brand new DT GRC 50 rim.
Swiss Facet builds the brand new Gravon Carbon 500 wheels with a medium flange centerlock DT Swiss 370 hub which means a Ratchet LN freehub with a 36T ratchet. They usually lace them with 24 j-bend DT Aero Comp bladed spokes with alloy Professional Lock inside nipples.
At 1746g (797g entrance/949g rear, claimed), the wheels are heavier however extra reasonably priced than the DT analogues – greater than 900€ lower than the 1100 or 450€ than the 1400 stage.
Swiss Facet’s new Gravon Carbon – Pricing, choices & availability
The brand new Swiss Facet Gravon Carbon 500 aero gravel wheels promote for 1595€, and can be found now direct from Swiss Facet’s on-line store. They arrive pre-taped for tubeless setups with valves, valve nut safety stickers, and valve extenders to be used with tubes.
Curiously, Swiss Facet says the wheels are suitable with Shimano 10-13 velocity, and SRAM 10-11 velocity as customary, suggesting they arrive with a daily HG freehub physique. SRAM XDR & Campagnolo N3W freehubs can be found individually. However wait… does Swiss Facet know one thing we don’t learn about a 13-sp Shimano groupset?
