2-Way Fit is an ingenious system from Fulcrum which means a wheel can be fitted with either a clincher tyre or a tubeless tyre. Fulcrum have developed the technology for a tubeless ready tyre to be fitted without sealant, which stands as a good testament to the quality of the fit and seal of the rim, although we would always advise riding with sealant for extra puncture protection. Going tubeless has many benefits including lower rolling resistance, for faster and smoother riding and additional puncture protection, as well as tubeless tyres not suffering from sudden deflation when punctured, which is much safer. There's also no risk of pinch punctures as there is no inner tube to get damaged. The option to remove the tubeless valve and set them up as regular clinchers adds a pleasing versatility to these wheels too. This added versatility is a great boost to what are already a fantastic set of wheels.
Excellent for use as either training or race wheels, Fulcrum Racing 3's are packed with innovations to keep weight down, without losing any stiffness or strength. One of the main ways this is achieved is through Fulcrum's MoMag technology, which means the rim doesn't have any spoke holes, producing a uniform and therefore stronger rim that doesn't need rim tape, reducing weight. The Racing 3's spoke nipples are placed in the sealed rim via the hole for the valve stem and are then guided into place using an external magnet. Racing 3's also benefit from Fulcrum's exclusive DRSC rim/spoke couplings which helps to align spokes properly, with equal tensioning across the wheel. Fulcrum wheels benefit from specially designed spoke and hub housings that create a solid unmovable whole, meaning that the Racing 3's aerodynamic spokes will never lose this initial tension. This keeps the wheels perfectly reactive and centred, whilst also ensuring that the aero spokes will stay in aerodynamically optimal positions. The spokes on the rear wheel are in Fulcrum's two to one layout with 14 on the drive-side and 7 on the other side. The rear rim is also 5mm deeper than the 25mm front rim. The extra spokes and depth are both to benefit power transfer and durability, due to the extra torsional forces that are put through the drive side of a rear wheel.
Moving on from spokes and nipples to hubs, the Racing 3's possess beautiful oversized white hubs, that don't just look great but also benefit stiffness, improving responsiveness and longevity in the front, with an additional boost to power transfer at the back. The rear hubs drive side flange is even more oversized for a 9% increase in torsional stiffness, for the same benefits. Within the hubs is a top quality steel balls with cup-and-cone bearings system, which reduces friction and provides top performance. The cup-and-cone system is also easy to adjust. All these efforts come together to create a fast and durable set of rims. Weighing in at just 1565g, Fulcrum's Racing 3 2-Way Fit wheelset is very light for its stiffness and durability, making them more than competitive enough for eager sportive riders or amateur racers. Their longevity also lends them to being a high quality pair of training wheels for riders who never want to be too far from top performance. An all round brilliant set of wheels.