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Campagnolo updates & widens Shamal Ultra C17 alloy road wheels

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Campagnolo_Shamal-Ultra-C17_aluminum-clincher+tubeless-road-race-wheels_profiles

Shamals have been at the forefront of the pre-built wheel market for more than two decades, having been the first wheels with all components from one manufacturer, and they’d been some of the first to incorporate several unique solutions like different front and ream rim heights, ceramic bearings, oversized aluminium bladed spokes, and of course Campy’s grouped G3 spoke lacing. But while the recent tubular versions had a solid wide rim bed that worked well with wider modern tires, the clincher versions had remained narrow. Now that has changed with the new Campagnolo Shamal Ultra’s the bring the wheels in line with recent trends for wider tires…

Campagnolo_Shamal-Ultra-C17_aluminum-clincher+tubeless-road-race-wheels

The new Shamal Ultra C17 remain unchanged in most ways versus the previous generation. They keep the same radial 16 spoke front, and G3 21 spoke rear, and carry over the same oversized alloy flange & carbon bodied hubs as the Shamal tubulars that we reviewed last year. They also keep the same style of machined rim that trims weight between spokes while reinforcing the spoke connection. The new wheels do get an upgrade in the micro-adjustable bearing preload lockring that trickles down from the Bora wheel line.

Campagnolo_Shamal-Ultra-C17_aluminum-clincher+tubeless-road-race-wheels_rim-profiles

But the big update comes in the move to the C17 standard for a 17mm internal width. Much like the new Mavic carbon clinchers we just saw, Campy thinks that C17 offers the best balance of providing a stable platform for the recent crop of 25-28mm tires. In fact testing them back to back, Campagnolo says that with the same tires the new wheels are even more aero in either tire width than their predecessors.

Campagnolo_Shamal-Ultra-C17_aluminum-clincher+tubeless-road-race-wheels_rear Campagnolo_Shamal-Ultra-C17_aluminum-clincher+tubeless-road-race-wheels_front

The new Shamal Ultra C17s will be available this spring as either a clincher-only, or a tubeless compatible 2-Way Fit wheelset. The clincher version has a claimed weight of 1435g for the pair, while 2-Way Fit takes them up to 1515g.

Campagnolo.com

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Danno
Danno
8 years ago

Lovely, just wish they’d drop the heart-breaky aluminum spokes. Had a pair, single spoke on rear broke at under 2K miles. Took my LBS, with me dogging Campy USA, 2 months to figure out which year/model/shape spoke was the correct replacement. Single spoke cost $50 IIRC. Fixed the wheel and sold the pair the next week.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
8 years ago
Reply to  Danno

Trying to reinvent the wheel with proprietary parts is a form of planned obsolescence. Sorry you had to learn the hard way, just know that you’re not the only one. Every This time of year I have two dozen or so Campy, Mavic, Easton, all the usual suspects hanging on hooks in my shop waiting for repair. The majority are doing what you did and I’m building the replacements. Lesson being; find a good wheel builder. There’s a ton out there.

KL
KL
8 years ago

Shamals are true beasts. I own two pairs: flawless breed.

BA
BA
8 years ago

Bring on the Shamal Mille 17’s Now!!!

MotoPete
MotoPete
8 years ago

Hey BR – please stop mentioning technical details without backing it up with photos. How about you pretend I do not know what the Bora micro adjust preload ring looks like

Jim
Jim
8 years ago

What’s the equivalent in the fulcrum range – is it getting the same treatment ? Last time I looked the quartto 5 and 7 had received the LG / wider treatment is it flowing thru the models with the good hubs ? Not sure I’d mix SRAM and Campy but I like the wheels 🙂
cheers

Tim
Tim
8 years ago

I don’t care who does it, Rolf or Campy or someone else, but paired spokes are an atrocity. They leave a long section of rim unsupported, and a short section of rim very supported. It’s all about looks, and goes against good function. Truing wheels like these is well nigh impossible if you get a hop in one of the unsupported sections.

John
John
8 years ago
Reply to  Tim

That was my exact thought: I’ll bet that rear wheel is a blast to true.

John
John
8 years ago

Anyway, nice that the guys at Mavic and Campy have finally discovered wider tires and rims, and probably CFD and wind tunnels.

Paul Forbes
Paul Forbes
8 years ago

I’ve been riding mine for around 4000 miles now and still unbelievably smooth very impressed…love them 🙂

Lindsey
Lindsey
8 years ago

I’ve been riding Shamal tubeless wheels since 2009 on some truly rotten roads and never had a problem with broken spokes or a wheel going out of true. My first pair suffered from corrosion which Campy blamed on my using an improper sealant (which I did not). My latest pair seems to have a different finish on the inside of the rim which leads me to think Campy knew there was a problem with early rims. They roll great and take a pounding without complaint.

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