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EB17: PRO Tri-spoke brings clincher compatibility to fast carbon TT wheel

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In addition to new trail bike saddles, Shimano’s PRO component brand has a new 3-spoke carbon wheel option for the opposite end of the racing spectrum – time trialing. The new Pro Tri-Spoke Clincher takes their popular three spoked tubular carbon front wheel raced by Shimano sponsored athletes in TTs and triathlons, and adds a clincher variant to make it a more viable option for amateur racers.

Pro Tri-Spoke Clincher aero wheel

PRO Tri-Spoke wheel aero three-spoke carbon front wheel Shimano Tom Dumoulin time trial photo by Cor Vos
courtesy PRO, photo by Cor Vos

The new Tri-Spoke Clincher front wheel directly carries over the same aerodynamic shaping as the race-proven tubular. Keeping the same 65mm deep aero rim profile and same three spokes, the clincher version opts for an aluminum rim bed and braking surface. That brings wheel weight up to 1040g (that 275g more than the standard tubular variant), but will offer the added convenience for racing & even training if you don’t have a support car following behind in case you puncture.

PRO Tri-Spoke Clincher aero wheel time trial triathlon aerodynamic aero three-spoke carbon clincher front wheel Shimano

The new wheel gets a 3K 2×2 carbon weave finish to match the clincher disc, not opting for the more expensive hi-mod Textreme carbon only available in the tubular wheels. The Tri-Spoke Clincher front joins the rear Disc Wheel Clincher that Pro already had in their line-up for a couple of years.

The alloy rim extrusion looks to stick with the same 17c internal that Shimano says pairs well with a 25mm clincher. The wheel itself is built on Ultegra 6800 hub internals. The new PRO Tri-Spoke Clincher will be available from January 2018.

PRO-bikegear.com

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11 Comments
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ascarlarkinyar
7 years ago

That headline pic is very areo. Especially if you notice the guys knee is banging his elbow. Way to hide you whole leg/thigh, but possibly painful after a long ride…..

john
john
7 years ago
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

@ascarlarkinyar I’m sure your criticism will make him feel like crap after the dump he took (figuratively, on his competition) at the Giro

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
7 years ago
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

Popular? Not many people used the tubular version. And the HED trispoke has always been fairly popular…tubular and clincher form. This thing is insanely heavy. I would like to see REAL tunnel data comparing this with HED though. Even though the HED wheel is way less expensive and far lighter.

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
7 years ago
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

Didn’t mean to post that here…

That said, I’m sure big Tom hates his worthless position. His bike constantly steers left then right as he violently knees his elbows.

RCSpeed
RCSpeed
7 years ago

So no mention of Pricing?
I know the Tubular is astronomical at $2500 for one wheel…got to wonder if this will be more or less…

boom
boom
7 years ago

Anybody else shocked by the absurdly high weight for a front wheel? And it’s not even tubeless compatible. Wow.

tyler
7 years ago

so much Shimano vaporware. Wonder if it will ever actually come out.

DJ
DJ
7 years ago

Shimano needs a good reasonable explanation for why their Pro tri-spoke wheels imploded. Three of Team Sky’s riders crashed on the same day during a time trial.

AK_Ben
AK_Ben
7 years ago
Reply to  DJ

It was my understanding Sky were using tires too narrow for the rims, and the failure occurred after their TTT squad rode over a pothole or something. Still, not a good look for PRO..

Berend
Berend
7 years ago
Reply to  AK_Ben

They were using good tires. Shimano changed the on-line document to increase the tire width recommendation *after* the crash.

Robin
Robin
7 years ago
Reply to  Berend

Do you have proof of that?

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