Campagnolo has launched an update of its Shamal carbon wheelset, with a new rim profile that’s 45mm deep at the spoke holes but has a shallower 40mm rim depth between them and continues its G3 clustered lacing pattern. The wheelset has a claimed weight of 1,480g, over 100g lighter than its predecessor.
The Shamal – Dual Profile wheelset is priced at £1,649.99 / €1,890 with a N3W freehub and €1,897 with an HG11 or XDR freehub.
Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our new AI search engine.
Trickle-down tech
Campagnolo says that the new wheelset offers versatility and attractive value for money, while using technology from its higher spec models such as the Bora WTO Ultra pro-level wheels, although at over £1,500 it’s hardly a budget option.
The original Shamal wheelset was introduced back in 1992 and it has been a feature of the range ever since. It was a predecessor of today’s modern deeper section wheelsets and it became a favoured wheel for both Miguel Induráin and Marco Pantani.
Along with the patented G3 clustered lacing, another long-running Campagnolo technology that’s carried over is the 2-Way Fit rim bed, which eliminates the need for rim tape and allows tyre setup either with tubes or tubeless. Campagnolo has continued to provide hooked beads, rather than moving to a hookless rim design.
The rim internal width has increased and is now 23mm, the same as in the Bora Ultra wheels. It’s following the modern trend to increasingly wider tyres on road bikes and allowing the Shamal – Dual Profile wheels to be used with road bike tyres of 28mm in width or more, as well as gravel bike tyres.
The hubs are alloy and fitted with cup and cone bearings rather than sealed bearings, so that they can be serviced as needed. Their differential profile has deeper flanges on the right side of the rear wheel and on the left side of the front wheel, which Campagnolo says helps to even out the forces acting on each.
Campagnolo says that, along with improved aerodynamics, the dual profile rim design improves wheel stiffness due to shorter spokes, while still providing a comfortable ride. It uses a unidirectional carbon fibre layup, which the brand says helps provide even load distribution through the wheel and the same C-Lux lacquer finish as on its premium wheelsets.
Wavy rims are proving increasingly popular, with examples available from Zipp, Princeton Carbonworks and most recently from Campagnolo subsidiary Fulcrum with its Sharq all-road wheelset.
Zipp, Fulcrum and Princeton all claim that the rims offer both the aero benefits of a deeper section wheel and the crosswind stability of a shallower section. Princeton also says it brings a wider bracing angle, adding rigidity.
New wheelset launches are usually accompanied in white papers citing the aero gains, watt savings and other benefits on offer. However Campagnolo hasn't provided any detailed analysis of the new Shamal’s performance so far.
