Racing Zero

road– EUR

Origin

Racing Zero Concept World's first wheel using aluminium spokes — radical departure from standard stainless steel spokes Flagship climbing/racing alloy wheel — maximum stiffness and reactivity for hilly terrain and road racing Fulcrum R&D team, Vicenza (aerospace engineers) Shimano Dura-Ace WH-7900, Mavic Ksyrium Elite, Campagnolo Zonda Mavic Ksyrium, Shimano Dura-Ace C36, Zipp 202 (different category), DT Swiss PR 1400

Specifications

Weight: kg

The verdict

+Strengths

Exceptional stiffness and immediate power transmission feel — aluminium spokes and Two-to-One ratio deliver 'insanely stiff' character
USB Ceramic cup-and-cone bearings: superbly smooth, adjustable preload for drag optimisation
Hand-built in Italy — F.I.C. traceability card, spoke tension perfect out of box
No holes in rim bed (MoMag): no rim tape, no stress concentration, easier tubeless conversion
Plasma-treated freehub: resists cassette bite, long-lasting aluminium surface
Cross-wind stability: shallow rim (27-32mm) is very manageable in wind
Aluminium rim brake versions: predictable and powerful braking in wet (carbon rim braking degrades in wet)
Racing Zero Carbon DB: unique carbon+aluminium spoke construction, competitive weight at 1,450-1,488g for 30mm disc wheelset
Versatile: 2-Way Fit allows tube or tubeless use
Compliant, comfortable ride quality despite high stiffness (BikeRadar Racing Zero DB)

−Weaknesses

Premium price for alloy wheels — 'for the price you can buy decent carbon clinchers' (Andy Saiden review)
120kg weight limit (rim brake) / 109kg (Carbon) — below some competitors
Cup-and-cone requires periodic adjustment — not set-and-forget like cartridge
Aluminium spokes are proprietary — replacement requires Fulcrum spares, not universal
17mm internal width on rim brake/older variants — narrow by modern standards (25-28mm now common for endurance)
Not an aero wheelset — Racing Zero is pure climber/stiffness focused, not suited for flat TT or aero courses
BikeRadar (Racing Zero DB review): freehub engagement and 17mm internal width behind class leaders at £1,000 price point
Disc DB freehub only 30 engagement points (3 pawls) — slower pickup than higher-end ratchet competitors (BikeRadar)
Disc DB not the lightest in class (1,610g measured, ~50g heavier than HED Ardennes RA) and limited aero credentials (BikeRadar)

Did you know

01Racing Zero was launched in 2007 as the world's first wheel to use aluminium spokes — a genuine engineering first. Steel spokes had been universal for decades.
02Aluminium spokes are lighter, more aerodynamic, and stiffer than steel per unit of weight — but require more precise manufacturing tolerance
03The 'Racing Zero' name is a literal translation concept: the Italian cycling term for the absolute best product in a category is 'zero' — like the Campagnolo 'Record' equivalent in wheel terminology
04Every Racing Zero is hand-built in Italy and ships with an individual F.I.C. (Fulcrum Identification Card) — a hand-built certification with barcode traceability
05The Racing Zero Carbon DB is (per Cyclist.co.uk) the only disc brake wheel on the market combining aluminium spokes with a carbon rim — a unique construction technique
06MoMag technology uses a literal magnet on a rod to guide nipples through the valve hole to each spoke hole — clever low-tech solution to a manufacturing challenge
07Fulcrum describes Racing Zero as 'the gold standard among high-level aluminium road bike wheels'
08The Campagnolo freehub incompatibility with Shimano/SRAM was the exact reason Fulcrum was created — Racing Zero was always designed to be Shimano/SRAM compatible unlike equivalent Campagnolo Bora wheels
09Professional team use: QuickStep, Lampre, Cofidis, Bahrain-Merida used Fulcrum wheels. Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, Vincenzo Nibali raced on Fulcrum.

Who it’s for

competitive road cyclist (climber)hilly sportive riderroad racer on punchy coursesrider wanting aluminium rim for wet-weather braking (rim brake version)weight-conscious road rider under 120kg