After a successful debut into the XC race world, Fulcrum expands their wheel selection to technical trails again with the new Metal Carbon and Metal ALX.
The Metal Carbon and Metal ALX wheelsets forge a new standard of excellence for the trail, by fusing together optimal performance, ultra-light design and unrivalled resistance.
Building on the Red Zone family of wheels and their different levels of performance led to a gradual and natural move into trail riding. Metal Carbon and Metal ALX have been specifically designed for this segment, seamlessly blending the high performance requirements of the trail with the need for agility and resistance.
METAL CARBON: Nip(ple) Force Evolution
Metal Carbon is a wheel designed for performance on the trails featuring a carbon rim with an inner rim width of 32 mm: a choice derived from the results of tests that have shown that this width is the best solution to support 2..4-2.6 wide tyres.
The rims use the tried and tested Nip(ple) Force design, which maximises the balance between lateral stiffness and vertical stress absorption, thanks to the use of the proprietary FF80 mix of fibres and resins.
Introduced initially for XC use, with the Red Zone Carbon, this design has now been applied for trail use on the Metal Carbon, with a completely new lamination that meets the demands of trail riders.
The main advantage of this solution is a very balanced and reliable wheel, as well as greater resistance to stresses. This is achieved with a double asymmetry (6 mm on one side and 3.5 on the other).
The 2-Way FitTM rim is constructed with an undrilled bridge, which increases resistance and removes the need for tubeless tape. The DSRCTM supports are sunk in the carbon fibre in the spoke hole area to provide greater support to the nipple and dissipate the tension over a greater area, as well as eliminating any potential issues with galvanic corrosion.
METAL ALX: Aluminum revolution
The Metal ALX, on the other hand, has been designed for a wider range of riders looking for a reliable, fun and, at same time, high performance MTB-Trail product. They are constructed with a 6069 aluminium rim, with welded joint and a 30 mm inner channel.
The unique CNC machining on the nose lightens the rim in the areas not subject to stresses and contributes to a more aggressive aesthetic. The rim finish is completed with tactile laser details and reflective Form Function Fulcrum adhesives, illustrating the technologies behind this unique wheel.
Hubs and Bearings from Fulcrum’s Mastery
Metal Carbon and Metal ALX use the same hub with stainless steel cup and cone bearings. The cup and cone setup, Fulcrum’s signature solution for its high level products, ensures that the bearings work in line with the forces applied by the spokes, reducing the stress on the bearing and considerably improving smoothness and ensuring a long life, compared to classic cartridge systems. The bearings can be completely disassembled and overhauled in all their parts, to meet the requirements of the most attentive riders.
The steel spokes are butted to 1.6 on the Metal Carbon and 1.8 on the Metal ALX. Both wheels use 24 spokes up front and 28 on the rear, to achieve the best balance of handling, impact resistance and lightness.
Metal Carbon and Metal ALX can also be used on light E-MTBs (maximum torque 60 Nm, total rider+bike weight 125 kg) in the versions with steel freewheel body. These versions are currently only available for OEM, but the freewheel body can be changed on all wheels.
The weight of the Fulcrum Metal Carbon is 1,550 g for the XDR version.
The weight for the Fulcrum Metal ALX is 1,860 g in the XDR version.
Both wheels are designed and developed in Italy. They are Fulcrum’s answer for demanding riders looking for performance and reliability over singletrack, demanding downhills and technical MTB trails.
Metal Carbon (XDR, Microspline)
1,640.00 €
1,872.00 $
1,525.00 £
Metal ALX (XDR, Microspline, HG)
650.00 €
742.00 $
605.00 £
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