Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 DB 24C 2-Way Fit AFS wheelset

Cycling and travelling through B-roads, secondary and little-used asphalt roads or off-road sections, with bikes with a curved bend and fat wheels is a way of pedalling that Fulcrum has known and practised for a long time.

The new Rapid Red 3 is a product that is extremely at ease on mixed surfaces; it is a wheel born from an entirely new design. It is made entirely of aluminium and features a CNC-machined rim to significantly lighten its weight and a 24 mm internal channel, making it perfect for the most modern frames with generous wheel passages.

The renowned 2-Way Fit™ Ready structure allows both a tubeless tyre and a clincher to be fitted, ensuring broad compatibility with the various types of tyres on the market. This versatility is also increased by the possibility of choosing between 700c (from a width of 30mm) and 650B sizes. In short, the right choice between wheel size and type of tyre can make this wheel model very fast on asphalt or unstoppable on the most demanding off-road terrain; in fact, it is among the ASTM 2 category wheels.

Technical specifications

• Tyre type: 2-Way Fit Ready (for clincher and tubeless ready)
• Rim diameter: 700c
• Discipline: B-ROAD (Gravel)
• ASTM category: 2
• Rim material: Aluminium (6082, T6 Pre-aged), R2 milling
• Profile height: low
• Rim height: front and rear 24 mm
• Rim width: 29 mm
• Inner rim width: 24 mm
• Tyre width: 30 to 46 mm (28")
• Braking system: disc brake
• Brakes: AFS
• Front axle compatibility: HH12-100
• Rear axle compatibility: HH12-142
• Front spokes: 24
• Rear spokes: 24
• Spokes material: stainless steel - double thickness
• Spokes profile: rounded, straight head
• Nipples: aluminium
• Front hub: aluminium, Oversized flange
• Rear hub: aluminium, Oversized flange
• Bearings: cone & cup system
• Other: reflective graphics, aluminium axle
• Weight limit: 120 kg (rider system, bike, equipment and luggage)
• Included: 2 tubeless valves, AFS centrelock ferrules, pre-installed tubeless tape
• Real pair weight: 1885g (with tubeless tape applied)

Useful documentation:

• Here you will find product catalogues, User Manuals, Technical Manuals, Video Tutorials and annual Spare Parts Catalogues.
• Here you will find the Fulcrum codes used to transform the specifications of a wheel.
• Here you will find the Fulcrum codes for the valve kits of each 2Way-Fit or 2Way-Fit Ready wheel.

Technologies

RDB™ Rim Dynamic Balance
The concept is as simple as it is ingenious: balance the mass of the rim joint with a mass of equal value positioned exactly on the opposite side. In top-of-the-range models, this is achieved by machining the rim section opposite the joint. In entry-level models, on the other hand, Dynamic Balance™ is achieved thanks to two oversized spokes located in the section opposite the joint, resulting in a perfectly balanced bdc wheel during rotation dynamics.

2:1 TWO-TO-ONE Spoke Ratio™ - Disc brake
A simple but effective system, born thanks to the ingenuity of Fulcrum® technicians and careful observation of the results of the tests carried out every day on Fulcrum wheels (wheels for racing bikes, MTBs, and cyclocross bikes). Thanks to these, in fact, it has been possible to understand that the forces acting on the sides of the wheel and therefore on the spokes are extremely different; but that's not all, even between the front and rear wheel the differences are evident and important. The front wheel, in fact, must remain stable even during braking of the disc on the left side while the rear wheel, in addition to making room for the sprocket set, must compensate for the pull of the force on the chain side.

F.I.C. Fulcrum identification card - 100% handmade quality
Since its inception, Fulcrum has been distinguished by a characteristic that continues to this day: designing, prototyping and industrialising all types of wheels marked with a red "F", whether they are wheels for racing bikes, MTB wheels, cyclocross wheels or for triathlon competitions. These, in fact, take shape within the innovative R&D, the advanced department that is the beating heart of the Italian company. Every single component of the wheels, the materials chosen and the technologies applied are the tangible result of the effort Fulcrum® makes every day to give you maximum performance and reliability.

AFS axle system™
The Axial Fixing System™ is the solution developed by Fulcrum® for fixing the disc brake to the hub. The constraint conferred by the fixing surface, which is greater than in the already known standards, makes it possible to achieve greater structural rigidity and therefore more precise and powerful braking. The availability of the International Standard option, however, ensures full compatibility of Fulcrum® wheels even with the most widespread braking systems that adopt this mounting plan.

Wide rim tech
The Fulcrum® R&D department, following requests from the race courses, has worked to create rims that are about 4 mm wider than in the past. This technical choice makes it possible to offer the ideal base for 25/28mm tyres, the preferred size nowadays. This ensures stability, excellent handling and superior comfort.

Cup & Cone
The Cup & Cone bearing differs from classic cartridge bearings in that it works perfectly in line with the forces in play, weight and thrust coming from the frame, as the balls run on a raceway positioned in direct opposition to these forces. The adjustment ring allows the bearing to be preloaded, so the axial tolerance can be eliminated, providing optimum adjustment once the wheel is fixed to the frame.

High-strength aluminium
A special aluminium: the best performing aluminium wheels require a careful choice of materials: Fulcrum® R&D uses only the best 6082 aluminium alloy with a T-6 pre-ageing treatment that stabilises the alloy and allows durability and reliability at the highest level. Aluminium 6082 is 6000 series alloy with the highest strength, has replaced 6061 in many applications and is generally used in high-stress applications.

Monoblock hub for disc
The rear hub in a top disc brake wheel represents a technical problem to be solved. The Fulcrum® R&D department was faced with a fundamental choice: which side to put the oversize flange with the Two-to-one™ system on? Disc side or cassette side? No doubt, it must remain on the cassette side. A special one-piece system with internal stiffening ribs was developed to combat the loss of braking power in flexing and torsion of the connecting tube between the two sides of the hub. The result achieved is maximum transmission of drive torque while pedalling and of forces from the disc on the opposite side during braking. In this way the Two-to-one™ system works both during acceleration and braking, when the spokes with greater camber intervene. At the same time the opposite side confirms the radial arrangement of the spokes, saving valuable weight.

Specific nipple and nipple seat
7% more reliable. Such a small and yet such an important part, nipples and their seat are one of the most important topics in the design of a wheel. During the development of the new Fulcrum E-Mtb rims, a great deal of work was done on this aspect, the seat was redesigned and now makes it possible to completely eliminate nipple fatigue work. Thanks to a special housing, with lateral invitations on both sides, the nipple fits on a stable base, perfectly in position, oriented towards the spoke. As a result, the distribution of stresses in the rim is much more uniform, creating perceptible benefits in terms of fatigue life and stiffness: misalignments under stress and consequent deformation of the structure are avoided.