Gear News

Campagnolo announces aero-optimised Bora WTO wheelsets

Bora WTO clincher/tubeless wheels measure 60mm deep and come with a claimed weight of 1,530g

Alongside launching its new flagship 12-speed Super Record and Record groupsets, Campagnolo has also announced two new aero Bora wheelsets as well as a redeveloped MyCampy app.

Firstly, let’s cover the wheels, which come as a 60mm wheelset, and a 77mm front hoop designed to be paired with a disc wheel for time trial specialists.

– First ride review: Campagnolo Record and Super Record 12-speed groupsets –

Both carry a new ‘WTO’ moniker, which stands for ‘Wind Tunnel Optimised’. Naturally, they’ve been tested in the wind tunnel, but we’re also told that despite this, they’re not about achieving the fastest numbers in that closed environment. Instead, according to Campagnolo, it’s about achieving optimum efficiency in the real world with a new “versatile aerodynamic design”.

Campagnolo’s all-new Bora WTO aero wheels are 60mm deep and come with a claimed weight of 1,530g (Pic: Ashley Quinlan/Factory Media)

“The wind’s effect is barely ever straightforward,” says Campagnolo man Joshua Riddle. “It’s the apparent wind [the result of wind and rider speed] that needs to be taken into account. After all, riders ride on the road, not in the wind tunnel.”

As a result, through CFD development and testing of prototypes in the wind tunnel, Campagnolo says it’s arrived at what it describes as “the most efficient aero structure on the market today.”

It’s not just bluster, though. According to the Italian brand, the new wheels have been tested against rivals with significantly better results at yaw angles of up to 20 degrees. Campagnolo remains cagey on who those rivals are, however.

The rim profile has also been developed to minimise pockets of air in the rim-tyre transition, reducing drag. The wheels are designed to run best with 25 or 28mm tyres, supported by a 19mm internal rim diameter and external measurement of 26.4mm.

Additionally, the wheels feature a new alloy aero hub that bows inwards along its length, while the spokes have a 3D profile with a diamond shape to apparently maintain efficiency in ever-changing wind directions. The spokes feature external nipples – Campagnolo’s reasoning for this is that this is a more efficient design thanks to its closed nature.

The wheels use a textured and serrated braking surface to improve stopping power and reliability (Pic: Ashley Quinlan/Factory Media)

Aero performance isn’t the only focus of the new wheels. Rolling resistance has been addressed, with the rims designed to support a tubeless and clincher tyre system – both found to be more efficient than a tubular tyre by Campagnolo. In fact, these are the first tubeless-ready carbon clincher wheels the brand has produced.

No rim tape is required thanks to the smooth rim bed arrived at using Campagnolo’s MoMag technology (once the spoke nipples are inserted inside the rim via the valve hole, they are guided to the spoke by a magnet), which removes the need for drilled holes, while the 60mm wheelset features USB ceramic bearings. The 77mm front wheel has upgraded Cult ceramic bearings for even smoother performance.

The 77mm-deep Bora WTO is available as a front wheel only (Pic: Ashley Quinlan/Factory Media)

Of course, weight has been addressed, too. Thanks to a carbon inner construction with a unidirectional carbon ‘skin’ for added strength, the Bora 60 WTO wheelset weighs 670g and 880g front and rear, for a complete weight of 1,530g. The 77 WTO front wheels comes in at a claimed 745g. That’s competitive against rivals from Zipp, Hed and DT Swiss.

The wheels will only be available in rim brake format, and they all boast Campagnolo’s serrated and textured AC3 braking surface as used on its existing Bora carbon wheelsets.

UK prices and arrival dates are TBC.

MyCampy 2.0 app

Meanwhile, Campagnolo has updated its MyCampy app, complete with new analytical tools that will help you to analyse component use and fatigue, as well as how you use those components.

For example, when using an electronic EPS groupset, it can now display what gear you’re in at any given moment during a ride, indicating both potential component lifespan as well as your riding efficiency, while also keeping track of the mileage your Campagnolo components have undergone.

Then, it can display warnings when components are due for replacement, as well as provide tips and short guides on maintenance. Campagnolo has also made a host of back-end updates, with the aim of making the app experience more enjoyable and intuitive.

MyCampy is available free on the iOS and Android app stores from April 2018.