Campagnolo introduce Bora One and Shamal Ultra disc brake wheels
Entry-level Campagnolo Scirocco rim brake wheels also updated
With Campagnolo finally entering the disc brake market, following the launch of hydraulic components compatible across six groupsets, the Italian firm has introduced two disc-ready wheelsets: the Bora One db and Shamal Ultra db 2WF.
These aren’t the first disc brake wheelsets to come from Campagnolo, with the Zondo db hoops unveiled last year, but the introduction of the Bora and Shamal wheels brings two all-new, high-end options to the table.
Meanwhile, the entry-level Scirocco wheelset has also been updated to sit alongside the revamped Centaur 11-speed groupset we’ve already brought you news of. We’ll bring you more on the Shamal Scirocco wheels a little further down the page – but first, let’s take a look at the Boras.
Campagnolo have introduced the Bora One disc brake wheelset
Bora gets the disc brake treatment
If you’re not familiar with the Bora name, it has been Campagnolo’s flagship wheelset since 1994. Back then, Campagnolo say the Bora weighed 200g less than any other complete wheelset on the market and it has represented the pinnacle of Campag’s wheel technology ever since.
While the Shamal and Zonda disc brake wheels have an aluminium rim, the Boras are pitched firmly at the top-end and have a carbon fibre rim as a result.
Campagnolo say these wheels have been designed from the ground-up, so rather than lacing a disc-specific hub to the existing rim, it’s an all-new wheelset. That said, the Bora One db wheelset retains the same 24.2mm internal rim width (designed to be paired with 25mm or 28mm tyres) as the existing Bora One, and is available in 35mm (tubular and clincher) and 50mm (tubular only) depths.
As a result, Campagnolo say the disc brake wheel offers extremely similar aerodynamic performance to the rim brake option, but particular attention has been paid to the carbon layup when giving the Bora the disc treatment.
Campagnolo claim up to 16 different types of carbon fibre are used in the rim brake Bora, but some of those can be removed with the disc version as there is no rim-wearing friction to contend with between the brake track and brake pad. That takes some weight out of the rim but, all things considered, the disc brake wheels are around 100g heavier than their rim brake counterparts.
The Campagnolo Bora One 35 wheels are designed to be light enough for climbing, while throwing an aerodynamic benefit into the mix
Campagnolo has also adapted the Bora’s G3 spoke pattern, which essentially groups the spokes up into threes, to cope with the asymmetric braking forces served up by disc brakes at both end of the bike.
That means the G3 pattern is now used on the front wheel, as well as the rear, with two spokes in each group of three laced into the same side of the hub as the rotor, and one into the opposite side. On the rear wheel, where the G3 spoke pattern is typically used, you’ll see two spokes laced into the driveside and one into the rotor side.
Campagnolo say this layout is designed to cope with the varying forces across the bike, with 16 spokes in total on the front wheel and 24 on the rear. Otherwise, the wheels continue to use Campag’s MoMag technology, which eliminates the need to drill holes in the spoke bed. Instead, the nipples are inserted through the valve hole and dragged into position by a magnet in a design said to preserve the structural integrity of the rim.
Campagnolo’s Rim Dynamic Balance technology also carries over. Basically, it’s a counterweight built into the structure of the rim opposite the valve hole, designed to offer additional high-speed stability.
Finally, the wheels spin on an aluminium hub with Campagnolo’s USB ceramic bearings. Campagnolo have opted for 12mm thru-axles at the front and rear, though quick release adapters will be available.
Campagnolo Bora One db disc brake wheelset (Pic: Campagnolo)
Campagnolo Bora One db disc brake wheelset (Pic: Campagnolo)
Campagnolo Bora One db disc brake wheelset (Pic: Campagnolo)
Pricing, weights and availability
Campagnolo Bora One 35 db (tubular) Price: £1,615.92 Weight: 1,297g Available from: May
Campagnolo Bora One 35 db (clincher) Price: £1,812.98 Weight: 1,509g Available from: July
Campagnolo Bora One 50 db (tubular) Price: £1,615.92 Weight: 1,364g Available from: May
Like the Bora, the Shamal’s rim is designed for use with 25mm and 28mm tyres, so this time you get a 17mm internal rim width, which is 27mm deep at the front and 30mm deep at the rear.
These wheels are part of Campagnolo’s 2WF – or 2-Way Fit – range, which means they’re tubeless-ready out of the box. The Shamals use Campag’s MoMag technology so there are no holes in the rim, meaning there’s no need for tubeless rim tape. You just need a tubeless valve.
The Shamal is another of Campagnolo’s existing wheelsets to get a disc brake makeover
As is the case with the Bora disc brake hoops, the Shamal hoops incorporate Campagnolo’s G3 spoke pattern into the front wheel to cope with the additional torque applied by the disc brake rotor. Both wheels have 21 spokes.
While the front hub has a carbon hub with alloy flanges, the rear hub needs to be all-alloy in order to cope with the forces from both the drivetrain and disc brake. Both hubs spin on ceramic bearings and have 12mm thru-axles.
Campagnolo Shamal Ultra db 2WF (tubeless-ready clincher) Price: £1,105.83 Weight: 1,540g Available from: September
Scirocco rim brake wheels updated
While the Bora wheels are pitched at Super Record level and the Shamal hoops sit a tier below in line with Campagnolo’s Record groupset, the updated Scirocco wheelset is pegged with the new Centaur gruppo.
If you missed the news, Centaur has been reintroduced as an 11-speed, entry-level setup, meaning Campag groupsets are 11-speed from top to bottom.
While the Bora and Shamal hoops are pitched at the high-end, these Scirocco wheels are decidedly more affordable
This is a rim brake wheelset with an internal width of 17mm – again, it’s designed for use with 25mm and 28mm tyres – and a depth of 35mm. That’s a little deeper than many aluminium wheelsets – something which Campagnolo say adds a little exta rigidity and boosts aerodynamic performance.
The rear wheel uses Campag’s G3 spoke pattern and both hubs are made from aluminium, spinning on steel bearings.
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