Syncros, the component brand of Scott, has launched a new carbon wheelset range. The top-tier rims and spokes are fabricated as one piece leading to a claimed weight of 1,170g for the 40mm profile Capital SL wheelset despite a 25mm internal rim width, and 1,290g for the 60mm section Capital SL Aero, which uses a differential internal rim width of 23/25mm front/rear.
The innovation doesn’t stop there: Syncros has collaborated with Schwalbe to produce a tyre specifically designed to work with the new wheels, aerodynamically and in terms of rolling resistance. The Schwalbe Pro One Aero tyres have a 28mm stated width and Schwalbe claims 22 per cent lower aerodynamic resistance and better puncture protection than its Pro One TT tyres.
There are two slightly heavier Syncros Capital wheel ranges with conventional spoking available as well.
Monocoque design
The Syncros Capital SL wheels are built as a single piece, with the carbon rims and spokes co-moulded. They use a patented pre-straining process, which Syncros says results in a precisely defined spoke tension. It also claims that its carbon spokes are 35 per cent stronger than steel ones.
The wheels have 16 co-moulded carbon spokes front and rear and a hookless bead. The 40mm depth wheelset has a 25mm internal rim width front and rear, whereas the 60mm depth wheels have differential 23mm front and 25mm rear rim internal widths.
The spokes run across the diameter of the wheel, rather than being separately anchored at the hub, an approach also used by Mavic in its Cosmic Ultimate 45 Disc wheelset and the iconic Lightweight wheelsets including the Meilenstein and Wegweiser C Disc. Syncros says that it’s removed the carbon hub shell which was used in its previous Silverton SL monocoque design, which results in fewer parts, lower weight and a smaller hub flange diameter, which improves aerodynamics.
Syncros says that its process results in a lighter, stronger and more responsive wheelset that it claims has 20 percent lower rotational inertia than competitors, resulting in faster acceleration and cornering and better handling. Syncros also claims 7 percent drag savings.
The hub internals are custom DT Swiss 240, with a Shimano 11-speed or SRAM XDR freehub and the lightweight DT Swiss EXP ratchet. Quoted weights are with the XDR freehub.
Hookless beads
Syncros has also adopted a hookless bead design. As with brands such as Zipp and Enve, it’s found that this results in a smoother transition at the wheel-tyre interface, reducing drag. It also says that the rim can be made stronger and lighter while increasing impact protection.
Alongside the new Capital SL wheelset, Syncros has also launched the conventionally spoked Capital 1.0s and Capital 1.0 wheels with similar rim profiles. Both have 24 spokes front and rear, but whereas the 1.0s wheels have DT Swiss spokes and hub internals, the 1.0 wheels have Syncros own-brand spokes and hub parts.
Syncros hasn’t provided prices for the new wheels, which will see action in the Tour de France Stage 16 time trial tomorrow with its sponsored DSM-Firmenich pro team.
Designed as a wheel-tyre system with new Schwalbe Pro One Aero tyres
Syncros says that its design process looked at the wheels and tyres as an entity, working with Schwalbe to develop tyres to add to the aerodynamic efficiency and lower rolling resistance.
The Schwalbe Pro One Aero 28mm tyres are different front and rear, with different profile widths and tread thicknesses and are hookless rim compatible.
Syncros’ testing found that wider tyres offered an improvement in rolling resistance due to increased sail area. The effect was particularly pronounced for the front wheel, which is the first part of the bike to hit the wind, whereas the rear wheel is more affected by leg movement and the interaction with the bike frame.
That influenced the tyre specs, with the Schwalbe Pro One Aero front tyre designed to adopt a more aero profile, while the rear tyre is designed more for low rolling resistance.
Schwalbe says that the Pro One Aero front tyre is optimised for internal rim widths of 23mm to 25mm. Although its stated size is 28mm, it measures between 27.5mm and 28.5mm actual width when mounted. The tread is 0.8mm thick, which Schwalbe says helps to reduce rolling resistance.
The rear tyre comes up wider at 29.5mm to 30.5mm and has a 1.2mm tread thickness to add extra durability.
Schwalbe claims that the new tyres offer 22 percent lower aerodynamic resistance than its current Pro One TT tyre in the same width. There’s a 5 percent increase in rolling resistance, which Schwalbe attributes to the improved puncture protection in the new tyres over the Pro One TT.
Schwalbe isn’t the only tyre brand to add extra puncture protection to its lightest tyres. The latest Continental GP5000 TT TR tyres also add a puncture protection belt, with Conti pointing out that you’re not going to get a PB in a time-trial if your tyre flats.
Developing wheels and tyres together to improve performance is an approach that was also followed by Cadex with its latest 1,349g 50 Ultra Disc wheelset.
As with the Syncros Capital wheelsets, we’ve not got prices available for the Schwalbe tyres yet.
Syncros Capital wheelset specs
Syncros Capital SL wheelset
- Rim depth: 40mm
- Rim internal width: 25mm
- Hub internals: DT Swiss EXP 240 custom
- Front wheel weight: 540g
- Rear wheel weight: 630g
- Wheelset weight: 1,170g
Syncros Capital SL Aero wheelset
- Rim depth: 60mm
- Rim internal width: 23mm F/25mm R
- Hub internals: DT Swiss EXP 240 custom
- Front wheel weight: 590g
- Rear wheel weight: 700g
- Wheelset weight: 1,290g
Syncros Capital 1.0s wheelset
- Rim depth: 40mm
- Rim internal width: 25mm
- Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolight, 24 F, 24 R
- Hub internals: DT Swiss EXP 240s
- Front wheel weight: 620g
- Rear wheel weight: 715g
- Wheelset weight: 1,335g
Syncros Capital 1.0s Aero wheelset
- Rim depth: 60mm
- Rim internal width: 23mm F, 25mm R
- Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolight, 24 F, 24 R
- Hub internals: DT Swiss EXP 240s
- Front wheel weight: 690g
- Rear wheel weight: 820g
- Wheelset weight: 1,510g
Syncros Capital 1.0 wheelset
- Rim depth: 40mm
- Rim internal width: 25mm
- Spokes: Syncros, 24 F, 24 R
- Hub internals: Syncros
- Front wheel weight: 660g
- Rear wheel weight: 820g
- Wheelset weight: 1,480g
Syncros Capital 1.0 Aero wheelset
- Rim depth: 60mm
- Rim internal width: 23mm F, 25mm R
- Spokes: Syncros, 24 F, 24 R
- Hub internals: Syncros
- Front wheel weight: 740g
- Rear wheel weight: 890g
- Wheelset weight: 1,630g