Fulcrum Racing Zero C17 2-Way Fit Rim Brake Wheelset

$1,225⁰⁰

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Color

Black

Compatibility

Campagnolo HG11 (Shimano / SRAM 11s)

The Fulcrum Racing Zero C17 2-Way Fit Rim Brake Wheelset typically ships in 5-8 business days

Fulcrum Racing | SKU: R0-22FR2WC | Option: Black, Campagnolo

This product is HSA / FSA eligible

Pickup available at RA Cycles - Brooklyn

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Fulcrum Racing Zero C17 2-Way Fit Rim Brake Wheelset Info

The Fulcrum Racing Zero C17 2-Way Fit Rim Brake Wheelset is Fulcrum's flagship aluminum road wheel, built for riders who still run rim brakes but don't want to give up modern tire flexibility. The "C17" in the name refers to a 17mm internal rim channel width under the ETRTO standard, a spec Fulcrum tuned for this generation of the Racing Zero to support both clincher and tubeless setups through its 2-Way Fit design. Tire compatibility runs from 23mm up to 47mm, which is a wide enough range to cover a race-day 25mm clincher or a wider tubeless tire for rougher roads.

The rim itself is triple-milled 6082 T6 pre-aged aluminum, finished with Fulcrum's square milling process and a differentiated rim height — 27mm up front and 30mm at the rear. That front-to-rear split lets Fulcrum balance weight and aerodynamics differently for each wheel rather than running identical shallow profiles on both. At 22.5mm wide externally, the rim keeps the wheel low-profile and light rather than chasing aero depth, which fits its role as a wheel built for handling and efficient power transfer over sheer top-end speed. The braking surface is turned aluminum, built specifically for caliper rim brakes rather than disc.

Fulcrum builds the wheelset with its 2:1 Two-to-One spoke lacing at the rear — 14 spokes on the drive side paired with 7 on the non-drive side, compared to a conventional 16-spoke front wheel laced 8 and 8. The spokes themselves are aluminum with an aero, straight-pull profile. That lacing pattern is designed to even out spoke tension between the drive and non-drive sides of the rear wheel, which Fulcrum uses to keep the wheel true and efficient under hard pedaling loads rather than just adding spokes for stiffness.

Rolling resistance comes down to the hubs, and here the Racing Zero pairs a carbon front hub with an aluminum rear hub, both built with oversized aluminum flanges. USB Ceramic Ultra Smooth Bearings run on an adjustable cup-and-cone system rather than sealed cartridge bearings, which means the bearing preload can be serviced and re-tightened over the life of the wheel instead of replaced outright. The freehub body is plasma-treated for durability, and the wheelset ships configured for either HG (Shimano/SRAM 11-speed) or Campagnolo drivetrains, so compatibility depends on which build you're pairing it with.

At 1,490 grams for the set, this is a genuinely light aluminum wheelset, especially for a build that still runs quick-release axles and rim brakes. That combination of low weight and Fulcrum's tuned spoke geometry gives the Racing Zero a reputation for responsiveness on climbs and out-of-the-saddle accelerations, without the compliance tradeoffs some wheels make to hit a weight target. It's a natural fit for riders upgrading an existing rim-brake road bike who want a meaningful step up in wheel performance without switching to disc brakes, or for anyone who wants tubeless tire compatibility on a bike that predates the tubeless-ready wheel standard.

The RA Perspective

The Racing Zero C17 is one of the better arguments we have for not rushing a perfectly good rim-brake bike into retirement. It's an aluminum wheelset that still gets tubeless compatibility and a genuinely low weight, which used to be the exclusive territory of much more expensive carbon wheels.

Where this wheel earns its reputation is in how it feels under hard efforts. The Two-to-One spoke lacing at the rear keeps the wheel tracking true even when you're standing up and mashing on a climb, and the low 1,490-gram weight makes accelerations feel immediate rather than sluggish. It's not an aero wheel — the 27mm front and 30mm rear profiles are shallow by design — so don't expect the same wind-cheating feel you'd get from a deeper carbon rim.

Worth knowing before you buy: this is strictly a rim brake wheelset built for caliper brakes, and it comes in either HG or Campagnolo freehub configurations, so you'll want to confirm which one matches your groupset before ordering. The cup-and-cone bearing system also means it benefits from periodic adjustment rather than being a fully sealed, ignore-it-forever hub — not a downside exactly, just a different maintenance rhythm than cartridge bearings.

We'd point this wheel toward riders with an existing rim-brake road bike who want a real upgrade in ride feel and tire flexibility without a full disc-brake conversion. For that rider, it's hard to beat at this price.