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SCIENCE OF SPEED

Science of Speed Wheel performance is determined by three factors: aerodynamics, rigidity, and weight. The new Shimano Road wheel collection optimizes the balance of those characteristics based on specific applications like climbing, all-round performance, or high-speed scenarios. Wheels unlike any other. One pedal stroke, and you’re off.

SCIENCE OF SPEED

Science of Speed Wheel performance is determined by three factors: aerodynamics, rigidity, and weight. The new Shimano Road wheel collection optimizes the balance of those characteristics based on specific applications like climbing, all-round performance, or high-speed scenarios. Wheels unlike any other. One pedal stroke, and you’re off.

Decomposition of acceleration performance

To develop a wheel that advances crisply, responding to the rider’s pedaling force, that is, a wheel with excellent acceleration performance, we made efforts to achieve two elements: improvement of drive rigidity and reduction of energy required for acceleration.

Drive rigidity

We succeeded in dramatically increasing the drive rigidity compared to that of a conventional model.
Compared to the conventional product C40-TL, the drive rigidity has improved by 63% on C36-TL, by 69% on C50-TL, and surprisingly by 89% on C60-HR-TL (high-rigidity specification).

Decrease of energy required for acceleration

Compared to the conventional product C40-TL, the energy required for acceleration has been reduced by 12% on C36-TL, by 10% on C50-TL, and by 6% on C60-HR-TL.

Energy required to accelerate the wheel from 35 to 45 km/h in 7 seconds

[Calculation conditions]
Rider + bike weight without wheels 80 kg
Wheel weight varies with each model.

Once you’re rolling, you’ll never want to stop

Once you’re rolling, you’ll never want to stop

Aerodynamics Decrease of air resistance and rotation resistance

Cycling is a battle against all kinds of resistance: the wheel against gravity and aerodynamic drag, and the hub internals against rolling resistance. We reduced resistance at every opportunity, so once you’re at speed, you’ll never want to stop.

Once you’re rolling, you’ll never want to stop

Once you’re rolling, you’ll never want to stop

Aerodynamics Decrease of air resistance and rotation resistance

Cycling is a battle against all kinds of resistance: the wheel against gravity and aerodynamic drag, and the hub internals against rolling resistance. We reduced resistance at every opportunity, so once you’re at speed, you’ll never want to stop.

Aerodynamics

Compared to the conventional product C40-TL, air resistance has been reduced at all yaw angles on C36-TL, which has about the same rim height. In the conversion method that considers the direction of the winds received under actual running conditions*, the drag has been reduced by about 3 W.
Of course, air resistance has been further reduced on both C50-TL and C60-HR-TL.

 

* Calculated by weighted averaging the air resistance values measured in wind tunnel tests with the wind direction ratio of the winds received during running. The wind direction ratio is obtained by actually measuring, with an ultrasonic anemometer, the direction of the winds received by a rider when traveling at a speed of around 48 km/h in an environment with a wind velocity of 3 to 5 m/s.

[Measurement conditions (Graph for wind tunnel tests)]
Value of air resistance generated at the front wheel alone
Wind velocity/wheel rotation speed: 48 km/h
Tire: Schwalbe Pro One TLE 25c

Rotational resistance

While ensuring strength and durability based on Shimano’s strict standards, we have reduced rotational resistance by 64% or more in any speed range.

[Measurement conditions]
Measured with Shimano’s original rotational resistance measuring machine
The values of rotational resistance measured on the front and rear hubs were added.
Driving rotation: -64% @ 10 km/h, -65% @ 50 km/h, -67% @ 100 km/h

Winning wheel options

Performance and the tools you need to achieve it are moving targets.
Depending on the rider, the course, and the conditions, the equipment needed to win can vary widely. We have come up with three characteristic types of winning wheels.

C36
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C36

Focus on Climbing

A lightweight model for mountain stages and climbers. Assuming an attack on a mountain stage, we have reduced not only the overall weight but also the outer circumference weight to ensure a sharp acceleration.

A lightweight model for climbers, designed for a mountain stage where many attacks take place.
The model was designed with the aim to run faster on mountain stages. In its design process, however, we avoided blindly reducing the overall weight. Instead, we focused on determining an optimum driving rigidity that ensures effective transfer of pedaling force to driving force and on reducing outer circumference weight, which leads to sharp acceleration.
These days, many mountain stages have technical descents. The race situation often dramatically changes starting with such a descent. The 36 mm height is the result of searching for a good balance among the elements required for running fast. We aimed not to sacrifice aerodynamics while concurrently ensuring the necessary level of lateral rigidity so that the rider can easily manage downhills, which can reach speeds up to 100 km/h.
C36 is a wheel for all riders who love climbing.

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C50
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C50

All-rounder

An all-round model that focuses on classic races with intense up-and-down and solo escapes.

Fast, easy to handle, and light. A versatile model that has aerodynamic performance comparable to that of C60 but can also easily climb slopes with a weight close to that of C36.
Focusing on races with intense ups and downs, the model was designed to offer riders an advantage in various situations that are directly linked to victory or defeat. Such situations include a powerful attack on a short steep slope, a technical downhill with many corners, and escaping from opponents.
C50 is the best all-round wheel in Shimano’s history, our recommendation for all riders.

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C60-HR
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C60-HR

For high speed and powerful riders

A model that focuses on high-speed riding required for situations such as sprints and positioning for a sprint, as well as time trials.Many riders who excel on flat roads tend to have higher output power. Since this model is designed to be stiffer and has higher rigidity than the other two models, it can withstand those high powers.

A model that focuses on high-speed riding required for situations such as sprints and positioning for a sprint, as well as flat high-speed stages.
As a result of pursuing aerodynamics, we have succeeded in greatly reducing air resistance.
Meanwhile, it was found by tests conducted with a professional team that many riders who are good at sprints or on flat tracks output relatively high power and require higher rigidity. To withstand such high power and dynamic body movement and effectively transfer the power to driving force, this model has been specifically designed with high rigidity, incorporating specifications different from those of the other two models.
C60-HR is the fastest wheel in Shimano’s history, recommended for speedsters and powerful riders.

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What is HR, and why?

In the initial stages of testing with the professional team, sprinters and high-power riders commented that more rigidity is better for them. Accordingly, we created multiple prototypes under three different parameters: lateral rigidity, vertical rigidity, and drive rigidity. Then, we asked the riders to evaluate them, and we discovered two things. One is that sprinters, who often swing their bikes from side to side while struggling to move forward, prefer the front wheel to have high lateral rigidity. The other is that powerful riders, who can instantly produce an output power easily exceeding 1,500 W, require their bikes to have a high level of drive rigidity to withstand the power and convert it without loss of driving force. To satisfy these two conditions, C60 was developed as an HR (high rigidity) version, featuring specially designed hubs and spokes.

C36
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C36

Focus on Climbing
C50
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C50

All-rounder
C60
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C60

For high speed

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