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Old 08-19-08 | 06:43 PM
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waterrockets
Making a kilometer blurry
 
Joined: May 2006
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From: Austin (near TX)

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Yeah, reviews from owners can be helpful. A lot of them are biased since they spent their money already though.

I prefer the lacing pattern of the Fulrums for the rear. Triplet (2:1) means there are more spokes supporting the higher stressed portion of the wheel (drive-side), and the NDS spokes will have twice as much tension.

That said, the Eastons have a slightly deeper cross-section (30mm vs. 24mm), so they gain some strength there. I still think the Fulcrum has a better shot at durability, but it will ultimately come down to the attention of the guy or gal who tensioned the wheel.

The Fulcrums have straight-gauge spokes, vs. double-butted on the Easton, so that's a point in the Easton's favor, and probably accounts for the weight difference.

One note on the weight difference, WeightWeenies lists the Eastons at 1842g, so that's essentially the same as the Fulcrums. There's no listing for the Fulcrum 7s though.

For aerodynamics, the very slight edge would go to the Eastons with thinner spokes and taller rims.

It's a tough call. I'll bet the hubs in the Fulcrums are a bit better, given the Campagnolo lineage, and I do prefer their lacing pattern. Easton's a bit more aero, and might be as durable with the deeper rims. There's no excusing straight gauge spokes, so that almost offsets the lacing pattern advantage in my opinion, though it won't hurt the durabilty too much (double butted/thinner spokes are more durable).

Does that cloud it well enough for you?
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