Fulcrum Racing 5 Review

Fulcrum racing 5 Fulcrum Racing 5 Review

The Fulcrum Racing 5 is one of the entry level wheelsets from Fulcrum, along with the Fulcrum Racing 7. The Racing 5 wheelset is a step up from the Racing 7, but like them, the name is a little misleading. Don’t get me wrong, these are fine wheels, and at $440 they are certainly very affordable. But ‘Racing’? Maybe not. Sure, you are getting a good quality aluminum wheel that looks good and has all the specifications you would expect – but at 1760 grams these are a little too heavy for racing.

You do get Fulcrum’s innovative wheel-balancing technology on the Racing 5 wheelset. Look for Fulcrum’s patented 2:1 Two-to-One™ Spoke Ratio on the rear wheel, and their clever Dynamic Balance™ that uses two oversized spokes to balance rear wheel rotation. Very clever, and best of all like all the Fulcrum wheelsets, they look great.

Road Test

Once the Fulcrum Racing 5s were on the bike I had to take a step back and enjoy the view. Fulcrum wheelsets are eye-catching. It’s a shame you can’t see them when you ride. Out on a group road ride the Fulcrum Racing 5 was pretty much everything I expected. They rolled nicely, stayed stable on descents and rough sections of road, but felt a but sluggish uphill. Pretty much a typical performance form a wheelset that costs less than $500- reliable and respectable, but not spectacular.

When I really asked the Fulcrum racing 5 to perform though, I was reminded why these really aren’t race wheels. Putting the power on in a sprint to the bakery, there was a noticeable flex under my 200 pound plus frame. I had to take a look to see if all the spokes were intact – and they were – but there was definitely some flexion and a consequent loss of power. We did swap the wheels over to let a lighter rider try, and under a comparable effort he didn’t notice any flex. The conclusion? These are a better wheel under a lighter rider.

Conclusion

The Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset is what you’d expect from a wheelset in this price range. It is smooth, sturdy, and looks good. They aren’t stiff enough to carry a heavier rider through a real race effort, but a lighter rider lining up at the start line for their first race ought to be quite happy with them. As a training wheelset they are good value for light riders, but heavier riders should look for a stiffer wheel like the Mavic Ksyium Equipe.