FFWD F4R Carbon Clincher Wheelset 45mm Campagnolo

Fast Forward F4R Full Carbon Clincher Road Wheelset

Fast Forward full carbon clincher wheels come equipped with 45 mm deep rims and high quality FFWD hubs. The FFWD Full Carbon Clincher (FCC) wheels have been thoroughly tested in all areas of road cycling. With field-testing on different terrains and lab tests for brake performance, the FFWD FCC have proven to be strong and durable. Both F2R FCC and F4R FCC are strong wheels that are technically able to handle riders over 100kg.

Carbon

FFWD use High-Tensile TC-35 carbon for the majority of the lay-up. This gives the rim a very high strength with sufficient stiffness to cope with hard application of the wheels. So, rather than use a stiffer, but more brittle carbon type, FFWD chose durability over ultimate stiffness. In some lay-ups higher modulus sheets have been added to increase stiffness locally.

FFWD actually use multiple layers of different types of carbon. Only the outer layer is made from a 3K weave. Underneath this layer are layers of UDF (Uni-Directional Fiber) sheets. A mixture of different angles are used to resemble a uniform material. Because carbon fiber can handle tension very well, we have to mix up the layers to make the rim stiff and strong enough. Pressure is not a great feature of a fiber. Just think of a string being pushed. But when mixed correctly, the different angles interconnect through the resin to make it resistant to all kinds of forces. The 3K has a slightly lower stiffness/weight ratio than UDF (Uni-Directional Fiber) sheets of equal fibers, but it makes up by giving the rims a bombproof feature. Why? Because when a strand (or multiple) gets cut in UDF, by crashing for instance, the sheet is compromised and the tear will expand through a larger part of the sheet at continuous workload. A weave will stop the tear because it is intervened by the crossing layer of strands. Although it is not advised to ride with a 'hole' in your rims, situations can occur where you might not know of a damaged rim or it is not an option to stop right away. With FFWD FCC rims you have the extra safety of the 3K weave to get you home.

Ecom

All FFWD rims are molded with a process called Ecom (Equal Compression). This means that the rims are molded with a custom-made air bag that has the inner shape of the rim. This makes sure that the pressure/compression is equal on the entire inner surface of the rim. The result is a practically void less rim section and a smooth wall on the inside of the rim. Without voids, the carbon sheets are completely fused into one system. The rim structure is far superior and can be made lighter and stronger.