Parcours Launch Their Fastest Ever Cycling Wheelsets
British-based cycling wheel brand Parcours yesterday unveiled three brand new high-performance wheel options, which the company says are their faster ever.
And that claim appears to be thoroughly backed up: the wheels are the result of a scientific research project conducted in association with Nottingham Trent University and Dr Steve Faulkner to improve aerodynamics and crosswind stability. We’ll get to the details of that further down.
The Wheels: Chrono, Chrono Max, and Disc2
The new Chrono wheelset (68.6mm front, 75.7mm rear) has been to designed to offer a fusion of speed and stability, which makes it a versatile choice across cycling disciplines. Parcours tell us they see their new offering as race day wheelset option for triathletes, time trialists, and road racers.
Maintaining the class-leading aerodynamics of the previous generation wheelset, the new iteration of the Chrono offers an improvement of over 17% in way of crosswind stability when compared with the previous model. Aerodynamically optimised around a 28mm tyre, the Chrono wheelset is also tubeless-ready and disc-brake specific to accompany a wider rim profile. They’re calling this “#thinkwider technology.” We’ll search the hashtag on Instagram later to check the ratio of wheelsets to Kardashian butts.
Offering maximum aerodynamic benefit while maintaining handling stability, the new Chrono Max (83.6mm deep) carries the crown of being the fastest ever front wheel produced by Parcours. Developed specifically for a 28mm tyre, the Chrono Max is also tubeless-ready and disc-brake specific. The Chrono Max claims to save over 4W versus Parcours’ previous generation front wheel. Thanks to the (ahem) #thinkwider technology, it also handles like a shallower rim profile, maintaining the handling stability of the older 77mm model despite the extra rim depth and increased straight-line speed. It’s about outright performance and speed, without any compromises.
Not enough wheels for you? Parcours has also launched the first ever full carbon rear disc wheel to be truly optimised for wide tyres, the new Disc2. With an internal rim width of 22.5mm, the Disc2 rear wheel can be run with a tyre up to 30mm wide with no aerodynamic penalty. The Disc2 saves over 120g in weight over the previous Parcours disc wheel, pairing an aerodynamic advantage with a light weight.
The Tech Specs
Chrono
| Rim Depth | 68.6mm / 75.7mm |
| Max Rim Width | 32.0mm / 30.5mm |
| Edge Rim Width | 30.0mm / 29.5mm |
| Internal Rim Width | 22.5mm |
| Front Weight | 745g |
| Rear Weight | 875g |
| Wheelset Weight | 1,620g |
| Spoke Model | Sapim CX-Ray |
| Spoke Count | 24 Front / 24 Rear |
| Lacing Pattern | 2 Cross Front & Rear |
Chrono Max
| Rim Depth | 83.6mm |
| Max Rim Width | 32.0mm |
| Edge Rim Width | 30.0mm |
| Internal Rim Width | 22.5mm |
| Weight | 805g |
| Spoke Model | Sapim CX-Ray |
| Spoke Count | 24 |
| Lacing Pattern | 2 Cross |
Disc2
| Rim Depth | Full Carbon Disc |
| Max Rim Width | 30.5mm |
| Edge Rim Width | 29.5mm |
| Internal Rim Width | 22.5mm |
| Rear Weight | 1,240g |
There, that should get us another backlink from WeightWeenies.
The Science
That’s the wheels. Now the science. And it’s good science: all three models have been designed from the ground up, developed following the results of an in-depth scientific study carried out by Parcours in association with the Sports Engineering department at Nottingham Trent University and Dr Steve Faulkner.
This revolutionary research showed that the Real World Yaw angles – the angle between a cyclist’s direction of motion and the relative wind vector – experienced by the front and rear wheel are consistently different by an average of 1.5 degrees, giving rise to the engineering of differential profiles for the front/rear rims.
This scientific analysis paired with intelligent engineering offers significant improvements. The front, U-shaped, blunt rim design provides optimal aerodynamics at the higher yaw angles observed at the front wheel, while having the added benefit of enhancing cross wind stability. The rear, V-shaped, sharper rim profile is used to optimise aerodynamics at the lower yaw angles it would experience.
Interview: Dov Tate, Parcours Founder
“We’re really excited to be launching our new Chrono, Chrono Max and Disc2 wheel line ups, bringing the fastest wheels we’ve ever ridden to market. This is the culmination of our biggest and most in-depth development project to date, bringing together a number of partnerships with leading names in both the academic and athletic worlds. We can’t wait to see how our riders get on this week in Kona on our #thinkwider wheels.”
Tried and Tested at the Elite Level
The new range is already tried and tested in elite level racing, with the Parcours athlete roster helping to provide feedback on the prototype models throughout the 2022 season. Parcours athlete and long distance professional triathlete from New Zealand, Kyle Smith, was the first rider into T2 at the IRONMAN World Championships in St. George, Utah, riding the new Chrono Max and Disc2.
Kyle said, “The new wheels have been absolutely amazing. The width of the rims make the ride super smooth and comfortable. Paired with a set of 28mm GP5000’s Tubeless, it makes the ride seamless. The confidence I have in them is unbeatable. I know I’m riding on the fastest wheels and that’s an amazing feeling. It’s an amazing thing to be able to trust the wheels when you rack them in transition too. Knowing that the build quality on the wheels, tubeless tyres and ceramic bearings is so good, it’s one thing I don’t need to worry about failing when I get out onto the bike.”
Pricing
With a lot of science behind them, you’d be forgiven for thinking the new Parcours Chrono, Chrono Max, and Disc2 would be expensive. In fact, it’s a comparatively inexpensive proposition, at least in the world of performance cycling. Here’s how they all line up:
Chrono (68/75mm): £1,199 / $1,599 / €1,559 for wheelset
Chrono Max (83mm): £600 / $800 / €780 for front wheel
Disc2: £1,049 / $1,399 / €1,359
Additionally, you can bundle the Disc2 with a Chrono front for £1,599 / $2,119 / €2,079, or with a Chrono Max front for £1,649 / $2,199 / €2,139.