Fulcrum Racing 4 DB wheelset

Fulcrum's Racing 4 DB wheelset has been updated to become a training/general purpose road wheel with a slight aerodynamic advantage. Not the lightest out there, but solid and durable, it should provide plenty of trouble-free miles, and the wider rim profile over its predecessor means it works better with wider tyres.

The inner rim width of this latest Racing 4 has been increased from 17mm to 19mm, which means they offer a smooth transition between rim and the sidewalls of a 25mm or 28mm tyre.

Coming fitted with tubeless rim tape, the 4 DBs are set up for tubeless tyres (valves included), or you can run them with standard clincher tyres and inner tubes.

I found fitting either type was surprisingly simple, with only thumb power needed to pop the last of the tyre's bead over the rim.

The tubeless tyres I tried popped easily into position with just the use of a standard track pump.

With rotors fitted using the included Center Lock lockrings and the cassette sliding smoothly into place on the freehub (other options are XDR and N3W), the Fulcrums were ready to ride within a matter of 10 minutes.

Out on the road I was very impressed with their stiffness. Hammering hard out of a bend or on the climbs there was no noticeable flex, and spoke tension was dialled in right from the start, as in there were no pinging or other noises from the spokes settling down.

Fulcrum has gone for an asymmetric rim, offsetting the spoke holes to increase the dishing (the angle of the spokes in relation to the hub) on the drive side for improved strength, which all helps.

It has also machined the rim bed between the spoke holes to drop a small amount of weight – which also gives the wheels a more expensive look, as do the laser etched graphics.

With 24 spokes front and rear there is plenty of strength in the build, and after thrashing around the rough country lanes over the last four weeks there has been no issue with them going out of true, and the bearings are still running smoothly after plenty of miles in the rain.

They have a 120kg weight limit for rider and bike together.

At 1,760g (including rim tape), the Racing 4 DBs aren't a bad weight considering the 34mm-deep aluminium alloy rim. They don't feel too shabby off the line, and keeping them spinning over rolling terrain is no big deal. The rim isn't quite deep enough to give a true aero advantage, but they still feel like a quick set of wheels when generally riding about.

The hubs ran smoothly on their sealed bearings, and if you are a fan of a stealthy freehub then you'll like the Racing 4 DBs as they are pretty much silent when freewheeling.

Value

At £449 the Racing 4 DBs are around the right sort of money when compared with the opposition.

They're cheaper than the Halo Devaura Disc RD2, which have a 31mm-deep rim and are the same width and practically the same weight. They've gone up to £599.98 since I tested them in 2020.

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Mavic's Cosmic Elite UST Disc wheels are slightly cheaper, with an RRP of £430, and have the same depth rim but are slightly narrower at 17mm. The weight is much higher, though, at 1,910g.

Scribe's Duty-D wheelset has gone up to £440 since I tested it last year. These also have 31mm-deep rims like the Halos, and are the same width. Weight is in the same ballpark as well at 1,790g including the fitted tape.

Conclusion

Overall, the Fulcrums are a decent set of wheels for the money. They are well built and their performance is good whatever the terrain. I also quite like the understated look of the graphics, too, as they'll suit any bike.

Verdict

Not the lightest or the cheapest, but solid and dependable for all aspects of road riding