Shimano update Dura-Ace wheels and pedals

• Monday, 28 June 2010
• Nick Rearden
• 1 Comments

New from October will be this 35mm deep Dura-Ace 7900 carbon clincher wheel. A little more aero than the existing 24mm wheel and a little lighter than the 50mm at 1,627g per pair.

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Shimano are introducing an all-new 35mm carbon wheel set into their Dura-Ace range, as well as updating the hubs on the existing 24mm and 50mm wheels. There will also be a new carbon version of the Dura-Ace pedals.

The new 35mm wheels designated WH-7900-C35-x will be available in both tubular and clincher versions and include the latest Dura-Ace 7900 hubs which have nifty bearing adjustment without the need for cone spanners. The clincher versions which are a carbon/aluminium composite weigh 1,627g per set and will cost £1,200. The tubulars in all-carbon weigh 1,339g and will sell for £1,700. They will be available from mid-October.

The existing 24mm rims which come in either standard or 'tubeless'-compatible clincher format but no longer for 'tubs' will be available with the new hubs from November and reduce overall weight by about 20g or so. The new 50mm wheels will be later; next April 2011 and will still come in either clincher or tubular versions.

All the Dura-Ace wheels are built with 16 butted, bladed, stainless steel, straight-pull spokes in the front and 20 in the rear wheel and this carries over unchanged into the new range.

The bearing, axle and retention mechanism of the new PD-7900 pedal, available September, will be unchanged over the existing PD-7810 but the pedal body will be made of carbon composite resulting in a weight reduction of 30g to 248g and a price increase of £20 to £199.