Campagnolo’s premium carbon road wheel lineup gets a new ultralight addition with the new 1240g Hyperon Ultra wheelset. Using much of the same tech as the wind tunnel optimized aero Bora Ultra family, the re-emergence of the famous Hyperon name signals a returned interest in weight weenie gram-saving from the Italian component maker.
all photos c. Campagnolo
The bulk of Campagnolo’s wheel development in recent years has been their fastest-ever aero Bora WTO family, and then the Ultra wheels that took detailing to the next level… plus a little side-project in all-road wheels that evolved into full-fledged gravel supporting the Ekar group that’s given the brand a solid resurgence.
Now, Hyperon Ultra resets ultralightweight as a top priority, while incorporating all of Campagnolo’s best signature wheel technologies…
Tech details
The new Hyperon Ultra wheels feature a light but still aero 37mm deep full carbon asymmetric rim profile, with a 21mm internal hooked 2-Way-Fit tubeless bead (27mm external). The rim itself is made with Campy’s HULC (Handmade Ultra-Light Carbon) layup with UV-stable resin in a high-polished mold, and with spoke holes molded in (not drilled) for unbroken carbon fibers inside.
That means it requires no additional finishing (no paint, no clearcoat, no filler) out of the mold. The result is what Campagnolo calls their premium C-Lux finish, with the carbon wheels only adding subtle copper-colored decals.
The disc brake only Hyperon Ultra wheels are laced up on straight-pull hubs using a new Head-2-Bay total tension management system with spoke head washers at the hub to optimize power transfer and ensure optimal spoke loading.
At the rim they use Campy’s latest Aero Mo-Mag setup with hidden internal self-locking aluminum nipples resting on a reinforced polymer seat, but which still feature recessed tooling so they can be trued externally with a special spoke wrench.
That also means a smooth uninterrupted rim bed (no drilled spoke holes) for perfect, permanent tubeless setup withOUT tubeless rim tape, and as a result, easier tubeless tire installation.
The front wheels use a 2:1 lacing with a radial driveside & 2x star disc-side pattern for optimal tension balance on the 21 spokes. The rear wheel is 2x on both sides with symmetrical lacing for the 24 rear spokes. The wheels spin on top-tier, low-friction hybrid ceramic Campagnolo CULT (Ceramic Ultimate Level Technology) bearings with ceramic balls lubricated by synthetic oil over specially-treated stainless steel races.
The 12mm thru-axle hubs get AFS (centerlock) disc brake mounting and come standard with a new red Campy N3W Light freehub body compatible with 9-13sp cassettes and small cogs from 9-11T, plus Shimano HG11 & SRAM XDR bodies are available for weight weenies with non-Italian gruppos.
Campagnolo Hyperon Ultra road wheels – Pricing & availability
In the end, Campagnolo says their new lightweight Hyperon Ultra road wheels weigh just 1240g for the pair, that with a generous rider + bike weight limit of 115kg/254lb for such a light wheelset. Interestingly, with almost no other mention, Campagnolo notes that a tubular version is also available that weighs just 1160g, presumably to satisfy their pro racing holdouts.
The new wheels are available now, with a premium retail price of $4100 / 3650€, or about 10% more than the latest Bora Ultra WTO wheels were when they were introduced two years ago.
But who can put a pricetag on the build for your Italian dream bike?
