3T Accelero 40 Pro Wheels

 

Simon Whiten

 

Preview of the aero 3T Accelero 40 Pro Wheels

 

3T claim that the Accelero 40 Pro is the ‘first all-purpose wheel to offer a real aero benefit’.

 

At first glance you may think these are just another set of deep section, aluminium rimmed wheels of which we have a few in at present – the Fulcrum Racing Quattros, the Dura-Ace C35s, the Spada Brevo Forgiato, Rolf Prima Vigor – but get to grips with the 3T Acceleros and it’s immediately clear that these have a bit more to them than that – literally. To my knowledge they are quite simply the widest rimmed aluminium road racing wheels we have had in to date, some 23mm at the brake track.
 

 
That is significantly wider than either the Fulcrums or the Spadas, but just over two millimeters wider than the Dura-Ace C35s and only a single millimeter wider than the Rolf Prima Vigor wheels that Mark tested recently. That’s not much, but the real difference is in the rim profile, which is not like the V-shape of the other wheels, even the Vigor’s widened V-shape, but is much more of a fat and stubby, U-shape, mimicking that of the modern carbon, aero wheels that everyone is raving about. This fact on it’s own got us quite excited about the Acceleros.
 

 
The aluminium rim is not only broader than most of the competition, it’s also deeper at 37mm, close enough to 40 to justify 3T’s model designation. Most other aluminium wheels stay as close to a 30mm deep rim as possible in order to keep the weight down. 3T have been very brave here and, seeking true aero performance, have added a bit extra to get that perfect aero shape, ‘the same advanced aerodynamic R&D as our carbon-fiber Accelero and Mercurio wheels’.
 
3T go on to promise that the U-shape produces ‘low drag and stability in all conditions’ which will be good, as even the 35mm deep Dura-Ace C35s and their V-shape do not behave themselves overly well in strong side winds. We’re keen to test this.
 
Aside form the aero benefit, flexible wheels are not what we want and the extra material should also provide extra stiffness. Of course, it’s always a trade off and what’s not so exciting about the Accelero 40s is the weight at a claimed 1725g; even less so as we got 1829g on our scales.
 
The promise of aero performance and price of just £399 may well be enough to negate any weight penalty in the minds of many cyclists after a do-it-all wheel. Here, at last, we may just have a genuinely aero do-it-all wheel at a reasonable price; they are a third the price of the Dura-Ace C35s and less than half that of the Rolfs after all.
 

 
The rear hub is available as Campagnolo or Shimano/SRAM. Our particular version is the Stealth model which means lots of goes with anything black and white. The 6000-series alloy rim is nicely finished in anodized black, aside from a silver brake track, and is laced, via brass nipples, with black spokes – 18 Pillar PSR triple-butted spokes up front and 24 in the rear – to subtly liveried black 3T hubs, which spin very sweetly. A pair of steel 3T skewers are supplied.
 
3T offer an extra year’s warranty, free of charge, if you register your wheels with them. Probably worthwhile.
 

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i-ride (3T UK)