Campagnolo Goes Disco with the ZONDA DB
Campagnolo, the makers of many an envy-inducing bit of kit, have been hard at work with their development team to bring the highest level disc brake technology to the people – Introducing the ZONDA DB.
Working alongside the Campy Tech Lab and the professional athletes that Campagnolo sponsors on the world tour circuit, the development team has been bringing forth not only products for top-end competition but also components and wheels destined for a more variable audience.
There are a lot of solutions on the market offering disc brake wheelsets but the Zonda DB is the first from Campagnolo and they promise that it comes with a level of performance, reliability, safety and integrity that has always been associated with Campagnolo wheels.
A wheelset with disc brakes is more complicated than just changing the hub and putting a rotor on, say Campagnolo. The wheel becomes asymmetric with the weight of the disc on one side and to retrieve the symmetric performance and efficiency many technologies need to come into play.
The new rims are milled to eliminate excess material where it’s not necessary, keeping weight down and reactivity and efficiency high. RDB™ or Rim Dynamic Balance™ technology keeps the wheel as efficient and safe as possible as it eliminates any wobble or inconsistency in the smooth rolling of a wheel by counter balancing for valve and gasket weight. MoMag™ technology eliminates all spoke holes on the tire side of the rim, creating a stiffer, more solid and lighter structure than would not be possible with traditional designs.
With the braking force now only being applied to one side of the wheel, the aluminium hubs have been designed to compensate for the asymmetric force of the disc rotor as well as the one sided shape of the wheel. This wheel is not one thrown together from old parts but one carefully constructed from well thought out parts that solve the problems presented.
The Zonda DB’s front hub is compatible with both Thru Axle (HH12) and Quick Release skewers (100mm). The rear hub is made for use with either Thru Axle (HH12 – 142mm width) or a Quick Release axle (135mm).
Campagnolo have created something that they are proud of in the Zonda Disc Brake, they claim it is more reactive than their own rim brake version and that it is 25 grams lighter than it’s closest competitor. There has been a whole lot of tech packed into the Zonda DB to strengthen, lighten and generally increase performance and if you’re in the market for a serious upgrade to your pride and joy it’s more than worth a look.
More information can be found on the Campagnolo Website.
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Words: Photos: Campagnolo
