“At Parcours, we are always “ENGINEERING FOR SPEED” and the FKT wheelset is born out of just this. Chasing an FKT or ‘Fastest Known Time’ is something which is synonymous to those who ride & race off-road.” – Parcours
“The FKT wheelset is the first truly aero-optimised gravel wheel. Rather than looking to mitigate the aerodynamic penalty of a gravel tyre, the FKT is all about optimising performance in gravel racing. Our innovative hybrid truncated virtual foil design helps to manage air flow from the wider tyre reducing turbulence caused by the more extreme tread required for gravel riding.”
“However, the FKT is designed taking more into account than just the rim profile. Designed around a 40mm gravel tyre, anchored around the Panaracer Gravel King X1 tread pattern, the FKT takes in the bigger picture with performance benefits from 35-45mm tyres. The Panaracer Gravel King X1 was chosen as the benchmark tyre based on extensive discussions with athletes around their race use case.”
“The FKT’s rim design uses a hybrid truncated virtual foil to simulate airflow conditions around a much deeper NACA-based airfoil. Unlike Parcours #thinkwider road rims, the FKT wheelset uses a symmetrical front/rear rim design as our real-world wind data collection process showed a significantly reduced difference in yaw conditions for gravel racing environments and speeds.”
“The FKT has a hookless rim with a 27mm internal width and so is ETRTO compliant from a 35mm tyre width upwards. It will continue to utilise the same IMPACT+ technology as seen in our existing Alta rims with a more flexible resin used at the rim edge increasing durability and impact-resistance meaning our racers can be confident, whatever the parcours.”
“The hubs used in the FKT are Parcours’ tried and tested road disc model, which has been tested and raced at the highest level in both triathlon and road. The drive mechanism uses a 6-pawl freehub running on a 44T ratchet ring.”
“The FKT is designed for those who want to go fast on gravel, those who have an interest in tangible gains in their sport and those that want to see transparency and proven data, recognising the benefit that good aerodynamics can have on their performance. Race proven by Parcours athletes Maddy Nutt and Joe Laverick, the FKT’s have been ridden to both wins and top 10s at UCI Gravel World Series and a podium at the Migration Gravel Race.”
Parcours athlete Maddy Nutt said of riding the FKT wheelset “I’ve absolutely loved testing out Parcours new gravel wheels. As soon as I got on them I had so much confidence in them and their speed. I love that Parcours are innovating and being a part of that has been so exciting.”
Dov Tate, Founder of Parcours said of the FKT wheelset, “Having been at Unbound 2024 & seen firsthand the impact of aerodynamics on gravel racing, we’re really excited to launch FKT. With aerodynamics optimised for gravel racing, you no longer have to make any performance compromises when heading to the start line of your next off-road challenge. FKT represents the next frontier for speed.”
Jeff Zell of Panaracer said of the partnership with Parcours “We were excited to see Parcours choose to work with the X1 tyre and thanks to their extensive development, it turns out they’re a match made in heaven. Both wheelset and tires complement each other and bring the best out in the design elements both Parcours and Panaracer have worked so hard to achieve; speed, performance and durability. It’s been a pleasure to be involved in this project.”
“FKT wheels are available to pre-order through July for delivery in August. All wheelsets ordered during pre-order in July will be shipped and include a pair of Gravel King X1 tyres.”
Details
- Price: £1,199 / $1,599 / €1,559
- Weight: 1,500g
- Rim depth: 47.0mm
- Max rim width: 40.0mm
- Internal rim width: 27.0mm
- Note: ETRTO compliant with 35mm+ tyres
About Parcours
“Parcours was launched to make aerodynamics more accessible. We wanted to go out and buy an aero wheelset that would deliver tangible, proven benefits, but wouldn’t cost the earth. It didn’t exist. So we decided to make it.”
“Through extensive research and development, testing and use of some of the very best facilities and manufacturing partners in the world, along with UK based quality control and warranty protection, we have struck a winning combination.”
“Parcours wheels are the ideal choice for athletes that have an interest in tangible gains in their sport – those that want to see transparency and proven data, recognising the benefit that good aerodynamics can have on their performance. Parcours partners with some of the world’s best athletes, who train and race using its products and at the same time help to test and offer feedback, helping to shape the path of ongoing product development. Parcours athletes include triathletes Youri Keulen, Maddy Nutt, Kyle Smith and Ruth Astle.”
Learn more at the Parcours Website