Gravel racing is evolving rapidly. Speeds are increasing, courses are becoming rougher, and tire widths continue to grow as riders search for greater control and efficiency over demanding terrain. Responding to this shift, Fulcrum Wheels has launched two new wheelsets specifically aimed at modern gravel competition: the Fulcrum Sharq GR and Fulcrum Soniq GR.

Rather than replacing the existing Fulcrum Sharq and Fulcrum Soniq, the GR versions expand the range with designs optimized for gravel racing and wider tires. According to Fulcrum, the project grew out of race data analysis and feedback from high-level gravel events, where riders increasingly rely on 47–50 mm tires.

Wider rims for wider tires

The core of the new wheels is an updated 2-Wave rim design paired with a 30 mm internal rim width. That represents a significant increase compared with the original Sharq wheels, which feature a 25 mm internal width and were designed primarily as an all-road solution capable of running tires from around 30 mm upwards.

Fulcrum retains the distinctive undulating rim shape that characterised the original Sharq, but adapts it to gravel racing with a 47–52 mm variable profile. The company claims the wave-shaped design helps manage airflow and reduces yaw moment and drag, while also improving stability in crosswinds and at high speeds. The same concept underpinned the original Sharq wheels, where the alternating rim profile was developed to balance aerodynamics, handling and responsiveness.

The wider rim channel also increases air volume when paired with modern gravel tires, allowing riders to run lower pressures for better traction and comfort without sacrificing efficiency. Fulcrum recommends a maximum pressure of 3.5 bar.

Two models, different priorities

Both new wheelsets share the same rim architecture and tubeless-ready construction, using Fulcrum’s 2-Way Fit™ undrilled rim bed, which eliminates the need for tubeless tape and maintains continuous carbon fibres in the rim structure.

The Sharq GR is the more race-focused option, built with Fulcrum’s FF100 carbon fibre, cup & cone hubs and flat A3RO spokes in a 2:1 lacing pattern, and a claimed weight of 1,550 g. The Soniq GR targets riders looking for similar performance with a slightly more accessible construction. It uses FF80 carbon, sealed cartridge bearing hubs and round spokes, bringing the claimed system weight to around 1,695 g.

A dedicated gravel evolution

While the original Sharq wheels blurred the line between road and gravel riding, the new GR versions clearly move toward the demands of modern gravel racing: wider rims, tires approaching MTB territory, and refined aerodynamics designed for sustained high speeds over rough terrain.