Khamsin, chamsin or hamsin (Arabic: خمسين khamsīn, derived from the Arabic word for "fifty"), more commonly known in Egypt as khamaseen (Egyptian Arabic: خماسين khamasīn, IPA: [xæmæˈsiːn]), is a dry, hot, sandy local wind affecting Egypt and the Levant (Wikipedia).
For most males I know, it is not very exciting to go with your family to visit an outlet. Yes, there are many famous trademarks for ridiculously low prices, but after the third ladies' clothing store, wear and tear slowly starts kicking in. Luckily for me, the Mitsui Outlet Park in Linkou (Taiwan) has a bike store as a good excuse to leave my wife and daughter shopping and to enjoy myself for a while.
Walking around in the bike outlet I noticed a set of Campagnolo Khamsin wheels hanging in the window; they looked gorgeous. The exact price I don't remember, but it was surprisingly low for this Italian brand. Unfortunately, the whole shop was not very confidence-inspiring; the service crew was rather enjoying themselves, many articles, even for an outlet, felt out of style and sized unreasonably, too many items looked unclean, worn or used as they have been returned at one point in their life. So, I'd rather pass on the chance to buy this wheelset.
Back home I researched the Khamsin's online and found one new set original packed with the manufacturer's one-year guarantee available in Taichung, a city in the center of Taiwan. The wheelset was on sale for NT$5.600 or US$200.31 (2021/8/24) plus shipping.
At the time of my purchase, the Khamsin was the 2nd lowest-ranked wheelset in the Campagnolo lineup, just above the most basic Calima wheelset with steel hubs. Even this cheapest wheelset comes with the patented G3 spoke pattern (see below).
Campagnolo's Origin
Bicycle component company Campagnolo was founded in 1933 by Gentullio (or short: Tullio) Campagnolo (26 August 1901 – 3 February 1983). Among other inventions, Campagnolo designed the first quick-release skewer in 1930, the matching quick-release hubs were produced in 1933. In 1949, he introduced the 'Gran Sport' twin-cable, parallelogram rear derailleur at the Milan trade show, the first modern derailleur (Tullio Campagnolo - Wikipedia).
In 2004 Campagnolo founded the wholly owned Fulcrum Wheels srl, manufacturing road and mountain bike wheelsets not only for their own Campagnolo but also for the widely used Shimano/Sram freehubs. My wheelset was clearly marked 'made in Taiwan' despite both Campagnolo and Fulcrum brands being headquartered in Italy.
Campagnolo G3 Wheel Design
I've ordered the basic Campagnolo Khamsin G3 wheelset with a Shimano 11-speed freehub compatible with my Shimano 105 (R7000) rear cassette. Right out of the box, the wheelset looked gorgeous! The hubs, spokes, and the color of the rim have the same uniform glossy black paint, the machined silver caliper brake surface gives a very nice contrast.
The G3 pattern should offer a technical advantage over other designs. Campagnolo states 'The right-hand drive-side of the rear wheel is fitted with as twice as many spokes as the left to improve energy transfer, reduce the stress on the spokes on the right, and increase transverse rigidity. What may sound like a market gimmick at first works actually very well. The more direct power transfer over the chain to the rear wheel is clearly noticeable, even for me as an amateur.
Specification of the Khamsin wheelset (supplied by Campagnolo)
Rim: Asymmetrical rim profile, alloy; rim height: front: 24 mm; rear: 27,5 mm, rim width: Internal 17 mm, External 22 mm
Hub: Campagnolo hub, alloy, w/sealed bearings, oversized flange
Spokes:
front: 18 straight-head round spokes, dia: 2.0 mm,
rear: total 24 spokes:
-16 round-head spokes drive side, dia: 2.0 mm
-8 straight-head non-drive side, dia: 2.0 mm
Spoke Pattern: Mega-G3 spoke pattern: a perfect balance of the spoke tensions on both sides of the wheel. Reduces stress and increases transversal rigidity and the transmission of power to the wheel.
Axle: Aluminum axles with aluminum quick release
Weight: 1806 grams/set
Montage
The montage of the rear cassette on the rear freewheel was a piece of cake. Shimano 'pre-assembled' the cassette on a 'plastic' freehub, it could be completely transferred onto the wheel hub. I've mounted folding Continentals GP5000 (handmade in Germany), and 700 x 25c tires which I matched with Continental Tube Race 28 inner tubes with French valves (unfortunately made in China). The spacing of 130 mm for the rear wheel like the front fork spacing of 100 mm is internationally racing bike sized.
Riding Experience
I was kind of fooled by the cheap price! Right after the first pedal strokes I immediately was surprised by the improved power transfer onto the rear wheel. The bike felt more direct and agile, the wheels make the ride very responsive. With a little over 1800 grams for the set on the scale, the set feels much lighter and nimbler than the plain numbers suggest. I attribute this to the 3G design.
The wheels do not only feel strong and are confidence inspiring. Once I rode with a full backpacking camping setup (tent, sleeping bag, change of clothes, etc.) through a sudden, 10 cm-deep hole, in the road surface. My Italian-styled road bike and I were seriously shaken, it felt like the front wheels has just exploded! But after further inspection, we escaped shocked but unharmed, true (!) to my front tire and wheel!
Generally, there is no performance and 'feel' difference, regardless of whether unloaded or loaded with 8 kg of full camping gear on both wheels. They run stable like on tracks, on straights, or through corners. This might be due to the strong and subsequently 'heavy' construction.
Khamsin Wheelset Sound:
The freehub of the rear wheel is loud but not as noisy and hollowed as high-end carbon wheels. When I am riding this wheelset, I don't need a bell. Just the idle sound of my rolling rear freehub warns pedestrians and cyclists alike that I am approaching...
Plus:
-Campagnolo quality and design
-G3 spoke design and construction: good power transfer, nimble and robust, space to clean the hubs between the spokes
-Sealed bearings, maintenance-free, easy to exchange and/or upgrade (to ceramic bearings?)
-Reasonable priced
Negative:
-Could be lighter
Summary
Reading the above review, it is easy to understand why I like the Khamsin wheels so much. They marked my first dip into the Campagnolo and Fulcrum Wheel World, and I was not disappointed. Looking at the current line-up of the Italian manufacturer, the next higher model would be the same all-aluminum constructed Campagnolo Scirocco G3 wheelset. But looking at the pluses of the Khamsins, it is hard to justify a 50% higher price for a 100 grams (set!) weight advantage of the higher-priced model!
My next new wheelset is still a long road ahead and I would, even as an advanced cyclist, not hesitate to buy the Campagnolo Khamsins again. This is the highest praise for a heartily recommended price/value set of wheels I could give.
See you and ride carefully, Gerhard
Many reviews are paid or supported, everyone who gets a free product would review it favorably. But there are also real people out there who pay for their stuff and have the 'freedom' test under real conditions that you, the consumer, don't have to waste your time and money on half-finished faulty, or overpriced products. I am independent and can test and write down whatever I reasonably can...