Campagnolo Levante Wheels: Ridden & Reviewed

We’re just a few months into actual life using on Campagnolo’s Levante gravel-specific wheelset, we’ve ridden these at Nova Eroica California as a part of the official launch, after which at a number of gravel occasions and bike packing journeys nearer to residence. Right here’s our tackle the long-lasting Italian model’s absolutely devoted Levante gravel wheel set.

This overview actually takes place in three components – the primary two seem in my video beneath – shot on the official launch in April on the Nova Eroica gravel journey in California the place I talked in regards to the wheels mid-ride, after which the second half the place I interview Nathan Haas (in Sept.) about his experiences using the Levante wheels in a number of elite-level gravel races this 12 months.  The third half is beneath – the place our ToolBox editor and inhouse gravel aficionado Stephen Cheung takes us via his “common man” experiences using the wheels this summer time at a mixture of occasions, native rides and even on a motorbike packing journey.

Watch my video overview from Nova Eroica California, and my interview with Nathan Haas discussing the finer technical & journey features of the Levante wheelset…

Steve’s Season Lengthy Evaluate Breakdown

Highlights:

• Powerful and sturdy paired with mild weight and energetic really feel.
• No tubeless tape required
• Campy type with laser-etched graphics

Issues:

• Pricing (US $1899 for the set)

General:

• No matter gravel means for you, the Levante ought to match the invoice.

Whereas Wealthy bought to play with the Levante wheelset first throughout its launch again in late April, I used to be eagerly chomping on the bit to get myself rolling on a set. With lower than every week to spare for my June journey out to British Columbia, the take a look at Rodeo Labs Flaanimal 5.0 arrived at my door, kitted out with the complete Campagnolo Ekar 13-spd gruppo and Levante wheels.

The graphics are laser-etched onto the wheels, so that you’ll by no means have the decals fade or peel and find yourself forgetting what wheels you’re using.

In fact, like an excellent PBJ sandwich needing each peanut butter and jam, you want the wheels and tires to make using magic. I used to be rolling with the 40 mm Problem Getaway tires arrange as tubeless, they usually labored nice in all my using with no noticeable punctures and no cuts.

Campagnolo payments the Levante as appropriate to no matter gravel means to you, so I took that fairly actually and have taken it via lots of large rides up to now this summer time.

Journey 1: A four-day credit-card bikepacking journey with my buddy Chris out in British Columbia. I had a 6 L saddlebag together with a 2 L bar bag and a 1 L prime tube bag, so in all probability 4 kg of drugs. Our journey concerned all kinds of terrain starting from steep tarmac granny gear (38×42 standing) climbs and really quick descents (60-70kmh), loopy rocky and steep gravel (using and hike-a-bike), a 40 km regular gravel descent down the Kettle Valley Rail Path (KVR) in regular rain, and quite a few cattleguards at pace.

Journey 2: An area fully-loaded in a single day bikepacking journey with about 20 km on rugged singletrack. I had a 15 L saddlebag, full 8 L harness bar bag, 3 L body bag and prime tube bag. Complete weight was about 10-11 kg of drugs. This was fairly severe underbiking, in that the path was extra fitted to a hardtail MTB or on the very least an unloaded gravel bike.

Journey 3: The very rugged inaugural version of the Okanagan Graveller bike race hosted at Huge White ski resort exterior Kelowna. I had minimal gear on the bike however the terrain made up for it, with plenty of elevation, jagged gravel, together with a number of steep rock backyard descents like above. I additionally bought extra time to benefit from the Levantes, as I bought horribly misplaced and my 120 km race became 165 km earlier than the course sweepers discovered me. Race situations have been overcast with mild showers.

Journey 4: A extra conventional and simple gravel race on the Reggie Ramble in Ontario, 130 km of principally sane gravel with 8 ambushes of very technical singletrack or rocky terrain. Climate was stunning.

It ought to be apparent from my using experiences that the Levante gravel wheels are as powerful as you want for many every little thing that you simply need to do on gravel.

Are the wheels powerful? Along with the above “regular” using, I bottomed out each the back and front wheels on cattleguards at pace throughout my Kelowna bikepacking journey as a consequence of not checking tire stress day by day, and the wheels have remained completely true and tensioned. Identical with three video games of air-travel roulette flying the bike throughout the nation.

Higher than simply bomb-proof sturdiness, the Levantes obtain this with out piling on weight. At < 1500 gram complete unshod with tires and rotors, the wheels wouldn’t be misplaced on a top quality highway bike construct. The sunshine weight helps to maintain the journey energetic, particularly vital as you’re already coping with a heavier bike total, loaded or unloaded.

One other take a look at I love to do with testing the liveliness of wheels is to lean right into a nook at reasonable pace after which begin standing up and sprinting whereas in or simply previous the apex of the nook. I discover that useless feeling or overly flexy wheels result in a very wobbly response, however the Levantes felt actually safe and energetic.

Abstract

The Levante is Campagnolo’s first entry into the gravel wheel market. They’ve set themselves an bold goal of toughness, versatility, mild weight, and magnificence. I feel that I’ve put them via the wringer when it comes to number of use sorts and gravel terrain, and the Levantes have hit an excellent stability. The wheels are undoubtedly powerful, mild and energetic, and exude the basic Campy flare.

Try the Levante at https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/Wheels/levante.

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