Syncros Capital SL one

Photo: Chris Auld Photography Ltd

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Over the years, I have had the unique opportunity to ride just about every modern carbon spoked and full carbon wheel on the market. Everything from Lightweight to Cadex and even the more affordable Hunt UD wheels. It is, without a doubt, a much more performance-oriented experience. Each has been a much more elevated performance experience love the traditional steel spoke. Alloy spokes have been popular, too, and sit somewhere in between, but carbon remains the performance leader. The Syncros Capital SL refines what Scott learned from their mountain wheel for the road and gravel.

So when Scott let me know they were working on a road version of their full carbon wheels, I was stoked. If you can’t tell, Syncros is the in-house wheel brand for Scott Bicycles. At first glance, the wheels honestly hit all the marks. Weight, depth options, tubeless, and hookless. They use custom DT Swiss hub internals front and rear. This means easy serviceability along with reliability.

Overall I have not gotten to ride the new wheels yet, but my first impression is that these could be a category leader. The one-piece design has advantages and disadvantages, but it looks like performance is the top priority. For me, the wide internal width means gravel and road will both be an option with the new Syncros Capital SL.

From Scott Sports:

More than the sum of its parts, every element of the all-new Capital SL wheels has been designed to function as part of a bigger System For Speed. The one-piece carbon design delivers a lighter, stronger, and more responsive feel that will make cyclists faster on both road and gravel. Faster acceleration, faster cornering, better handling, and unreal aero performance is achieved on a wheelset barely tipping the scales at 1170g for the Capital SL and 1290g for the Capital SL Aero.

Deploying a system with low inertia, drag and rolling resistance which at the same time gives good handling and stability would not be possible without the right technology. Our innovative one-shot patented manufacturing technique is the best way to make the fastest wheel on the market. By using the full potential of the material properties of carbon fiber available and a new manufacturing process, MWS delivers the best carbon fiber wheelset.

When it comes to accelerating or sprinting, the ability to spin the wheels faster in less time is a key competitive advantage. Our unique and modern construction process reduces overall weight and moves weight from the outside of the wheel, near the rim, to the inside of the wheel, near the hub. Delivering a lower rotational inertia means less power output for the rider when it’s time to up the speed. Capital SL wheels show a 20% reduction in rotational inertia compared to traditional carbon wheels.

Stiffness optimization is closely correlated to the handling feeling of a rider and as such is an area of focus. We drastically worked on this key component to ensure the best performance and feelings in all riding conditions.

As a result of our patented Monocoque Wheel System technology (MWS) and our unique pre-straining process, we can achieve a precisely defined spoke tension delivering a livelier and more responsive wheel, whether descending or climbing your favorite mountain pass. Our carbon spokes weigh less than traditional steel spokes yet are 35% stronger. Unlike traditional spoke fixation, the Capital SL’s spokes are bonded directly to the rim and run from the rim over the flange to the other side of the rim while being woven at the intersection, increasing and optimizing torsional stiffness. This results in better and more precise handling of the bike in any riding condition.

Looking at aerodynamic drag, the Capital SL wheels offer extraordinary performance. From the start, a wide range of riding conditions were considered: riding speed, wind speed and wind direction all factored into our calculations. With the one-piece carbon construction, the overall drag was lowered by around 7% compared to our benchmark. As the Capital SL wheels were developed looking at the wheel as a system including the tire and its rolling resistance, we also found the best compromise between low drag and rolling resistance, even with a larger tire section. The outcome is the Capital SL is faster than the competitors equipped with narrower tires, and offers the best handling in every wind situation.

With a hookless design, the rim’s structure is improved, resulting in a stronger and lighter rim. Aerodynamically, the absence of the hooks leads to a smoother transition from the tire to the rim, which reduces drag. The hookless bead provides increased impact protection and reduced pinch-flats, especially for gravel use. The internal width of 25mm is optimized for the best compromise between aerodynamic drag and reduced rolling resistance with wider tires. The Capital SL wheels are compliant with the ETRTO standards.

The Syncros Capital SL wheels were developed looking at the wheel as a system including the tire and its rolling resistance. This led to the adaptation of wider tires offering lower rolling resistance. Obviously, a wider tire and rim combination provides more sail area than a narrower set-up. This impact is especially important for the front wheel as the first attacking point of wind. The rear wheel and tire are mostly isolated from wind turbulence, due to the bike-frame and movement of the legs. Considering these different behaviors, it was the aim to co-develop a specific front and rear tire with a strong partner, Schwalbe. The all-new Pro One Aero front tire is designed with the most aerodynamic shape on modern rims, while the Pro One Aero rear tire is dedicated to low rolling resistance with plenty of durability.

CAPITAL SL (40mm) & CAPITAL SL AERO (60mm)

Syncros has been working with Team DSM-Firmenich since 2021 and in this time, has celebrated significant results with the team. The components brand has supplied bike components, including cockpits, saddles, and seatposts, and the partnership now grows to include Time Trial wheels with the recent introduction of the Syncros Capital SL. The partnership signifies Syncros’ commitment to working with riders at the WorldTour level, with Team DSM-Firmenich giving the ideal platform to showcase the performance of Syncros products to the world of cycling.