The Hyperon wheel range expands  

By Oscar Huckle

Published: Tuesday, 24 October 2023 at 12:00 PM


Campagnolo has announced its new Hyperon wheelset that will sit below the Hyperon Ultra launched earlier in the year.

Campagnolo claims the new road bike wheels weigh 1,340g – just 100g heavier than the Hyperon Ultras.

The Hyperon range complements the brand’s Bora aero wheels and the Shamal endurance/gravel wheelset.

Campagnolo says the new Hyperon sits alongside the Bora WTO 33 / 45 / 60, with the Bora Ultra WTO and Hyperon Ultra at the top of the hierarchy. Campagnolo considers the Shamal and Levante gravel wheels to sit a tier below.

The wheels will retail for £2,299.99 / $2,790 / €2,690. Australian pricing is to be confirmed.

Trickle-down technology

Campagnolo Hyperon rim against a black background
The wheels are finished luxuriously.
Campagnolo

Like its spendier sibling, the 37mm-deep Hyperon’s rims sport a 21mm internal width.

They’re moulded using Campagnolo’s HULC (Handmade Ultra-Light Carbon) technology. The brand says this process, which sees the carbon fibre oriented at a specific angle when it’s laid up in the mould, ensures optimal alignment and the ideal ratio of carbon fibre to resin.

The Hyperons sport a single-joint construction over the industry standard of four, a technology Campagnolo first introduced on the Hyperon Ultra, which the brand says reduces any potential points of weakness.

The wheels also feature Campagnolo’s C-Lux (short for Campagnolo Luxury) finish – the smooth, mirror-like appearance negating the need for lacquer and saving weight.

What do you miss out on?

Campagnolo Hyperon hub against a black background
Aluminium hubs are used instead of carbon.
Campagnolo

There are some concessions to be made for the £850 saving.

The Hyperons lack the Head-To-Bay system, which debuted on the Hyperon Ultra. This sees a rounded head fit over the spoke at the hub, which enables any forces to dissipate out of the spoke head, reducing the chance of deformation.

The hubs are also aluminium rather than the svelte carbon found on the Hyperon Ultra and they forego the use of Campagnolo’s CULT (Ceramic Ultimate Level Technology) ceramic bearings. We suspect they use Campagnolo’s USB (Ultra Smooth Bearings), but we’ve asked the brand for confirmation.

Campagnolo Hyperon hub against a black background
Wheel truing should be less trouble-free.
Campagnolo

You also get the regular N3W freehub over the N3W Light option (where excess material has been removed) found on the Hyperon Ultra.

Finally, in a move sure to please mechanics, the spoke nipples are located externally, which should make wheel truing easier. The Hyperon Ultras use Campagnolo’s Aero Mo-Mag technology, which sees the oversized aluminium spoke nipples hidden inside the rim.