Campagnolo improves control of Bora wheelsets with AC3 technology

Campagnolo have set out to improve the braking power and consistency on their top-end Bora family of wheelsets to give riders more control in suboptimal riding conditions. The resulting technology is All Conditions Carbon Control or AC3 which features a new texture on the brake track surface and materials that Campagnolo says offers unmatched braking in wet, gritty and dry conditions. The new technology will be found on all new Bora One and Bora Ultra wheelsets.

Rim wear and braking consistency in poor conditions is one of the main arguments for the use of disc brakes which Campagnolo developed and released earlier this spring along with disc specific Bora One wheelsets. However, as the professional peloton and the majority of recreational riders continue to ride rim brakes, Campagnolo focused on developing improved braking performance on their carbon Bora wheels with the use of advanced materials technology and surface treatments.

While the new braking track texture is the most obvious change on the Bora rim brake wheelsets, Campagnolo has also changed the internal construction reorienting the fibers to ensure the rims integrity with the new braking surface. Campagnolo use a resin that is said to both better dissipate heat from the pads and deal with extreme temperatures.

Campagnolo claim the new wheels brake three per cent better in the dry than previous Bora wheels and six per cent better than their nearest competitor though without knowing who they claim that is and having not yet ridden them it’s difficult to verify. The improvements in the wet are staggering with Campagnolo claiming the new wheels perform 55 per cent better on wet roads over the competition and 43 better than the older Bora wheels.

The AC3 braking will be coming to all of Campagnolo’s Bora wheels with both clincher and tubular versions receiving the technology. Bora 35, 50 and Bora Ultra TT will all get the new braking performance. Campagnolo say their professional riders are already on AC3 Bora wheels while the rest of us should start seeing them by summer 2017.