The renowned component brand Campagnolo has just launched Levante, its first all-gravel wheelset. Named after the easterly wind of the Mediterranean, Levante is designed to enable fast, fun and controlled gravel riding, with a strong focus on handling and ride feel.
The premium carbon-fiber wheelset adopts a series of subtle styling cues in line with Campagnolo’s 13-speed Ekar gravel groupset. Without stickers or paint, it saves weight and stops flaking or other creeping cosmetic damage so Levante rims stay in flawless conditions over time. This Campagnolo Luxury (C-LUX) finish adds significant performance and practical gains to a shimmeringly beautiful aesthetic.
Levante wheels celebrate their adventurous spirit with subtle laser-etched, asymmetric matte graphics reflected in the hub bodies. When looking closely, one can even see the geocoordinates of Mt Ekar observatory in Italy, the place where Campagnolo started developing and testing its gravel products.
The hub is aluminum with cup and cone adjustable bearings, and both front and rear are built with 24 spokes.
Although there is usually a trade-off between weight and durability, Levante pushes the limits of what’s possible from a gravel wheel. Its H.U.L.C (Handmade Ultra-Light Carbon) rims enable a 1.485 g weight that’s tough enough to tackle mountain singletracks.
The molding process is the same as Campagnolo’s road Bora Ultra WTO rims. This highly evolved manufacturing technique creates guaranteed defect-free rims for maximum strength to weight ratio and flawless cosmetic finishing straight from the mold.
Levante’s 25 mm internal rim width can accommodate a broad range of tire widths from 38 mm to 76 mm, for racing or riding in varied terrain. The shallow center channel makes the initial sealing of the 2-Way tubeless tire fit easy and clean.
The rim is not hookless, but the mini-hook of these wheels avoids a “lightbulb” shaped profile when using larger tires, providing enhanced stability and grip benefits. This system complies with ETRTO clincher and tubeless standards so Levante wheels can be teamed with your favorite rubber, whatever the brand.
The asymmetric offset of the rim creates a stronger overall wheel thanks to more balanced spoke tensions. The front has the most force on the disc side, whereas the rear wheel has the most torque on the drive side. This translates into a tighter, lighter, and more responsive wheel that’s still tough enough to tackle trails on a loaded bike.
In order to extend the lifespan of their products, Campagnolo patented the N3W freewheel body, a standard compatible with new and old cassettes of the components brand. The wheelset that has just been launched utilizes this freehub body to house Campagnolo 11, 12, and 13-speed cassettes. The Campagnolo Levante is also available to purchase with Shimano HG and SRAM XDR freehub bodies.
