BLACK INC LAUNCHES 48|58 WHEELSET, ENGINEERED FOR TOP-END SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
An aero-optimised lightweight disc brake wheelset already proven to perform at the highest levels of professional racing
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9th April 2024; Taichung, Taiwan - Black Inc, the premium performance component manufacturer of Factor Bikes, introduces the innovative 48|58 wheelset - now available to purchase worldwide.
Designed and developed in tandem with Factor’s latest aero racing bike, the OSTRO VAM, Black Inc’s engineers sought to develop a wheel to match the bike’s balance of low weight, stiffness and aerodynamic performance. The result is an optimised aero wheelset already proven to perform at the highest levels of racing.
The 48|58 has featured on several 2024 early-season podiums, including Stevie Williams’ General Classification win and Katia Ragusa’s overall QOM victory at the Santos Tour Down Under, Tom Van Asbroeck’s Stage 3 victory at the 2024 Tour de la Provence, and third place for Lily Williams at Nokere Koerse. Overall, the wheelset has contributed to 45 podiums for Human Powered Health and Israel - Premier Tech combined.
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Delivering predictable handling in all conditions
The Black Inc 48|58 wheelset has been developed with extensive CFD simulation, validated in the wind tunnel, and field-tested by pro riders. This collective expertise and process ensure exceptional performance for discerning riders in all conditions.
The rim design includes a shallower 48mm rim section for the front wheel and a deeper 58mm rim section for the rear wheel to boost stability. Meanwhile, the increased leading edge radius uses a true airfoil to promote airflow attachment at higher yaw angles and reduces the onset of dynamic stall, giving the rider a greater feeling of control in gusts and crosswinds.
The wheels are aerodynamically optimised for 28mm tires and feature an internal rim width of 23mm between the ISO-compliant mini hooks.
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Responsive ride-feel without compromising weight or aerodynamics
The new wheelset deploys Black Inc’s proprietary high-flange carbon spoke hub shell, allowing for an increased bracing angle with shorter spokes resulting in a wheel with greater lateral and vertical stiffness, while still maintaining a balanced spoke tension between both drive and non-drive sides of the wheel. The spoke count has been reduced to 20 carbon spokes per wheel, offering increased aerodynamic benefits while still maintaining the same strength as traditional 24 steel spoked wheels.
The hubs incorporate new custom bearing specifications from CeramicSpeed, exclusively designed for Black Inc wheelsets. These bearing advancements reduce rotational drag by up to 20% compared to the previous generation, without compromising on durability.
At 1,300 grams a pair, the Black Inc 48|58 is remarkably lightweight whilst delivering a responsive, aero-optimised disc brake wheelset for riders seeking top-end speed and performance.
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Rob Gitelis, Founder of Factor Bikes and Black Inc, said: “Together with the 28|33 that was launched at the 2023 Tour de France, the 48|58 represents an all-new, premium performance wheelset line-up that we have developed to keep up with ever-evolving rider needs. Further, we have additional products in the development pipeline that we're excited to share with our athletes and consumers in the near future.”
Pricing and availability
The new Black Inc 48|58 wheelset can be purchased exclusively from blackinc.cc and authorised Factor and Black Inc dealers worldwide. Shimano and SRAM-compatible hub options are available.
