We’ve just received these carbon wheels that have been given a special zirconia rim treatment by British company Zircotec.
The plasma-sprayed carbon/ceramic coating is said to both improve braking performance and increase the life of the rim.
The process is widely used in the motor industry – on the likes of the Lamborghini Murcielago, Ariel Atom V8 and 70 percent of the Formula 1 grid – mainly to protect carbon at very high temperatures.
Zircotec’s Peter Whyman says: “Testing using standard rubber blocks suggests that our coating offers a significant improvement in stopping distances and no wear to the coating or wheel rim.”
The Oxford-based firm are looking to partner with wheel manufacturers to offer pre-built sets of ready-coated rims, and say that the technology will add around 10 percent to the price of a standard wheelset.
Zirconia is applied to a carbon car part
So far the coating has been tested by triathlete Dexter Gradius, and we’ll be putting them to the test too. Keep an eye on BikeRadar for a full review.