Introducing the Rail carbon clincher, November's first wheelset with a proprietary design carbon rim. New for 2013, the Rail has already proven itself in the wind tunnel and is in production for a Spring/Summer arrival.

Price: $1285 
Availability: June 2012

DESIGN:
Conceived at the junction of road feel, handling, aerodynamics and light weight, the Rail is the first wheelset optimized for every part of the course. An 18mm inside width (25mm at the brake track) translates into the same tubular-like ride found in our vaunted FSW alloy wheels. Its aerodynamic shape is pure rocket science, relying on NACA airfoils designed originally for aircraft wings. At 52mm the Rail is deep is enough for remarkable aero performance, while remaining a practical choice for windy days and hilly rides. 

Read more on the Rail's design philosophy here and here.

AERODYNAMICS:
A prototype of the Rail tested at the A2 wind tunnel in North Carolina was found to be faster all Angles of Attack (AOA) than November's current 38mm, 50mm, 58mm and 85mm wheelsets. Instead of benchmarking against a 32H box rim, we measured the Rail against the Zipp 404 Firecrest clincher. Despite being 6mm shallower than the Zipp, the Rail prototype gave up only 2 seconds over a 40K TT at 30mph and performed better than the Zipp at low AOAs (below 7.5 degrees) more common at the high speeds experienced in sprinting, attacks and descents.

Read more on the Rail's aerodynamics here and here.

BRAKING AND HEAT MANAGEMENT:
The Rail will be the safest and most dependable carbon wheelset November has ever introduced, and is constructed with new high Tg resins, capable of withstanding up to 350 degrees farenheit without warping, delamination or other damage. The Rail will ship with new SwissStop Black Prince brake pads made from a proprietary compound that is proven to reduce heat buildup during braking by 35%. The pads vastly improve braking performance over many OEM pads, with modulation and stopping power comparable to high quality pads on alloy wheels. We can't change physics, so carbon still dissipates heat more slowly than alloy, requiring mindfulness to tube blowouts in extreme conditions. But significant upgrades to the resins and pad compounds means braking with the Rail inspires the same confidence as your favorite alloys.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Inside Width: 18mm
Brake Track Width: 25mm
Widest Section: 27.1mm
Rim Finish: UD carbon
Rim Weight: 475g
Wheelset Weight: 1505g
Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray, 20/24
Hubs: November A291SB/F482SB (red or black) or Chris King R45
Drivetrains: SRAM/Shimano 9/10, SRAM/Shimano 9/10/11, Campagnolo 9/10/11
Brake Pads: SwissStop Black Prince (included)
Rim Strips: November (included)
Skewers: November (included)