New Campagnolo Levante Wheels: Ride (Gravel) Like the Wind

Building on the success they found with their 1×13 Ekar mechanical groupset back in 2020, the all-new Campagnolo Levante wheelset is the Italian brand’s first set of wheels aimed squarely at gravel riders. Despite giving them a name that draws on their racing heritage—Levante is the name of the Mediterranean’s easterly wind—Campagnolo seems to be serious about pushing further into the world of off-road adventure, and these new wheels are an interesting step in that direction.

Handmade in Europe, the Levantes are a decidedly premium wheelset, as reflected by their $1,899.95 price tag and the number of touches and technologies packed into them. They’re built with a 30mm profile and a 25mm internal width that they claim will fit tires from 38mm to 78mm (1.5″ to 3.0″), though, in our experience, a 25mm IW is better suited to tires in the 42mm to 2.4″ range. They weigh in at a respectable 1,485 grams and are rated to support 120 kilograms (265 pounds).

The Levante rims use the same H.U.L.C. hand-molding process used to make Campagnolo’s Bora Ultra WTOs, which they claim results in guaranteed defect-free rims and ensures a maximum weight-to-strength ratio. Despite using the same molding process, the Levantes are made from an all-new carbon layup that’s not found on any of the previous rims. They’re tubeless compatible, of course, and feature a 2-Way Fit rim profile with a unique mini-hook design to help ensure a better interface between the rim and tire and minimize the bulb-shaped profile when using beefier tires, offering better traction. There are no spoke holes in the outer portion of the rims, eliminating the need for rim tape. The system complies with ETRO clincher and tubless standards.

The asymetric rims are sporting the super smooth, mirrorlike C-LUX finish first seen on the Bora Ultra WTOs. It doesn’t require lacquer, and when applied to the rim bed, they claim it provides the most secure seating of the tubeless tire bead possible and reduces the risk of abrasions to the bead. Paired with the laser-etched graphics—you won’t find any stickers on these high-end wheels—they certainly stand out from many alternatives found on the carbon rim market today. In our opinion, they look damn good.

Both the front and rear wheels feature 24 slim steel straight-pull spokes in a two-cross pattern. External nipples allow for on-the-go retensioning, if needed. The aluminum thru-axle hubs have a tried-and-true, serviceable cup-and-cone bearing system and are spaced to 100mm in the front and 142mm in the rear. There are versions with Campagnolo N3W, HG11, and XDR drivers available for 10, 11, 12, and 13-speed drivetrains, depending on your cassette.

Campagnolo Levante Specs

The wheels come complete with 50mm tubeless valves, bushings to reduce the size of the valve hole, tire levers, an N3W adapter kit for 11-12s cassette compatibility (Campagnolo N3W body version only), padded wheel bags, an accessory bag, and a gravel seal kit. They are priced at $1,899.95 USD (€1,575/£1,349.99) with an N3W hub. We received a test pair just a few days ago and haven’t had time to put many miles on them yet, but stay tuned for a more detailed look at them down the road.

You can find additional details on the new Campagnolo Levante wheels and order a pair over at Campagnolo.com.

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