SAPIM SPOKE CX-CARBON 365

The Sapim CX-Carbon 365 embodies the most radical approach to high-performance road spoke design: minimizing rotating mass without compromising steering precision or support under load.

Designed for the most demanding wheel builds, it combines an ultralight carbon structure with a 3.0 × 1.5 mm aerodynamic teardrop profile, engineered to reduce drag while maintaining a very high level of lateral stiffness. Its specific 365 version features a 3.65 × 5.5 mm T-head spoke head, suited to the most advanced road wheel configurations.

One of its key strengths lies in its low elongation: approximately 0.43 mm at 1200 N, compared with around 0.80 mm for a steel CX-Ray spoke. In practice, this means much less pedaling energy is absorbed through spoke deformation. Wheel response becomes more direct, more immediate and more incisive — especially during accelerations, hard efforts and repeated changes of pace.

This characteristic, combined with limited lateral elastic deformation, gives the CX-Carbon 365 remarkable lateral stiffness relative to its weight. The wheel holds its line with impressive accuracy through high-speed cornering, line changes and committed riding phases, delivering a razor-sharp feel that meets the expectations of both competitive riders and climbers chasing absolute efficiency.

Its hammerhead head also provides a functional advantage during wheel building: when paired with a hub whose spoke seat matches this geometry, it helps limit spoke rotation and adds an anti-rotation function that is particularly relevant for an aero-profile spoke. It nevertheless remains compatible with a standard hub featuring a round Ø 4.2 mm spoke hole, although without this specific function. It is, however, not suitable for a hub with a round Ø 2.5 mm spoke hole.

Testing has confirmed this structural advantage. A build using 20 CX-Carbon spokes front / 24 rear delivers lateral stiffness comparable to a 24 CX-Ray front / 24 CX-Sprint rear build, while achieving a 115 g weight saving across the complete spoke set.

At the front, the build is also around 10% more compliant vertically, bringing a slight but tangible gain in dynamic comfort at the hands and upper body.

The CX-Carbon 365 makes it possible to create a wheel that is lighter, more responsive and more aerodynamic, without any major compromise in precision. This balance makes it particularly relevant for top-tier road builds, whether for race wheels, aerodynamic wheels for fast courses, or ultralight climbing wheels where every peripheral gain is immediately noticeable on the road.

Another key advantage for wheel builders is the very tight tolerance on spoke section. This enables more accurate tension readings with a tensiometer and makes it easier to achieve a highly consistent spoke balance — a decisive factor in building a wheel that is stable, durable and perfectly coherent in its dynamic behavior.

At 2.9 g from 258 to 284 mm and 3.0 g above 286 mm, the Sapim CX-Carbon 365 stands out as a benchmark solution for wheel builders and riders seeking the most direct form of performance: less mass, more responsiveness, more precision.

The Sapim CX-Carbon 365 is built for one purpose only: to unlock the full potential of a high-performance road wheel, turning every acceleration into speed and every line into the right one.