The latest example? Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) showed up to the Nov Msto World Cup with a LAB71 Scalpel sporting a set of Reserve 48|53 GR aero carbon gravel wheels. Deep-section gravel wheels. On a World Cup XC bike. At one of the fastest short-track courses on the calendar. In fact, these are deeper aero prototype wheels that aernt even available for gravel bikes yet!You can see all the details on the RideCannondale Instagram.Cannondale LAB71 Scalpel with custom unreleased Reserve 48|53 GR aero gravel wheels View this post on Instagram According to CFR, theyre the first team to race the Reserve 48|53 GR wheelset in short track, possibly the first in top-level XC racing altogether. The wheels in question are paired with Shimanos new XTR Di2 drivetrain and an aggressively fast Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 tire setup, which tells you pretty quickly what the goal was here: outright speed.Prototype Deep Aero Gravel Wheels on an XC Bike?(Photos/Cannondale Factory Racing)At first glance, the Reserve 48/53 GR wheels look a little ridiculous on a mountain bike. Deep carbon rims usually belong on aero gravel bikes or road bikes built by people who know exactly how many watts their socks save (Im that guy and its 2-12 watts, sock-dependent). But short-track XC has changed, and its all about the demands of race day. Teams cant swap frames between events, but they can change almost everything bolted onto them. Narrower bars, shorter-travel suspension, firmer setups, and even gravel tires are becoming increasingly common. Chris Blevins won Nove Mesto short track last year, running a Specialized gravel tire, so the line between modern XC and gravel equipment is already getting blurry.(Photo/Cory Benson)Todays short-track courses are smoother, faster, and much more draft-heavy than traditional XC racing. Riders are spending long stretches above 20mph, and once speeds reach that level, aerodynamics start to matter, whether mountain bikers like it or not.Thats what makes this setup interesting. Reserve didnt design the 48/53 GR wheels specifically for XC, but modern gravel racing and modern short track are starting to ask for similar things:high sustained speedsquick accelerationssmoother terraintight packsand efficiency over outright forgivenessXC keeps drifting toward gravel, gravel keeps drifting toward XC, and somewhere in the overlap, you get bikes like this.The Wheel Choice Is the StoryThe wheel setup itself is the headline:Reserve 48/53 GR wheelset48mm front rim / 53mm rear rimSchwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 SPEED tiresThat combination isnt about surviving rough terrain. Its built for fast laps, rapid accelerations, and carrying speed once the course opens up.And visually? It works way better than it probably should.The deep rims tucked into the LAB71 Scalpel make the bike look equal parts futuristic and slightly questionable I love it. Plus it feels pretty close to where elite XC equipment is heading anyway.Cannondale Factory Racing Nove Mesto BuildCFR rounded out the build with:Shimano XTR Di2Fox Float SL rear shockFox Transfer SL 75mm dropperFSA KFX carbon cockpitPrologo Nago 3D saddleReserve 48/53 GR wheelsetSchwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 SPEED tiresThe slammed -12 FSA KFX stem really finishes the look for me. Combined with the deep wheels and low-profile tires, the whole bike gives off a very clear we are absolutely not wasting watts today vibe.Aero Is Just Part of XC Now(Photo/Cory Benson)The bigger takeaway probably isnt the wheelset itself; its what it says about where XC racing is going.For years, aerodynamics sat pretty far down the mountain bike priority list. Weight mattered, and suspension needs to be dialed, same with tire choice. Aero was mostly road-bike territory. Thats changing.As XC speeds keep climbing and courses keep getting smoother, teams are becoming much more willing to experiment with equipment that wouldve looked completely out of place only a few seasons ago.This wont seem weird for very long.Because once a factory team shows up with deep-section gravel wheels and proves they work, somebody else is going to copy it. Thats usually how these trends start. Im guessing its about 3-4 weeks out from hitting your local short track series. The post Cannondale Factory Racing in Nove Mesto on Prototype Deep Aero Reserve Gravel Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.