Wheelsets- So many options (Page 2)

...with deep section aero wheels that have big stickers on them.

This has been brought up many times here.

Here is some of the science.

http://www.biketechreview.com/archive/wheel_theory.htm

As has been stated, more aerodynamic wheels won't take you from MOP to FOP.

Many podium spots have been lost over a second or two on a 40k TT.  If it is within your budget and you want to go as fast as you are possible of going, why not buy aero wheels, aero helmet, get a fitter that knows what they are doing, etc.  Take the time and research the faster tires, and even tubes, they all make a difference, it's just up to you to determine how much you are willing to pay for that however small of a difference.

Also as stated, never hurts to look fast either.

I'm gonna bump this thread and ask another related question.  What do you get by upgrading a $200 stock wheelset to a $1K+, NON-aero wheelset? Should I upgrade this way only if I'm in a very hilly region, or is it going to give me some kind of advantage in the flatlands as well?

I have been looking at wheelsets as well and have been thinking about getting a set of Neuvation wheels. They don't seem to make the really deep aero rims, but they have some nice options, and aren't very expensive.

Take individual stories with grain of salt.  If you drop big $$$ on fancy wheels you HAVE to believe they make you faster

But there is some actual decent test data out there (wind tunnel stuff) regarding aerodynamics of wheels.

http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-15505311.html
Best (Zipp808) vs worst (Ksyrium SL, R-Sys) @ 50kph (31.6mph) is ~15-18watts, or ~0.25mph (depending on underlying assumptions of rider power & overall drag-rider position, etc.)

Zipp wheels also has some decent wind tunnel data & fairly honest assessment of magnitude of benefit from expensive aero wheels.
http://www.zipp.com/technologies/aerodynamics/aeroedge.php
Claim is up to 90sec time savings for their 909 vs "well-known high end wheel"  (Mavic Ksyrium????)

German bike mag Tour has also done tests over the past few years with similar results.

Then there's also classic site analyticcycling.com to explore for hours on end if you want.  Except for serious hills, aero is much more important in tri (TT efforts) than wheel weight.

Bottom line is that wheels make a difference if you're racing for every second in competitive field, but  little difference to MOP-BOPers.  Best wheels may save 1.5-2min vs traditional 32-spoke box rim wheels over 40k TT @ ~40kph. 

Consider your budget & purpose for wheels.  Expensive race wheels are sometimes NOT the most durable for everyday use.   IMHO- a well built mid-spoke count (18-20), bladed spoke, mid-height (27-30mm) AL clincher offers perhaps 2/3rds the potential aero benefit of best wheels with much lower cost & everyday durability.

I'm using Neuvation R28aero4's now.  Over 2k trouble-free miles. Solid wheelset at nice price with great customer service before & after the sale.
(IMHO- they look better with half those stickers removed,which is easy job).

To respond to Chunta's question.....non-aero wheels can make a big difference, but as stated, they cost closer to $400-$500 for a decent pair as opposed to $1K.

You will notice better bearings, increased stiffness/less flex(especially on hills), and they will be lighter than your current set. I purchased a non-aero set first for climbing/races and then saved for aero wheels this season. Now I have the old pair for bad weather training, the good wheels for training and climbs, and the aero ones for racing.

Good luck.

I agree. Most stock/OEM wheelsets tend to be really heavy.
You will notice lighter wheels.

You are most likely to notice when you pick your bike up; as for actual performance benefits, unless you are doing hill climb events there will likely be no improvement.

Shane

Shane - Step away from the trainer! The real world is full of hills and accelerations.

It sure is; and my contention that wheel weight is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to performance stands.  The fact that the 404 (or similar) has become the wheel of choice in many road race starts including mountain stages would indicate that even with brutual climbs and lots of accelerations, wheel weight is secondary to many other considerations.

Shane

The 404 tubular is under 1300g for the set, that's insanely light.

Most middle of the road bikes are shipping with wheels that weight over 2000g.

I do not disagree with you that in a flat, steady-speed scenario... weight isn't critical.

It really boils down to how the user intends to use the wheels... what is the terrain?, training use?, racing only?, accelerations?, stop-lights?, etc. Plently of variables. Everyone's reality is different and everyone's idea of the perfect wheelset will be a little different.

My racing and training environment includes hills and accelerations and I really do notice and appreciate less-weight in the wheels.

The 404 is light but the 303 and 202 are lighter; so if weight was a huge consideration, then why not go with the lighter wheel?

I agree that many bikes ship with heavier wheels, however for training I wouldn't worry about that at all.  In fact, I think many of the current training wheels are too light and end up being less reliable than a bomb proof wheelset (like a nice 32h Mavic Open Pro).  For training, the only thing I would look for in a wheelset is durabilty; I could careless about weight or aerodynamics.

For a triathlon/TT wheelset, wheels should be as aero as possible with little concern paid to weight (unless it is a point to point uphill course).  For a crit, road race, hill climb or draft legal race, I would pay a little more attention to weight but it is still not as large a factor as most would assume.

Shane