benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels
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2012-03-27 11:30 AM |
New user 58 | Subject: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels My birthday is coming soon and I was thinking of what to get for myself. One of the things I started looking at was some fancy wheels. Can someone estimate the benefits of something like Zip 808 or disk cover (http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/aerodisc.html) for a full IM race for an average cyclist (somewhere around 6:30 hrs on the bike). Am I looking at 5, 10, 15, 15+ minutes improvment with those ? Thanks. |
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2012-03-27 12:08 PM in reply to: #4115316 |
Extreme Veteran 933 Connecticut | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels Took me a while to find it again, but this is helpful: ???http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2010/04/biggest-bang-for-your-buck-in-time-trial-equipment/ As the author notes, it's a little odd they didn't calculate a box rim rear wheel to a disc wheel, but it illustrates the expectations rather drastically. For an IM distance, if you use the front box>front 5 spoke conversion as a proxy, that's ~180 seconds saved. the author puts it more eloquently than I: Time Trial Wheels are getting into the expensive end of TT equipment spectrum, but they do provide some good time savings and look very PRO. Having an aero front wheel will make the most significant difference and will cost the least of the two. Most of you probably already have a set of deep dish aero wheels for racing anyway. A rear disc wheel is one of the last items you should spend lots of money on if you’re looking for big savings. However, if you want to look cool this should be the first item on your list ;-) A good analysis of different wheel types vs drag in different wind conditions can be found on the HED website. Get the helmet! |
2012-03-27 12:16 PM in reply to: #4115316 |
Not a Coach 11473 Media, PA | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels A few minutes. Disc cover is a deal. Pair it with a used deep front and you can get pretty good aero value. Is it worth it to you? Only you can decide that. Other items to consider (in addition to the aero helmet) are good tires, latex tubes and a good bike fitting. |
2012-03-27 12:30 PM in reply to: #4115316 |
Regular 174 Kansas City Area | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels I will admit it, for me I think they look really cool and that was part of my reason for getting them. Plus, there is the psychological thing of "putting on your race wheels" which makes me "think" I'm faster with them on and sometimes that translates to the physical world. You know, the whole "mind over matter" thing. |
2012-03-27 12:34 PM in reply to: #4115466 |
Extreme Veteran 933 Connecticut | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels ssmith2 - 2012-03-27 12:30 PM I will admit it, for me I think they look really cool and that was part of my reason for getting them. Plus, there is the psychological thing of "putting on your race wheels" which makes me "think" I'm faster with them on and sometimes that translates to the physical world. You know, the whole "mind over matter" thing. Don't forget about the cool sound they make! That's an intimidating thing to hear when you're getting passed.... |
2012-03-27 12:41 PM in reply to: #4115476 |
Regular 174 Kansas City Area | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels fisherman76 - 2012-03-27 12:34 PM ssmith2 - 2012-03-27 12:30 PM I will admit it, for me I think they look really cool and that was part of my reason for getting them. Plus, there is the psychological thing of "putting on your race wheels" which makes me "think" I'm faster with them on and sometimes that translates to the physical world. You know, the whole "mind over matter" thing. Don't forget about the cool sound they make! That's an intimidating thing to hear when you're getting passed.... Yes, I completely forgot that!!! --> Domination Through Intimidation |
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2012-03-27 12:42 PM in reply to: #4115316 |
Regular 988 Westfield, IN | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels I just got a wheel cover for my rear 808 so I'm hoping it helps! |
2012-03-27 12:51 PM in reply to: #4115498 |
Extreme Veteran 389 | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. |
2012-03-27 1:44 PM in reply to: #4115493 |
Pro 5755 | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels ssmith2 - 2012-03-27 1:41 PM fisherman76 - 2012-03-27 12:34 PM ssmith2 - 2012-03-27 12:30 PM I will admit it, for me I think they look really cool and that was part of my reason for getting them. Plus, there is the psychological thing of "putting on your race wheels" which makes me "think" I'm faster with them on and sometimes that translates to the physical world. You know, the whole "mind over matter" thing. Don't forget about the cool sound they make! That's an intimidating thing to hear when you're getting passed.... Yes, I completely forgot that!!! --> Domination Through Intimidation I remember when I did my first tri on my old road bike and someone flew past on a beautiful Cervelo with carbon wheels and a disk It went whub whub whub with that doppler effect as it passed and I almost peed on the bike. This is before I knew that it was OK, mind you Guess what I'll be riding this year? Cervelo P2 with carbon wheels and a cover. This sport is worse than crack. |
2012-03-27 1:53 PM in reply to: #4115528 |
Master 10208 Northern IL | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels synthetic - 2012-03-27 12:51 PM lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. What would you call too hilly? I can't think of any MDot courses a disc or other aero gear wouldn't be beneficial. |
2012-03-27 1:54 PM in reply to: #4115498 |
Master 10208 Northern IL | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels indianacyclist - 2012-03-27 12:42 PM I just got a wheel cover for my rear 808 so I'm hoping it helps! I'm pretty sure it's helped on my S80. |
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2012-03-27 3:28 PM in reply to: #4115681 |
Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels brigby1 - 2012-03-27 2:53 PM synthetic - 2012-03-27 12:51 PM lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. What would you call too hilly? I can't think of any MDot courses a disc or other aero gear wouldn't be beneficial. If you do not do pack riding type cycling events then you would have to do a point to point entirely uphill race for light wheels to be able to even match aero wheels for speed. If all you do is tris and alone type biking races then get aero wheels and just about ignore the weight of them. |
2012-03-27 11:04 PM in reply to: #4115681 |
Extreme Veteran 389 | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels brigby1 - 2012-03-27 1:53 PM synthetic - 2012-03-27 12:51 PM lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. What would you call too hilly? I can't think of any MDot courses a disc or other aero gear wouldn't be beneficial.
ugh triathlon is not Mdot. There are 2 olympic races here on that has a total of 1300' of climbing |
2012-03-27 11:32 PM in reply to: #4116451 |
Master 5557 , California | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels synthetic - 2012-03-27 9:04 PM brigby1 - 2012-03-27 1:53 PM synthetic - 2012-03-27 12:51 PM lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. What would you call too hilly? I can't think of any MDot courses a disc or other aero gear wouldn't be beneficial.
ugh triathlon is not Mdot. There are 2 olympic races here on that has a total of 1300' of climbing And I'm guessing T1 and T2 are in the same location. |
2012-03-28 3:05 AM in reply to: #4115316 |
Member 448 Clemson, SC | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels I hope I can answer this soon enough... I'm waiting for the wheels to arrive for my TT bike. I haven't ridden it since August, but I hope to see a significant improvement. |
2012-03-28 6:57 AM in reply to: #4116451 |
Master 10208 Northern IL | Subject: RE: benefits of wheel covers / fancy wheels synthetic - 2012-03-27 11:04 PM brigby1 - 2012-03-27 1:53 PM synthetic - 2012-03-27 12:51 PM lightness for hill climbs and a road bike weighty discs for aerodynamic cutting through wind on flat course with tri bike. What would you call too hilly? I can't think of any MDot courses a disc or other aero gear wouldn't be beneficial.
ugh triathlon is not Mdot. There are 2 olympic races here on that has a total of 1300' of climbing I picked Mdot because that would be easy for anyone to reference. 1300' is a good deal of climbing in an Oly, but not nearly enough to consider losing the aero gear. Double that still isn't there. Rev3 Knoxville had ~1500' in their Oly and there is no way I'd recommend anyone lose the aerogear there. IM St George has ~6600 ft in the 112 there, more climbing per mile, and there is no doubt that one should keep the aero gear on that one (cross-winds would be another issue). For average age-groupers, the rule-of-thumb I've seen is around 6% for the tipping point, as in 6% for an all-uphill race. Not just having hills of that grade included. And it's steeper for faster/stronger riders. Edited by brigby1 2012-03-28 7:03 AM |
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