Wheel upgrade question - for dummies

It makes zero sense from a triathlon performance standpoint. That is, in terms of going faster. Nicer wheels may weigh less and have better hubs and bearings, neither of which is going to have you going any faster.

The trainer does nothing detrimental to your wheel.

Take $125 instead and buy 2 x Continental GP4000s tires and 2 x Challenge latex tubes. Only race on them. That will make you faster.

Well, that's the kind of info I was after.

Thank you.

I would definitely pick up a spare wheel for the trainer. If you are riding the trainer a lot you will not want to use your road tires on the trainer because it will flatten them out. So no spare wheel means you are always changing out your rear tire from road tire to trainer tire.

So better bearings and less weight of wheels don't make a difference in going faster? That's news to me.

Aero is THE primary factor of wheel speed. It's not weight, it's not inertia, it's aero. Everything else is obviously huge in terms of nuance, but weight will save you a watt or two. Inertia will save you a fraction of a watt to a watt. Aero will save you 40 watts at certain speeds. It's huge to go from a wheel like an Mavic R-Sys (hugely expensive and super light) to a wheel like an 808 clincher which is a POUND heavier, but it's about 50 watts more efficient at 30 mph. But of course the problem is in the consumer's mind, 1350 grams vs 1680 grams, that has real tangible meaning to people. Arguing about inertia seems tangible to people because they've always heard that weight is important in wheels because it hits you twice. There's just nothing tangible about aero.





Edited by Finding Freestyle 2015-10-01 8:37 PM

Not Zero sense.

They are a good set of wheels at $300. I do not know what the OP currently has, but the mavics with bladed spokes, low spoke count, better bearing, and a deeper profile could definitely be a performance improvement. They won't be as good as a pair of 60 to 90 mm deep rims but they are still and improvement.

If your on your trainer a lot having a dedicated wheel for the trainer wheel makes sense. I actually did this last year and spend more time on the trainer now than I used to, especially in the spring when the bike is inside and outside a lot.

I dont mean the wheels are 0% faster, they are probably some fraction of 1% faster. Which makes zero sense to buy as a performance upgrade for triathlon.

There are tires, tiubes, disc wheel cover, aero helmets, a pair of Tri Rig brakes, a good bike fit, etc, etc that he could spend that $300 on and get a real and tangible benefit to his performance.

Heck for $300 you can find a used powertap or a used front race wheel. Training with power for a year could add multiple mph's to the rider. A bike fit could add 1-2 mph. A deep front wheel with good tire could add .5 mph by itself.

I don't mean to force myself on you but I've seen A LOT of triathletes regret the "quality wheel upgrade" they were sold by their local bike shop or even their well intentioned friend. Once they understand exactly what those wheels provide and DON'T provide, they nearly always regret the purchase. Then we get into ebaying the quality wheels (losing money) and buying aero wheels (spending money again). I hate seeing triathletes buy things twice. Often I think they are blatantly taken advantage of, particularly in this wheel department.

I don't mean to insult, but beginner triathletes, as a whole, are largely ignorant regarding the science and reality of bike speed. Buying "good" wheels instead of "aero": wheels is probably the #1 way we waste money and are often taken advantage of by bike shops and the industry in general.

You did say "zero"

I do agree with most of what you are saying, not the fraction of 1% faster because you don't have all the info to even determine that.

If his current wheels are 32 spokes and weight 2500 grams he we feel an immediate difference going to the mavic's. If his current wheels are 27mm deep low spoke count 1800gram wheelset then he is better off buying used rear wheel for $75 for his trainer, and another $75 for a rear wheel cover.

Is it the best place to spend money for free speed no, but that was not the question. He also stated he was going to buy an extra rear wheel for the trainer, so it starts making more sense.

If he wants the best bang for the buck it's usually in tires, tubes, and an aero helmet.

Lighter wheels do aid in climbing and better bearings do reduce friction both of which will make you faster, even if it is just marginally so. The big impediment in cycling is overcoming wind resistance so aerodynamics play a large role in that. The wheels your buddy has are okay but you can buy them cheap anyways http://www.probikekit.ca/bicycle-wheels/mavic-cosmic-elite-s-wheels... so I dont know that I would consider them a big upgrade. If you had planned to buy another rear wheel for the trainer then maybe its not a bad deal plus its always nice to have another set of wheels.

Personally I am on the fence with this one, its not a bad deal but probably not a screamingly good one either.

Well, I do have more information than you. The 2015 P2 comes with Shimano RS 010 wheels, which are about 1800 grams per set and low spoke count. Shimano hubs are first rate even in their lower end wheels.

So yeah, going from these to the Mavics would net maybe .1 mph, .2 on the high end. That speed increase would be nearly all from the increased rim depth, not the weight, bearings or bladed spokes.

Buying an extra rear wheel for the trainer makes no sense either, as trainers do nothing harmful to wheels. Throw a Conti Gatorsin on there for the winter and ride the trainer and roads without changing tires.

OP asked about performance. If he really wants that, he could buy 10x - 20x more for his $300.

Here's your rear trainer wheel, if you must....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/700c-Rear-Alex-XLC-Shimano-Cassette-Bike-Wh...

To the OP: A couple of years ago I bought a spare wheel for my trainer. So glad I did. You will never regret having a dedicated indoor wheel...go with a cheap one for sure.

Spending your money GP4000's and some latex tube is the way to go. Wait on upgrading your wheels until you're ready to buy some nice deep rims/FLOs/etc. Disc Cover is a good idea too.

I don't think anyone is arguing that they are bad on wheels but they do tear up tires. Yes you could buy a Gatorskin and run them inside and out but a Gatorskin tire probably costs more than and old beat up wheel. Also, then you have to ride the Gatorskin outside and they probably provide the roughest and most uncomfortable ride of any tire I've ever rode on.

Edited by EKH 2015-10-02 12:12 PM

True dat. $50 for a traiiner wheel.. I'm down with that.

My nephew put this rig together for me out of used parts he had. The wheels originally were about $2000. The wheels on my old bike were about $300. I've noticed about a 1/2 to 1 mph improvement with these wheels. They accelerate out of corners much faster. Bang for your buck is certainly not there but you have to decide.

Yes they are pretty easy to find. A friend of mine went down to the LBS and bought an old beat up one they had laying around for $25 which works perfect for him as a trainer wheel. Here is one I found on ebay after searching for less than 5min for $29.99.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Rear-Wheel-Wh-r540-700c-Clincher-10...

Those are deep wheels. They would be a benefit for the OP. As Dave said, the ones he asked about wouldn't be a relevant upgrade, because they wouldn't provide an aero benefit.

Thanks for looking........but, the shipping is $45 on that wheel. I'll ask around, and I'm sure I can find one, somewhere close.

Again, I appreciate everyone's input.

OK.....can I put a wheel cover on any wheel (even the RS 10's I have)?

If that's the case, a Flo 40 or 60 mm front and a rear disc (cover) would do a LOT more for me (according to you all) for not a whole lot more money?

Am I looking at that, correctly?

Yes. 

That link in the 5th post of the thread is looking like a good deal!