Looking for something for next season cat3 domination 
What's the standard issue for deep section rims for road racing,
50mm tops I was thinking? Erm, just guessing from what I remember seeing through the season.
Anyone care to recommend a decent set of ali walled clinchers? Not sure I've got the bottle for full on crabon walled tubs.
Mavic cosmic carbone slr
New version has an alloy rim that stays black
MM
Depth of rims is just the latest marketing crap the rim manufacturers have come up with to differentiate products and convince you you need more wheels.
std 25mm or so rims will be lightest, most comfortable and IMO best for road racing...especially when trudging up some hill on your own, having been dropped 
EDIT I'd get stans alphas (350gm) or the on-one 250gm carbon tubular rims built onto some std hubs - 50mm rims will be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY heavier for the same money - and probably more.
Have you ever posted that opinion on a Tri forum Al?
+ 50mm wheels sound so cool when your doing warm up laps on the crit circuit, it pretty much confirms 'I will be leaving with points' before your on the line
I've raced all season with Open sports on Hope Pro2's, just fancied something a bit better for next year.
The Cosmics were on the list, with Shimano RS80's,
I'll have a look at the Alphas.
Depth of rims is just the latest marketing crap the rim manufacturers have come up with to differentiate products and convince you you need more wheels.
Strange that Pros use them then isn't it...
deep wheels are loved by tri athletes because they're battering along on their own into the wind, think domestiques use them if leading the team leader? If you'll be in the pack then low profile would be fine.
This is all based on tinterweb rather than my own experience btw
scratch - Member
Have you ever posted that opinion on a Tri forum Al?
+ 50mm wheels sound so cool when your doing warm up laps on the crit circuit, it pretty much confirms 'I will be leaving with points' before your on the line
Tri is different - that's a time trial. I'm aware tri has an even higher concentration of bell-ends than mtb and even road racing.
warton - Member
Strange that Pros use them then isn't it...
Do you think they don't get paid to?
Do you think they don't get paid to?
OK, so Mark Cavendish uses deep rims, even though they effect his performance because he gets paid to. and he, and his team are OK with that?
"affect" or is it?
Is he riding ones that are available to the public? Affordable, if so?
Why haven't pros been riding 50mm rims in the tour etc for the 20-odd years they've been available if they are indeed faster?
I should also add - value is a prime factor for me buying bike stuff. So if you can get a 250gm (tub) rim for £100, or a 350gm one for £85, IMO they **** all over the factory stuff - cos you can build them onto reasonable hubs and spokes and get the same feel as £800 wheelsets for less than half the price.
I think it's pretty well established that weight doesn't actually make a significant difference in actual performance - even at the rim - it's more of a psychological help - one I'm happy to have if I can afford it!
it pretty much confirms 'I will be leaving with points' before your on the line
No. It really doesn't.
As Al has suggested, if you think the way to win road races or crits is to buy fancy wheels, you'd better take a bag to put your arse in when it gets handed to you.
If you really want to win, learn to sprint. Pretty much every third cat race ends in a sprint and if you can't sprint, you won't win.
I'd unquestionably choose deep rims for road racing.
but only if I was getting them through sponsorship or I was stupid rich. The good ones are brilliant but they tend to cost 1k+. Cheaper ones tend not to be deep enough to have a real Aero advantage and weigh a ton. they do look nice though...
Given the ability for Cat 3 and 4 racers to crash on demand I'd go with Cynic-Als idea of a quality handbuilt, easily as light but repairable.
Zipp 303 carbon tubs - the perfect compromise between light and aero - I have some are they are awesome!
But if you want to win points - don't buy wheels, buy a decent coach - or as someone said earlier - learn to sprint.
I certainly wouldn't go above 50mm for roadracing. Also as plenty of people have mentioned having deepsections doesn't make too much of a difference at this level - often they are worse heavier to accelerate/ poorer braking / terrible in sidewinds. If you get off the front then getting onto the drops makes more of a difference.
Get some deep sections if you want just not too deep or heavy.
I'm a big fan of zipp 404's and tubular of course
Thanks for the info!
it pretty much confirms 'I will be leaving with points' before your on the line
Joking! I'll have a look at some decent / light'ish mavics or stans
I've got an pair of rs80's 50mm rear 25mm front with conti gp4000's ....less than 200miles on them for sale.
Just built some am classic/planetx 50mm tubs 
Why haven't pros been riding 50mm rims in the tour etc for the 20-odd years they've been available if they are indeed faster?
100% about the weight limit, and the proliferation of carbon making them lighter.
Look at the few years before the 6.8kg limit came in - no deeps (or any other aero concessions) at all, now bikes are on the weight limit and they need to add weight back on why not do it in areas that bring other advantages. A byproduct of that is things like wind tunnel testing and what not.
Begs the question of whether their use would be as widespread if the weight limit was dropped though. I suspect they would on flat stages, technology's come on a huge amount even in 5 years.
I'd get stans alphas (350gm) or the on-one 250gm carbon tubular rims built onto some std hubs - 50mm rims will be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY heavier for the same money - and probably more
The Planet X 50mm tub rims are 350g (as are plenty on eBay), ie exactly the same as Alphas. I doubt the Alphas are quicker in anything other than a very strong crosswind.
For racing that's what I'd use.
Indeed - he's talking clinchers tho innhe?
Yeah but he needs to get over that for a set of race wheels 
Deep section clinchers are heavy, I agree with your choice of Alphas if clinchers are a must.
Yeah I noticed the rim weight differences on the tubs/clinchers.
I've never used tubs before, and I know little about them, they scare me.
The most important thing about aero road wheels is that:
a) they look cool
b) they sound cool
Everyone knows that is the most important thing. Who gives a stuff about the weight
no, the most important thing about deep-section wheels is the extra space they provide for branding.
skinny steel frames are more 'aero' than modern cfrp stuff, but you can't fit 300 font letters on them..
I know little about them, they scare me
Those 2 are statements are not mutually exclusive... There's not much to know. Conti are dependable, Veloflex, Schwalbe and Vittoria are all good. It takes a couple of hours to fit tyres and involves glue. Changing is a bit more of a faff. They're lighter, faster, grippier, perform better when punctured and more expensive.
no, the most important thing about deep-section wheels is the extra space they provide for branding.
2 hours to fit tubs WTF? And isn't the weight difference minimal? They do ride really well, but then so do my tubeless Hutchinsons (both subjectively)
I tried them but binned it when I got a puncture really early on. I want to try it again though seeing as how stans seems to make punctures a thing of the past.
If only I could sell my alphas...
skinny steel frames are more 'aero' than modern cfrp stuff,
Really? On what basis? I can vaguely accept less frontal area, but that's not everything, not to mention weight and stiffness.
2 hours to fit tubs WTF? And isn't the weight difference minimal?
You have to leave the glue to 'go off' for an hour or so, and it depends if you have to clean glue residue off the rim, and how anal you are about getting it perfectly straight. It's not hard, just worth doing right!
Weight difference for alu rims is small, but carbon tends to bigger, 100g+ per rim, and carbon tubs are generally cheaper, and they respond better to heat, brake tracks can warp on clinchers if they get too hot.
I've got an pair of rs80's 50mm rear 25mm front with conti gp4000's ....less than 200miles on them for sale.
How much?
Ah furry muff -I've used glue and thought you were referring to the weight of the tyre vs tbb.
It's hard to compare tyres objectively, because there's such a range. A Conti GP Supersonic with Schwalbe XXX Lite tube is lighter than most tubs, but will last 500 miles if you're lucky!
A Schwalbe Ultremo tub is 260g, a clincher is 195g, so unless you use anything but the lightest tubes they're about the same, if anything the tub has the edge there too.
If you're a proper weight weenie, these are gauranteed under 160g, they used to do a lighter one, but I suspect their lifespan was measureable in minutes.
"skinny steel frames are more 'aero' than modern cfrp stuff"Really? On what basis? I can vaguely accept less frontal area
exactly.
trust me, i'm a rocket scientist.
I've emithered you stuey.
You must log in to post.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
