apart from weight what exactly is gained through expensive wheels?

I mean how would they feel different to that of a cheaper pair?

reduce road buzz
more ridged and more direct steering
more aero dynamics

????

Think about what the roads are like around you before you get some super stiff low spoke count aero factory wheels. It’s alright for the pro’s, ‘cos they can just junk a wheel when it goes, but in the real world factory wheels are more difficult to repair, less comfortable and less tough.

Decent quality handbuilts are not that much heavier, more comfortable, easier to fix and reliable.

just wondering thats all

OK, so what I just put is a pretty fair summary, I think – flash wheels tend (not always, but often) to be stiffer, with fewer spokes and a stiffer rim. So they are faster by being more aero and lighter.

I got some cheap [relatively speaking in a sale] Dura-ace CL’s from my old worn out Aksiums – they feel stiffer and reduce road buzz. The uptake at the rear is far far better and they are ++ lighter. However it does not make me a better rider! It will not make you fitter 😉

Proper expensive wheels (eg the £1k+ ones!) are much lighter but still stiff and some are aero too.

But, most up to say £500ish are just a little lighter (if at all) but look good compared to a good set of handbuilts and the latter tends to be a big selling point… Most of the ‘aero’ ones aren’t deep enough to really be aero either.

aero wheels really do make sod all difference unless your racing..

The performance gains are negligable… To get a light weight aero wheel you have to go tub… I’ve just ordered my 1st set of tubs as did not want to the weight penalty of a deep section clincher.

Poshbikes offer some amazing handbuilt clinchers coming in at 1300grams. I ride a set of these as my everyday wheels.

I’ll keep my Fulcrum 7’s for the time being….my fitness is wayyyyy off wheel upgrades.

oh this leads me to my next question – on a good day I’m averaging 13hph on a 20-30mile route. quite hilly – west pennines – haslington, ramsbottom, edenfield, accrington, rivington, darwen etc etc.

am I shit slow? 😳 or ok?

These were my stats from my most recent Sportive – Wiggle Cornwall Tor 100Km. I am not willy waving, I am fit but not uber fit so FYI 🙂

Click for bigger image.

how did you get the screen grab & how did you find the cadence (I have a forerunner 405cx

Screen grabber is Fireshot (IE and Firefox) plugin (free)

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/fireshot/

I have a cadence sensor on the chain stay using a Garmin Edge 800 🙂

ok here’s mine:

I usually average about 17mph on my local 50Km training ride with the same amount of climbing if that helps?

This is mine from my 1st road race on sunday

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79730061

yes i was blowing out my arse at times

Obviously very different to riding on your own

Yeh I guess that’s about a similar pace and climbing over a bit more distance Tricky?

So 30kmph over 50-60Km with 3300 ft of climbing? BTW I dont have anyone to ride with so I am always training and riding on my own pretty much even in races – as below drafting really helps 🙂

oh this leads me to my next question – on a good day I’m averaging 13hph on a 20-30mile route. quite hilly – west pennines – haslington, ramsbottom, edenfield, accrington, rivington, darwen etc etc.

Are you riding on your own or with someone else? Out as a pair last weekend managed an average (moving) speed of 14.8mph, had a few people overtake us on the climbs but not that many… Definitely hilly ride, see here. Going in a group means you can draft, gives you a chance to rest and saves an amazing amount of energy.

As above – expect to get another 2-3 mph if in a decent group of similar ability. My “normal” speed would be 15-17mph over a reasonable rolling 80-100 mile route, but I managed 20mph doing the 84 mile Etape Caledonia last year.

Lighter wheels are faster. More expensive wheels are lighter (generally!).

Ergo, more expensive wheels are faster!

I’d disagree with GlenP. The only road rim I’ve ever damaged on a poor road surface was an Open Pro, handbuilt with DT Competition spokes.

They’re also far harsher than my Race X Lites, which are my ‘nice’ wheels. If you do go to the properly expensive wheels they can get comfortable too. I had some XXX Lite tubs which were lovely, the carbon rims are stiff and absorb vibration nicely, much like frames/seatposts/bars etc! Also had some Aeolus 5.0 clinchers that were seriously fast on the flat, but the clincher rims were too heavy to make them much fun on the climbs.

There’s another argument, which Glen gets into of factory vs handbuilt. If you handbuild a set of 1200g carbon tub wheels you’re not gonna see a vast difference to a set of off the shelf R-SYS, F4Rs, Hyperons etc etc. I’d far sooner have some nicer factory wheels than some cheap handbuilts, and I’d rather have some nice handbuilts than some cheap factory wheels.

That’s not to say that spending a large amount of money on any wheels will triple your average speed. Nor that greater gains coulnd’t be had by losing a few pounds. But a decent set of wheels will be nicer to ride.

FWIW my current set of Race X Lites came from my ‘cross bike, where they did a weekly few hours around Ashton Court, they’ve never seen a jig and remain perfectly true.

just me and my Sl pro 😀

Yeh I guess that’s about a similar pace and climbing over a bit more distance Tricky?

This race was 55 miles but only started the garmin ont he 3rd lap (10 miles in)

Yours is in km/h?

Sefton, I was a similar speed to you last year, but after a good winter to help with my base fitness I’m now a lot faster and fitter.

Average speed will depend on the terrain. My last ride two rides have been New Forest Sportive, 56 miles, 2400ish feet of climbing with an average moving speed of 18.4mph and last night a more hilly 35 mile club ride with and average of 17.8mph.

Average speed is all relative so don’t get hung up on it. The more you ride, the fitter you become and the faster you get. 🙂

For the record, my wheels are factory Mavic Ksyrium Equipes. Not the lightest or heaviest but they came with the bike. Will eventually upgrade to the SL’s.

makes a massive difference riding in a group or club run

This race was 55 miles but only started the garmin ont he 3rd lap (10 miles in)

Fair enough [now feels sl. inferior] 😉

Average speed is all relative so don’t get hung up on it. The more you ride, the fitter you become and the faster you get.

+1 – just ride more frequently and esp on your own as I think it makes you more able to deal with the pain 😉 I am only talking from experience – I don’t class myself as a racer or really a Roadie – just someone who like to get fitter 🙂

njee20 – Very likely I am forming my opinion base on not enough experience with different wheels. Recently I got rid of my factory Ultegra wheels and am now on handbuilts, and I much prefer the handbuilts. But, as I said, not enough different wheels to compare, so I defer to your greater experince

Strangely I’m having a love affair at the moment with some very very cheap wheels. I’ve still got 2 1/2 sets in the menders. So I bought these £60+ Shimano things.
I’m ****ing having great rides on them (apart from todays blowout)

I’m enjoying the slight flex and braking is superb.
Did a fast 200 on them this week 18.97MPH average, and a Km/H faster on the local clubs 100Km.

I can only assume my good ones are stiff, and that these forgive a little to keep you motoring on B roads and harrow lanes.

If I had the dosh at the mo I’d buy some Mon Chasserals. Those R-Sys things are bloody scary, I’m not ready for carbon spokes just yet.

Are Mon Chasserals not just 240s, RR1.1s and Revolutions?

I really want some FFWD F4Rs, with a Power Tap rear hub.

I’ll check that out, they’re meant to be about 1450 which is on the button for me. Does that sound right? if you are right my mate could build those up for me and I’d lose the stupid white colour at the same time.

200Km BTW