What happens if like me your buying of aerostuff generally pre-dates the growth of your gut? Should I put the disc wheel away until I slim down. At the national 25mile TT and UCI TT masters about my claim to dubious glory was being one of the most over weight riders to qualify and I need all the help I can get.

Maybe this was kind of valid in the past when you could argue that some discs offered a harsh ride and potentiality more fatigue. These though were the days when narrow tubulars pumped up to within an inch of their life was the perceived wisdom of the fastest setup.

With wider wheels and tyres this isn't really such an issue.

I've noticed the same. Been using a Super9 disc, and 808 front clinchers for a couple years now. I'm not a lightweight, 175-180, and the 808 can be pretty scary on fast downhills.

How many World Champions and Olympic medalists has Friel coached again?

According to his bio, he has coached national champions, world championship competitors, and an Olympian.

There is also his 12 published books. Masters degree.

And zero guilty pleas to sex offenses.

What was your point again?

The point I am making - just to be clear - Friel makes a living out of writing training books, being overly analytical in my opinion. People pay for complexity. The 'bleeding obvious' doesn't sell books and doesn't need a masters degree. Friel is not well known as coach of champions, he is well known for selling books.
As for the other comment, after 30 years you need to move on, for your own sake.

You are way under selling Friel and his impact. He may not be cutting edge now, but his stuff holds up.

I think Friel's books are great for self coached athletes and new coaches to read. Coaches with instinctive genius, like Sutton, are rare. His skills can't be taught from books but come from life experience that started in his childhood.

I'm not sure you even know what point you are making.

This thread had two issues: (1) "A disc needs to be up to around 40km an hour to be of a real true speed advantage." and (2) "Using a disc wheel will beat you up more for the run."

You come along and say "How many World Champions and Olympic medalists has Friel coached again?" which says nothing about the points, or about whether the science and research in any of Friel's books is correct.

You dismiss Friel's qualifications because he "makes a living out of writing training books" and ignore that Sutton makes his name, in part, by saying outrageous stuff.

Neither of the points being discussed are "bleeding obvious" ... unless you accept the consensus, here, that it is bleeding obvious Sutton is wrong.

As for Friel not being well-known as a coach of champions, you don't know what champions read, and being well-known does not mean you are right.

Finally, that's cool you can move on from sexual offenses against minor children.

Heh. Perfect example why people need to stop blindly listening to perceived authority figures and trust data instead. Sutton is a successful tri coach but he's flat out wrong about this.

Good day to you :-)

I don't want to say you are wrong or elitist but....

I would always use a disc when allowed. hard to rank the priorities

1) looks bad @ss

2)Tom A has me convinced on this splitter plate effect

3) certainly doesn't negatively influence handling in my opinion

4) the sound of a full composite disc......maybe this should be #1

The sound should definitely be #1 with looking badass a close second.

But what if the muffin top is toroidial shaped? It might be more aero than without.

And if ST has taught me nothing this year, it's that wider is faster.
This, along with the global obesity epidemic, is the natural evolution of that trend.

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float , hammer , and jog