Good idea Eric. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Keep us informed how you're doing!

And for all you cybercynics out there, the top 5 riders in any major TT are usually within the same minute. It is a popular discipline and there are many good riders. My closest victory ever in the nationals was by a mere 4 seconds, over a 28 km stage. That was in 2012. In later years the gap was a bit larger but it's never been more than 22 seconds over the second guy.

Now, do you REALLY think I would jeopardize that jersey by using anything but the fastest wheels available to me? (I think I mentioned I have some Xentisses and Zipps in the shed. I have choices).

"Yeah but you were already fast blah blah". Well, I didn't get to this level by mouthing off on the internet, and it's not that I was born like some kind of superhuman. I have biomechanical limits like everybody else. I just like to think I take my sport a bit more seriously than others, meaning I test stuff and I spend countless hours comparing actual speed and power data.

That's what you should do too - if you want to get faster that is. Test, test test and then test again. You don't have to buy everything first, there are test days at manufacturers and good shops will let you try stuff if you are a regular customer. Some manufacturers - like Rotor for example - have a no questions asked money back policy, so you can try their chainrings for free for 30 days. Swap bikes/wheels/kit with friends. Don't just take my word for it, taste the pudding yourself.



Happy miles, Pieter

  



ok i don't get this at all. how do save 2.5 minutes in a one-hour time trial? do you stop at 57:30 and find some laurels to rest on?
leaving aside whether or not this 2-spoke wheel does anything, would this really be the best way to quantify this?

If it rode 51k in one hour with a normal setup then you would ride the same 51k in 57:30 using this wheel. I agree the wording is weird, esp when usually most time savings are given in respect to a 40k TT.

Mike

Whoever designed this has never taken a Statics course in their lives.

Statics? Say what you want about the wheels, but they have many many times the strength needed to hold up the bike in a static position. Even with the spokes horizontal!

Anyway, I bought a front wheel and it showed up at my door in Wellesley, Mass two days after he shipped it. Unfortunately, I'm not home right now, but looking forward to my new toy. I'll post a pic here!

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

I'm just saying that the load differential is vastly different between the 'spokes' when the wheel is rolling. There are two points during a revolution where there is virtually zero force in the Y-Axis of the wheel. Not saying it wont roll on flat tarmac, but hit a bump (or whatever) while those spokes are parallel with the ground and you're going to have a bad day.

If the rim is strong enough the load will be distributed through the rim to the spokes. That said, I'm perfectly happy with my trip-spoke :)

I have to say this is an intriguing wheel, certainly looks cool. I doubt it would satisfy many people here, but would be interesting to run some Chung/VE testing on this wheel. Would at least give a ballpark idea, probably nice to compare to something like a Zipp 808. Would need to have the same tires that are carefully matched for rolling resistance.

I use a suburban street in a "half pipe" form just a quarter of a mile from my house in Medfield MA for VE testing. Not as definitive as a wind tunnel but the price is right. Just have to accept that the neighbors think I'm really weird for riding back and forth for an hour at a time.

For this sort of testing you need four days of testing. Use two of the same sort of tire for sanity's sake.

Day 1
Wheel 1, Tire 1
Wheel 2, Tire 2

Day 2
Wheel 1, Tire 2
Wheel 2, Tire 1

Day 3
Wheel 1, Tire 1
Wheel 2, Tire 2

Day 2
Wheel 1, Tire 2
Wheel 2, Tire 1

Average the results. Use a digital tire pressure gauge. How to deal with different mounted widths is a whole different ballgame which I haven't broached yet. There's a very good chance that, for me, different mounted widths (for the same tire) throw off my data (wider tire at same pressure = a stiffer spring).

This is true. If HED made the tri-spoke in all carbon I'd have bought one of those. It's just all my other wheels are carbon, don't want to hassle with brake pad issues. Also, just a little curious about this thing, will definitely be unique!

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

The GT3 is all carbon and the Corsa Speed G+ comes in a tubular with a latex tube :)

Well that would certainly be a robust protocol. I'd personally add some roller testing of the two tires first as that would establish very quickly if they have similar rolling resistance as if they didn't there's no point in even proceeding. I doubt I would personally be up for 4 days of testing. I can swap tires quickly enough I think you don't need so many days.

The more data you have the more robust the results will be. I never make an equipment decision from one round of field testing but then again I have the luxury of a good loop close to my home.

any interest in helping a fellow twitcher chung his bike/gear? be willing to repay in dinner/beers.

john

Tubular?!? No thanks!

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

what about 1.5 spokes?

I am sure one of the UK magazines (Probably 220) tested them and thought they were fast. Using the very rough gauge of cycling a usual loop on a set test bike Ì think they did a route pb. Obviously reviews arent always accurate, and this type of test rather rough or ready but perhaps suggests they are at least worth a look.

EricLambi; how did you get on with your two-spoke front wheel?

I am thinking of trying them also but may opt for a Citech Ultra 8000 Disc on the rear. I currently run tubeless Knight 95's :)

I haven't mounted a tire on it yet. It looks cool!

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

How about now? I am keen to get one but it would be good to get your take on them; how stable are they for example? Cheers

Sorry, I bought it right before my Ironman (didn't race on it) and have only ridden it one time. I thought it seemed pretty awesome the one time I rode it. My only criticism so far is that the finish quality of the wheel is a little bit low (it just doesn't look as nice as an ENVE or Zipp, etc up close). I had planned to race it in a sprint last weekend, but that race was canceled due to weather, and I am now done racing for the year. I keep meaning to take it to a place where I do some roll down testing, but I've just been lazy about it. One thing that complicates testing is that the wheel is somewhat narrow, especially compared to my ENVE, so I feel like a 20c supersonic will be the best tire for this wheel. I have a Vittoria CS on the ENVE, which is probably the fastest tire available for that particular wheel. So even if I'm able to notice some difference, it will be hard to know whether it is tire or wheel (though in practical terms it doesn't matter too much to me).

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

I did some very basic hill rolldown testing with these wheels, with 20c supersonic tire, vs ENVE w/ Vittoria corsa speed (tubeless). I was not able to observe any difference between the wheels with my testing, which admittedly was super rudimentary. Given they are more likely to excel in a windy/crosswind situation, which I didn't have, I will probably ride them in my next race. I will say, and it is probably because of the tire, that the ENVE feels more comfortable to ride.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Hi Peter-

Hopefully you are still around. It looks like you had a great race at the world championships on these wheels. Do you mind letting us know what tires you rode with them at the race?

Thanks!

Eric

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Hi Eric,

How have you found the two spoke so far. Looks interesting and ancedotal reports suggest it is quite fast but a bit heavy. I thought it was unreasonably wide (24mm outer) so a decent fit with 23mm tyres but sounds like you found it a bit narrow?

Cheers Tim

The one spoke it called a disc wheel (or maybe that is the infinite no. spoke wheel). That said, a disc as a front wheel is not a good idea. so maybe the 2 spoke has some merit? I'm still on my old deep dish and/or tri spoke so what do I know.