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flo60's road for racing/crits
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I have used some flo60's for a few seasons of road racing and crits. I dont have a lot of experience with other wheels and perhaps im asking the wrong crowd. Despite a few wins on occasion and the lovely noise (except freewheeling where its stupid loud), am i missing out with slightly less aero wheels but a lot lighter? yes i know, wrong crowd again.
I have noticed a few things. I tend to notice the wind a bit on the roadie. On a few occasions, where on a sprint finish and im gassed, if im seated trying to sprint (no energy left to stand), i get real twitchy/shakey in the front end. Now obviously that may not be a wheel thing, rather a too much weight over the front wheel or something.
More so, however, they are over 2100g,s with skewers. Thats a heavy wheelset. Its probably in my head, but coming out of a corner, accelerating, they feel like they take a bit to get going. Maybe, again, thats just me.
I have no problems with the flo60's, but if im not really interested in aero as number 1 priority in road racing on a tarmac, am i being silly thinking im better served selling them, buying some zonda's or something and pocketing the change?
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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Full disclosure, I have a set of FLO 60 Carbon rims on Powertap hubs and I'm very pleased with them.

A quick look at the FLO site shows the aluminum rimmed 60s at 1955 gms and the full carbons at 1827 gms. I'm assuming you have the aluminum and the 2100 gms includes the skewers (as you mentioned) and rim tape.

If you're not already, you can save some weight by using tubeless tape instead of cloth. You can probably shed a little more by using lighter skewers. But those savings are both minimal.

You can shed 295 gms by getting the Hed Jet 6+. They're on sale at Competitive Cyclist for close to the same price as the FLOs with the aluminum brake track. The Heds have the aluminum brake track are likely as aero, if not slightly more aero than the FLOs.

I suspect that your twitchiness at the end of a crit is not wheel based. Like you said, you don't have enough energy to stand. So, my guess is that you're a little hypoglycemic at the end (I shake a bit when I am hypoglycemic). I never got comfortable trying to eat in a crit and rarely drank, either. But I did mix my sports drink at full strength to try to cram in a few extra calories and usually ate a gel or a waffle before right before the start.

hth
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [FatandSlow] [ In reply to ]
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would like jets, cant afford lol
I was thinking shallower, simply because im a hide in the pack guy until sprinting or staying in a break. I rarely attack.
I have the older alu version, run latex tubes etc.
Im diabetic so its def not hypoglycemia at the end of a race, id feel that a lot! Its a front end shudder, as if my weight distribution isnt right, or a small gust of wind has caught the front and im wobbling to try and bring it back to center, i dont know. I road them on a fairly windy road race a few months ago on the occasion, and i was going for the line and had a handy lead, but due to being seated, putting down the power i couldnt control the front end speed wobbles. I thought i was gonna go ass over. I seriously had to sit up despite leading, and roll across the line for 3rd. The winner and second place told me they saw me shudder like nuts on the front end. Granted it was windy day, but it could have been my position at the time. Its happened maybe 3 times before. I dont normally sprint seated, but have been caught out before.
However the thinking was more along the lines of the laboring feeling they have when accelerating. I dont know, they just feel a bit sluggish when the power is a bit on/off. I figured maybe i could sell them, get some zondas or something a little more lighter yet more snappy, and buy an evade 2 helmet as well or something with any leftover coin lol.
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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coates_hbk wrote:
putting down the power i couldnt control the front end speed wobbles. I thought i was gonna go ass over.


I think you might have something else going on. Pure wind instability and "speeds wobbles," in my experience manifest themselves pretty differently. Wind instability makes you appear like you're slightly drunk, weaving back and forth a bit. Speed wobble is more like a high-frequency shimmy. Maybe one triggers the other in your particular situation. This ST article might help.

But switching to a shallower wheel might not be a magic fix for you
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for sharing about being diabetic.

There were some threads here a few years ago that basically said that even in dirty air, aero wheels were better than box rimmed wheels. I have a set of Eurus 2-way fit wheels. The dimensions, spokes, etc. are the same as the Zondas, I think. Nice wheels, but I'd be very surprised if they're faster than your FLOs. If you sold the FLOs and bought the Zondas, I'd be surprised if you had more than $100 left over. The Zondas *may* be stiffer, but even if they are, I'd stick with the FLOs.
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [trail] [ In reply to ]
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OH I agree absolutely, I am pretty sure it’s all on me the speed wobbles.
I was thinking just how real the difference was with something 500gms or so lighter something was getting out of the corner repeatedly becomes. If it’s actually something that makes a difference

Thanks to you and fatandslow for your responses!
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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I'd probably go with a set of FLO 30's. Worst case is you end up with a $550 set of pretty good training wheels. While not super light, they will still shed considerable weight over what you got now and they are still somewhat aero. Unless you're a breakaway junkie, aero in road racing isn't absolutely critical.

If you end up not liking them for what you were hoping to accomplish, it'll will likely be easier to sell them at minimal loss compared to more expensive and more specific racing wheels.
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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coates_hbk wrote:
OH I agree absolutely, I am pretty sure it’s all on me the speed wobbles.
I was thinking just how real the difference was with something 500gms or so lighter something was getting out of the corner repeatedly becomes. If it’s actually something that makes a difference

Thanks to you and fatandslow for your responses!

What's your stem length? If your running a very short stem, could be the "sprint type finish" pulling on your bars is enough to give you the feel of speed wobbles.
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [MKirk] [ In reply to ]
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Stock tarmac so I think that’s 110?
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Re: flo60's road for racing/crits [Jason N] [ In reply to ]
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Jason N wrote:
I'd probably go with a set of FLO 30's. Worst case is you end up with a $550 set of pretty good training wheels. While not super light, they will still shed considerable weight over what you got now and they are still somewhat aero. Unless you're a breakaway junkie, aero in road racing isn't absolutely critical.

If you end up not liking them for what you were hoping to accomplish, it'll will likely be easier to sell them at minimal loss compared to more expensive and more specific racing wheels.

I’m def not a breakaway junkie. I’ll follow an attack but am more a sprinter.
Flo30 sound ok but I’m in aus- the shipping and our shitty dollar value kills it.
Only reason why I said zonda is they are 500gms lighter, are now wider, and seem to get good reviews. I’d be giving up aero but to be honest If I cared a lot about aero in crits etc, I wouldn’t be riding a Tarmac.
Here in aus I could sell the flo 60’s for 750 aus, buy some new zondas for 500 delivered. Just not sure if I’m really going to notice any less ‘slugishness’ In road racing and crits
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