Here’s the deal, recent college grad, just moved out = broke. I want to get some aero wheels for my ride but money is tight (see start). I have seen people ride with only 1 aero wheel (mainly Hed 3) but can’t remember if it was on the front or back. Does it matter if the aero wheel is on the front or back? Since I am broke, I am thinking of getting a wheel cover for the rear, and a front aero wheel of some sort. Any ST folk do the same? Thoughts?
Go 'Nucks Go!
Start in front…
Since I am broke, I am thinking of getting a wheel cover for the rear, and a front aero wheel of some sort. Any ST folk do the same?
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The more appropriate question nowadays would be “Any ST folk NOT do the same?” 
A popular and proven solution for the budget-minded racer (like me).
Start in front…
unless you have access to a disc. any other aero wheel is as Hornet Coach said…
I disagree with some of the answers of aero 3 spoke on the front.
I use Hed3C on the rear and 16 spoke on the front.
It worked for Macca when he was riding a Kestrel.
Ken Glah on his 24 IM Kona
Marcel Zamora 2006 IM France winner
and me just a middle age guy with a dream.
Buy and aero front wheel and then get a wheelcover for the back wheel. Gives you all the aero qualities of a disk at a fraction of the cost.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER try to ride with a deep aero front wheel and a shallower wheel on the back. Don’t do it. In the slightest crosswind you will be out of control.
Check out www.wheelbuilder.com for a wheel cover, several positive comments seen over the years, seem to recall a reference to a top 3 finish at IM Canada last year with one.
Another vote for front before back. I believe the data shows that it’s the front wheel that benefits most because it gets clean air undisturbed by the rider so its aerodynamic properties can be better utilised. The rear wheel has more variables (seat tube, no seat tube, riding style, size of legs etc).
I can vouch for Cousin Elwoods comments re: NEVER going a deep front, shallow rear. WHen I bought a hed3 front and Hed3 disc rear I thought I would try out the front only and get used to the aero wheels gradually, with what I thought would be the least impacted wheel first. That was the most difficult short ride I have ever been on.
To the other poster … I’m pretty sure Macca mainly went Hed3 rear, Alps etc front at Kona. A lot of the time he used to ride the 3 front, disc rear. I know because that setup influenced my purchase! 
Front first. Will have no effect on stability of your bike. What most people do when there is a cross wind is get up out of the aero position and un-weight the front end. This is a mistake. Tri bikes are designed to have weight on the front end. While it does take some getting used to, relax your upper body and lean into the cross wind.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER try to ride with a deep aero front wheel and a shallower wheel on the back. Don’t do it. In the slightest crosswind you will be out of control.
Load of rubbish. Disc rear and trispoke front will be slightly more stable, but “being out of control” is just a bit hysterical. I have ridden everything from trispoke to 90mm rim to full disc on the front with a 32spoke rear, and the difference in handling using a disc in the back is small.
I’ll 3rd the misconception. I rode just under 100 miles with a 90mm Hed Jet front and a rear Ksyrium SL on a tri bike (recon ride for IM Lou - front tire was flat in the car and didn’t feel like changing it). Was fine. No more front wheel “tugging” than with my usual full disc on the rear (and this is on a wide tube, aero bike as well). Slightly more bike “push” from full on, sudden crosswinds, but it was fine.
As to your original question, yes, front wheel aerodynamics are more “important” than the rear. But you can likely afford a simple rear wheel cover, as was mentioned, and be almost just as fast.
Do you have an aero helmet? If not, get that first, then experiment with your aero-position on the bike…way more important than a wheel. The thing about aero-wheels is this, you won’t feel their effect until you’re going about 25mph. A fast position on the bike requires less energy to go the same speed your friends with the fancy wheels are going…who’s going to run faster? Even if I had the best TT aero set-up ever, I’d never be caught dead with a wheel cover on my bike.
And there you have it folks - misconception #2! If aero wheels don’t help you until 25 + mph, then why would your aero helmet?
Do you have an aero helmet? If not, get that first, then experiment with your aero-position on the bike…way more important than a wheel. The thing about aero-wheels is this, you won’t feel their effect until you’re going about 25mph. A fast position on the bike requires less energy to go the same speed your friends with the fancy wheels are going…who’s going to run faster? Even if I had the best TT aero set-up ever, I’d never be caught dead with a wheel cover on my bike.
You’re a genius. Have a gold star.
Why can’t his friends have a fast position too? And I’d love to know why you’d never be caught dead with a wheel cover on your bike, unless it’s for posing reasons.
Xav
Wheel covers are sad. You see someone with one at a race and it drives me crazy because there are so many other things they have going on that are way,way worse. Of course its fun to torture your friends who blow their wad on stuff that matters the least. I love tearing through the bunch that beat me out of the water on $7000+++ rigs with my lowly old trek hand-me-down. Maybe I think they are the poseurs. How about a wheel cover, baggy shorts, bmx pedals and running shoes (with slow-laces). Kick some but like that, then you may graduate directly to a 3 spoke and a disc. You have my permission. 2/3 of drag is caused by our fat arses, so if you’re planning to go over 12mph on your bicycle you better get your aero position cleaned-up (secretly). Next it looks like an aero-helmet, then you have these options like cleaning up your cables, fancy aero water bottles, aero frames then last but not least wheels. I wonder how a one-piece/skinsuit does compared to a speedo? Now, if your friends get aero too? Ideally, you get a job, buy a “super” bike with all of the other stuff stuff they sell, go to the wind tunnel ($1200), and get a SRM and a coach (start with their book of course). That’s ALL you need. Maybe not, what about nutrition? I think we’ll need another thread. But hey, I’m cheap so I’ll go with the most speed/bang for my buck and build up. Try these things and see what happens on your bike computer before you go to the next step. The big self appointed gurus don’t necessarily always (again not all gurus), have your best interest at heart. Just follow the links. What’s the catch? This message was brought to you by an opinionated jerk who has nothing to gain. Good luck!
Exactly. Drag force is proportional to velocity squared. It doesn’t care what your speed is.
It may depend on the bike (my Stealth has a lot of frame at the rear to balance the wind) but when I rice my Trek 5200, the rear wheel had better be as deep as the front or I’m in trouble… and I weigh 175. For a lighter rider, if you’re running a 404 or a HED Cx front with a standard road wheel in the back on a windy day, you’re screwed.
Don’t believe me? Ask Fignon… or ask Ulrich how he liked riding the Mavic IO five-spoke outdoors in the wind. Jan had trouble controlling that bike, and that was with a disc rear.
It’s simple physics, as John Cobb will tell you. Wind that pushes against a deep aero wheel or disc rear helps to stabilize the bike, up front it helps to destabilize.
Wheel covers are sad. You see someone with one at a race and it drives me crazy because there are so many other things they have going on that are way,way worse. Of course its fun to torture your friends who blow their wad on stuff that matters the least. I love tearing through the bunch that beat me out of the water on $7000+++ rigs with my lowly old trek hand-me-down. Maybe I think they are the poseurs. How about a wheel cover, baggy shorts, bmx pedals and running shoes (with slow-laces). Kick some but like that, then you may graduate directly to a 3 spoke and a disc. You have my permission. 2/3 of drag is caused by our fat arses, so if you’re planning to go over 12mph on your bicycle you better get your aero position cleaned-up (secretly). Next it looks like an aero-helmet, then you have these options like cleaning up your cables, fancy aero water bottles, aero frames then last but not least wheels. I wonder how a one-piece/skinsuit does compared to a speedo? Now, if your friends get aero too? Ideally, you get a job, buy a “super” bike with all of the other stuff stuff they sell, go to the wind tunnel ($1200), and get a SRM and a coach (start with their book of course). That’s ALL you need. Maybe not, what about nutrition? I think we’ll need another thread. But hey, I’m cheap so I’ll go with the most speed/bang for my buck and build up. Try these things and see what happens on your bike computer before you go to the next step. The big self appointed gurus don’t necessarily always (again not all gurus), have your best interest at heart. Just follow the links. What’s the catch? This message was brought to you by an opinionated jerk who has nothing to gain. Good luck!
For a lighter rider, if you’re running a 404 or a HED Cx front with a standard road wheel in the back on a windy day, you’re screwed.
Well I’m a lighter rider by 8lb, and with a HED Deep, HED CX, Zipp 808, HED 3 or Corima Aero coupled with a 32 spoke rear, I was fine. Sweeping judgements are not recommended.
Don’t believe me? Ask Fignon… or ask Ulrich how he liked riding the Mavic IO five-spoke outdoors in the wind. Jan had trouble controlling that bike, and that was with a disc rear.
Of course: I’ve seen loads of people with IO’s in triathlons. And front discs like Fignon.