here’s my question. If you took two identical aero wheels…on is brand new…the other is used (say 5-7 years)…will there really be any differnece as far as top end speed? As long as the wheel is true…shouldn’t it be just as fast as the day you bought it?? Or am I missing something?
Sure should - just don’t forget the hub … make sure it is serviceable.
Aside from possibly needing new bearings and the breaking surface being a little worn, it should be fine.
The question is…does it look like a 5-7 year old wheel? If the carbon is faded and scratched, then no…it doesn’t look as fast. If it still looks like a freshly powdered super model…mo powa to ya.
Some new wheels might actually be slower. Some rear hubs have a break-in period. Chris King hubs are an example … though I don’t see them on many/any aero wheelsets. These are built to such tight tolerances that it takes a few hundred miles to loosen them up a bit and get max speed out of them.
Older wheels, if they’re properly maintained and serviced, should be just as fast.
Bob C.
reblAK,
Aero wheels will only be “aero” for a certain number of miles. Each time you use them they will save you a certain number of seconds/minutes. There is only so much time that can be saved by those wheels. Once you have saved all that time, you can no longer save more time. After a few years, they will perform as any other wheels will.
If you purchase used aero wheels, expect that all the time savings will already be used up. Be sure the asking price reflects this.
wow… you could not be serious could you? You think that rule applies to aircraft? Wings can only produce so much lift, and through time that lift is used up, rendering that wing useless?? lol
You’re almost saying there is like an expiration date on the “aero-ness” of a wheel!! What happens? does the aero profile shrink to the profile of a box rim after a while?
I suppose this could be true after, oh, a few thousand years and the air/sand/grit grinds down your 58mm profile to 28mm. Then, the old wheel would = old
Obviously your aero wheels are all used up…send them to me!! I’ll throw them away for you.
Don’t listen to Zipp…he’s trying to scam you!
Zipp, you should be ashamed, asking this person to send them to you! They are ‘garbage’ after all.
Since Zipp is being so inconsiderate, I’ll offer to come pick them up so you don’t have to deal with shipping…sheesh…some people!
That was good …LOL
Next time I’ll be a nicer guy and offer to pick them up.
I don’t have aero wheels…just deciding whether I should bother with new or save a lot of money and go to ebay. I’d be more than happy to take anybody’s worn out race wheels off their hands for free though!!!
I bought a pair of Zipps on e-bay back in '99 or '00 for $400 and have probably done 50+ races on them. I might not be able to quantify the time savings, but there certainly is a psychological boost. It’s like putting on racing flats.
If you’re looking for wheels just for raceday, you could buy a cheap, used aero front (>40mm) on ebay and CH Aero covers to make a disk of your training wheel in the rear. I bought a Spinergy Tilium SS carbon front, unused, on ebay for $220, spent $70 for the rear covers. Full race setup for under $300. Not glamorous, but just as effective.