Im sure there is already a post with a slew of data and responses, but I am looking to find the fastest wheel setup for Ironman Louisville. I have zip 404 front and zipp disc. I run clinchers and now seeing all the data with latex will be using the vittoria latex tubes. From what i remember reading the conti 4000s were a good choice. But i am looking for recommendations for tire choice as well as width. Go 23mm front and 25mm rear? I ride a 2012 Cervelo P3. I have been using the zipp tires both 23mm but know thats not the fastest in terms of rolling resistance. Race weight I am 170-175lbs. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.
From Louisville and ridden the course at least 50 times.
Continental GP 4000 SII or Continental Grand Prix TT! Either one is fast and has the black chili compound. 23mm front and back.
Im sure there is already a post with a slew of data and responses, but I am looking to find the fastest wheel setup for Ironman Louisville. I have zip 404 front and zipp disc. I run clinchers and now seeing all the data with latex will be using the vittoria latex tubes. From what i remember reading the conti 4000s were a good choice. But i am looking for recommendations for tire choice as well as width. Go 23mm front and 25mm rear? I ride a 2012 Cervelo P3. I have been using the zipp tires both 23mm but know thats not the fastest in terms of rolling resistance. Race weight I am 170-175lbs. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.
Just answered this in a thread just the other day. Zipp 808 or equivalent deeper rim. Zipp Disc is fine. 20mm Conti Supersonic on the front, 23mm Conti Supersonic on the back.
The Supersonic isn’t a long lasting tire and has reduced puncture resistance. Thomas is a Pro triathlete and has raced Louisville multiple times. You NEED all the puncture resistance you can in Life Louisville. The 2 tires I mentioned in my first post are better options with the 4000 SII being the best choice.
Ya this will be 4th time doing louisville and know it isn’t the smoothest. Just want to maximize the aero benefits now more data is coming out. I have rode s work turbo and the zipp tangents with no flats in past but know there are faster tires that have similar puncture resistance.
What is this “data” you speak of?
I guess stuff been reading on here where people have completed tests for rolling resistance between tire, butyl va latex, the small differences that tire width can make and etc. There seems to be consistency in the Conti supersonics and 4000sII are faster than zipp tire that I have been using for example.
The Supersonic isn’t a long lasting tire and has reduced puncture resistance. Thomas is a Pro triathlete and has raced Louisville multiple times. You NEED all the puncture resistance you can in Life Louisville. The 2 tires I mentioned in my first post are better options with the 4000 SII being the best choice.
but they said “but I am looking to find the fastest wheel setup for Ironman Louisville”
As have been mentioned before, the best way to get comfortable with the puncture resistance of tire is to train on it and try it out. I’m confident if they do that they will feel more than comfortable with it.
I’m curious, Thomas. You are one of a very limited few who run the Supersonic. Most run the TT or GP 4000 SII. What do you like about the Supersonic over the other 2? And I’m not sure a 20MM front tire will be ideal in Louisville in October. It’s much more windy that time of year. Not a lot of ground contact with a 20mm.
I’m curious, Thomas. You are one of a very limited few who run the Supersonic. Most run the TT or GP 4000 SII. What do you like about the Supersonic over the other 2? And I’m not sure a 20MM front tire will be ideal in Louisville in October. It’s much more windy that time of year. Not a lot of ground contact with a 20mm.
I am one of the few because people tend to be overly concern with things that I don’t think they need to be overly concerned with. I just had a talked with Rob Gray at IMAZ, never met the guy before. I told him if he wanted to go for a kona slot and could get it without Supersonics then skip them, but he said he wanted to go as fast as possible. In that case you go with the Supersonics. The 20mm is more aero than a 23mm GP4000s by a considerable amount (regardless of how hard the wind is blowing), and rolls the same according to Tom A. I am not a bike handler and they are fine - this is not a crit. They are pretty wide on a wide rim, just a tad narrower than the rim itself.
I’m curious, Thomas. You are one of a very limited few who run the Supersonic. Most run the TT or GP 4000 SII. What do you like about the Supersonic over the other 2? And I’m not sure a 20MM front tire will be ideal in Louisville in October. It’s much more windy that time of year. Not a lot of ground contact with a 20mm.
I am one of the few because people tend to be overly concern with things that I don’t think they need to be overly concerned with. I just had a talked with Rob Gray at IMAZ, never met the guy before. I told him if he wanted to go for a kona slot and could get it without Supersonics then skip them, but he said he wanted to go as fast as possible. In that case you go with the Supersonics. The 20mm is more aero than a 23mm GP4000s by a considerable amount (regardless of how hard the wind is blowing), and rolls the same according to Tom A. I am not a bike handler and they are fine - this is not a crit. They are pretty wide on a wide rim, just a tad narrower than the rim itself.
Is there a reason to ride the 23SS on the rear if it rolls the same as a GP4kS? Or does the 23 get a CRR boost with the added volume? I’m planning to ride a 20mm SS on the front for TTs next season and I’m planning to do some aerolab comparisons with a GP4kS and some of the fast rolling cotton tires on the rear, unless there’s data showing a clear advantage already.
I’m curious, Thomas. You are one of a very limited few who run the Supersonic. Most run the TT or GP 4000 SII. What do you like about the Supersonic over the other 2? And I’m not sure a 20MM front tire will be ideal in Louisville in October. It’s much more windy that time of year. Not a lot of ground contact with a 20mm.
I am one of the few because people tend to be overly concern with things that I don’t think they need to be overly concerned with. I just had a talked with Rob Gray at IMAZ, never met the guy before. I told him if he wanted to go for a kona slot and could get it without Supersonics then skip them, but he said he wanted to go as fast as possible. In that case you go with the Supersonics. The 20mm is more aero than a 23mm GP4000s by a considerable amount (regardless of how hard the wind is blowing), and rolls the same according to Tom A. I am not a bike handler and they are fine - this is not a crit. They are pretty wide on a wide rim, just a tad narrower than the rim itself.
Is there a reason to ride the 23SS on the rear if it rolls the same as a GP4kS? Or does the 23 get a CRR boost with the added volume? I’m planning to ride a 20mm SS on the front for TTs next season and I’m planning to do some aerolab comparisons with a GP4kS and some of the fast rolling cotton tires on the rear, unless there’s data showing a clear advantage already.
Yes the 23 rolls faster albeit my well worn tire that I sent to Tom A,. Keep in mind the SS is lighter, and narrower than the GP4KS even though they are both 23mm. If you made the Supersonic as wide as the GP4KS it would roll even faster.
Thanks. I have 2 very important TTs next year and need just about every second I can find.
Thanks. I have 2 very important TTs next year and need just about every second I can find.
Talk to Jeff P on here if you need some more testimonials but I think he TTs quite nicely on them.
Thanks. I have 2 very important TTs next year and need just about every second I can find.
One of my local buddies is a very fast ~50+ TTer, and one season he had 2 flats in a week on supersonics, one of them being the state TT.
I would have lost my shit and never touched them again. But he is back on them (and had no troubles lately). I asked why he kept with them and he said “They were just too fast”
haha
Any opinions on the Vittoria tires? I am also doing IMLOU and may possibly be using Zipp 404 front and rear.
Any opinions on the Vittoria tires? I am also doing IMLOU and may possibly be using Zipp 404 front and rear.
aerodynamic disaster. There are better options.
any high tpi tire with a preferably smooth surface, 20mm. I don’t like continental too much cause they use 3 layers of 110tpi but their supersonic is a good tire. Also veloflex corsa and vittoria open corsa are great tires they offer higher tpi like 320tpi in one layer=less weight&stronger but don’t have a smooth surface.
I know everyone loves the GP4000s but on Al Morrison’s rolling resistance test they come in at 14.1 watts per wheel. There are plenty of tires that beat them including two under 12 watts and a bunch under 13 watts. Is there something else about these tires I am missing?
http://www.biketechreview.com/tires_old/images/AFM_tire_testing_rev9.pdf
I know everyone loves the GP4000s but on Al Morrison’s rolling resistance test they come in at 14.1 watts per wheel. There are plenty of tires that beat them including two under 12 watts and a bunch under 13 watts. Is there something else about these tires I am missing?
http://www.biketechreview.com/...ire_testing_rev9.pdf
Yes that is old data using old GP4000s. Look into Tom A. who has done more recent data. Regardless the GP4000s is not the fastest tire out there.