So here is my story: after spending the last couple of years focused on my running and FINALLY qualifying for the Boston Marathon I am planning to get back into triathlons and duathlons next year. I typically finish sort of back of the front of the pack, but as I have gotten older and the fields in my age group have thinned out I end up on the podium more often than not (and like many of you, I am Type A and stopped being satisfied with finisher’s medals a long time ago).
Unlike when I started doing triathlons nearly 20 years ago, I have two kids now and am starting to think about retirement. Thus, while I have more than ample means I simply cannot justify “breaking the bank†to buy speed (for example, my tri bike features an aluminum Motobecane frame that does not even have internal cable routing—the horror!). That said, I do not want to bring knives to gunfights, so I am thinking of buying some type of aero front wheel for racing (I have a wheel cover for my back wheel that works perfectly fine). Does anyone have a recommendations for a value-priced aero front wheel?
I am not adverse to buying a Chinese knockoff, but just want to make sure if I do so it is from a relatively reputable company (assuming that is not an oxymoron). And I am not interested in buying used—I did that once before and had a bad experience. Any and all sincere suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, and hope to see some of you at races in the greater Chicago area in 2022!
Just bought a new aero front wheel on clearance from Premier Bike—given the price it was a no-brainer! I feel faster already! Thank you to everyone that responded so quickly—the guidance and advice I have received over the years on this forum are one of the many things that make Slowtwitch so special!
Just bought a new aero front wheel on clearance from Premier Bike—given the price it was a no-brainer! I feel faster already! Thank you to everyone that responded so quickly—the guidance and advice I have received over the years on this forum are one of the many things that make Slowtwitch so special!
Kudos to LuckyLo and Morelock for suggesting that wheel - I recently bought the same thing and would have also recommended it.
Mount some fast tires with latex tubes.
Lastly - *and maybe most important *- an aero helmet AND posting a picture here with you wearing it on your bike, in your racing position.
I purchased this 3 spoke wheel which is exactly the same profile as Revolver Wheel’s Troika(1st gen).
This one is really satisfactory. I am using disc brake version of it.
What’s everybody pairing with on that Premier front wheel - a disc in back? Any good deals going on a deep clincher rear that I could pair the Premier front with?
I purchased this 3 spoke wheel which is exactly the same profile as Revolver Wheel’s Troika(1st gen).
This one is really satisfactory. I am using disc brake version of it.
I think this is not a “fake Troika”. Revolver may have imported this pre-existed wheel and re-branded it.
I’m confused. You are saying This wheel on aliexpress is the original “Troika†profile and the Troika by Revolver is a knock off of this aliexpress wheel?
Unfortunately for old troika, Yes. I think they are selling un-branded open mold wheels on their name. But Not that current fat version.
You can see the exact same wheel with the exact same configuration(matt finish, 12K sread tow finish, without decal == same as the aliwheel) on the background.
Revolver’s consumer version troika is just the Ali troika + black thin base coat and glossy “revolver” decal. I checked the rim profile. 99% match.
the 1% discrepancy comes from** the position of valve hole**. Rev’s troika has a hole between the 2 spokes. The distances between two spokes and the hole are the same.
Ali troika has a hole right behind a spoke.
However as you can see another Revolver’s prototype troika
you can clearly see that one has same hole position of Ali troika. Rev is saying that the wheel on the f book link was a test product.
But I think it is the ali troika which was a product sample from the factory in China purchased by Rev as a B2B buyer.
I concluded that they import this wheel from china.
Revolver’s prototype Troika (that one hang on the wall from the vid above) == exactly same as Ali troika wheel(except for the valve hole).
Revolver is not that famous company and does not have that much influence on common cyclists so there’s no reason for Chinese copycat factories to copy their wheel as soon as it is introduced to the market. Consider Fake chinarello dogma F. Revolver Troika is the opposite case.
I delved into searching for it and ali troika is manufactured by a company in Shenzen and many chinese distributors handle the same mold and configuration. It is overly wide spread in B2C or B2B e-commercial market. Considering Rev’s reputation (unlike Pinarello, Specialized Swors), it is highly suspicious. And I could not find troika version 2(fat one) from the chinese market. It is so strange.
They concluded it’s an open mold deal with their logo on it.
I have one in transit now.
For you tri folks though, a trispoke is already a lower yaw gain proposition. Pairing that with a deep section rim profile…isn’t that make it even more of a low wind day wheel?
I bought one as I’m trying to do sub 21min 10mi times including u-turn. So like 28.5mph, so not much yaw.
It’s not a wheel I’d buy for triathlon. Especially if I could only buy ONE.
I own a lot of wheels to race with, Jet 6+, 9+, and the Troika open mold version on the way. If I had to choose only one, it would the the 6+.
Bontrager Aeolus 5 Comp is $340, has the security of alloy brake tracks, and an actual retail network for support (including spare parts like spokes, bearings, etc).
They concluded it’s an open mold deal with their logo on it.
I have one in transit now.
For you tri folks though, a trispoke is already a lower yaw gain proposition. Pairing that with a deep section rim profile…isn’t that make it even more of a low wind day wheel?
I bought one as I’m trying to do sub 21min 10mi times including u-turn. So like 28.5mph, so not much yaw.
It’s not a wheel I’d buy for triathlon. Especially if I could only buy ONE.
I own a lot of wheels to race with, Jet 6+, 9+, and the Troika open mold version on the way. If I had to choose only one, it would the the 6+.
