Does anyone know of any data comparing the Hed 3 with the Mavic 3G ? Which is more aerodynamic? and do they handle similarly?
Purely on an eyeball test I would suspect that they’d handle differently, since the Hed has a deeper rim and constant width spokes, whereas the Mavic has a shallower rim, and spokes that get wider towards the hub.
Aerodynamically speaking, I’d be surprised if there was much between them. If comparative data is available, it’s likely to be between the Specialized trispoke and the 3G. This could have a different result to a H3 and 3G test, for example because my Hed 3 has a different spoke profile to my Specialized.
Biggest concern I’d have is getting hold of spares for the Mavic since it’s discontinued.
Which two wheels are you referring to? Is it the original Specialized trispoke which was painted black, and the current HED, or the carbon weave Specialized and the current HED3? I have held all three in my hands at one point, but not at the same time; so I have a tough time making a comparison of the early specialized (painted) to the current version; but I can definitely say that the carbon weave specialized is identical to the HED3 which had the orangish labels (just after they were purchased). If they are different now, that means that they did retooling to the molds, which costs around 20k ish (a rough guess based on personal experience with mold retooling costs). Anyway, with that said, I thought that the mavic trispoke was a nicer wheel, but I have heard that they are heavier (can anyone confirm this?). The blades in the spokes seem thinner than the HED/specialized, and if I remember correctly there was some testing that was done around the time of the '96 olympics or so where they tested the Mavic to be slightly faster than the trispoke (HED/specialized). Now this is with the caveat that the testing method can have a great effect on the outcome when small differences are being measured. If I recall, the Mavic IO came out a couple years later, and it was made for the track. It was STIFFER according to folks, but when tested, it was slower (it was thought that five spokes led to an increased number of pressure waves that hit the front fork with each pass, so that it led to a slower wheel). Anyway, my thought is that the mavic may be a tad faster with certain forks since the blades are slightly narrower than the specialized (please confirm this anyone that can measure both, since going by my memory often sucks) causing a lower pressure wave effect when the blades come through the fork; but this is just my interpretation of the data that I remember seeing (and had no part in gathering or even watching…so take it for what it is worth).
Stephen J
The original Specialized vs the orange labeled H3. The Specialized has oval section spokes, and the Hed3 has teardrop section spokes.
By the original specialized, do you mean the painted ones? I have a 650c specialized with a teardrop (directional) shape with the carbon weave. I just cant remember the spoke profile of the painted ones, since it has been a couple years since I have held one in my hands.
Stephen J
Hi,
The spoke profile has been the same since the wheel was originally made in the early 90’s, it has certainly lost weight.
The original NACA profile on the blades has stayed the same.
TP
Hi,
The spoke profile has been the same since the wheel was originally made in the early 90’s, it has certainly lost weight.
The original NACA profile on the blades has stayed the same.
TP
Correct… same mold, hence the shapes have always been the same… as you pointed out the layups and hubs have changed lightening it up some… that’s it…
Mavic IO has no braking surface… that seems sort of important out on the road 
I’ve ridden sets of both the HED3 and Mavic 3G. The Hed3 are a better “road” wheel. The HED3’s are bombproof, the 3G is not. The 3G is a delicate wheel, I’ve seen a few of these break, I had one that separated at the rim and sidewall. Its not made for the rugged use on roads. The3G has no braking surface to speak of. Its really a track wheel. The bearings in the 3G are world class compared to the HED3. That said, I no longer have my 3G’s and have ridden HED3’s for about 7 years.