Anyone that buys a tubular wheelset from me gets an extensive lesson on how to glue a tire on. I do one tire to show them. Then I have them do one in front of me so I can catch any mistakes.
They are also taught how to install regular valve extenders with Teflon tape.
As far as spare tires go, you do not have to pre-glue them. Just cut the old tire off with a razor blade, put the spare on, and inflate.
I don’t use sealant, but as far as I know, you can keep putting new sealant in for a very long time (perhaps a year or longer).
As a weight weenie myself, I like tubular rims.
I thought of that as well, but according to various rolling resistance tests, there are very few if any tubulars that can touch some of the new clinchers out there. I am not going to put expensive aero wheels on my bike and then lose 5-8w for rolling resistance.
I know its not what you want to hear, but by going with the shallower, lighter, round spoked wheel, you are doing what you say above, giving up watts that you could gain by going with a slightly heavier, deeper wheelset.
As a weight weenie myself, I like tubular rims.
I thought of that as well, but according to various rolling resistance tests, there are very few if any tubulars that can touch some of the new clinchers out there. I am not going to put expensive aero wheels on my bike and then lose 5-8w for rolling resistance.
I know its not what you want to hear, but by going with the shallower, lighter, round spoked wheel, you are doing what you say above, giving up watts that you could gain by going with a slightly heavier, deeper wheelset.
As a weight weenie myself, I like tubular rims.
I thought of that as well, but according to various rolling resistance tests, there are very few if any tubulars that can touch some of the new clinchers out there. I am not going to put expensive aero wheels on my bike and then lose 5-8w for rolling resistance.
I know its not what you want to hear, but by going with the shallower, lighter, round spoked wheel, you are doing what you say above, giving up watts that you could gain by going with a slightly heavier, deeper wheelset.
Want to pick your brain…
HED Jet 6s are $999
Hed Jet 6/9 are $1050
FLO 64/77 $1140
What would you get?
Or would you wait?
Strictly my opinion…
I would def go with the HED wheels. If for a road bike, the 6’s. If for a tri bike, the 6/9 (this is what I use, 6/9 blacks).
I have friends who have flo’s, and I did not find them that impressive. One set was replaced before ever being used for multiple defects, another had issues with a rim. Given the similar prices, HED all the way for me. Top quality, been in the wheel game forever, and, well, Steve HED.
Have you considered Reynolds wheels?
Some of the Reynolds wheels look really nice. I guess I like the idea of the aluminum braking surface, but maybe carbon is good enough. I wouldn’t use them in the rain anyway unless it was a rainy TT.
Have you considered Reynolds wheels?
Some of the Reynolds wheels look really nice. I guess I like the idea of the aluminum braking surface, but maybe carbon is good enough. I wouldn’t use them in the rain anyway unless it was a rainy TT.
Oh, wait this is for a TT bike? I would do 6 front/disc rear then.
I went with the HED Jet+ Black 6/9 from My Bike Shop. Looking forward to getting them. I was gonna just get the 6/6 combo, but everybody seems to direct me to the 6/9 instead.
I went with the HED Jet+ Black 6/9 from My Bike Shop. Looking forward to getting them. I was gonna just get the 6/6 combo, but everybody seems to direct me to the 6/9 instead.
Really? Around here, the advice would almost universally be 6/6 or 5/5 for road bike and 6/disc or 9/disc for TT. I can’t imagine why anyone would recommend 6/9 for TT.
I went through almost the exact same exercise a year ago when was looking to upgrade from Fulcrum Racing Quattro Lg (not a Tri wheelset by any means) and was choosing between HED Jet 4/5/6. You’ve got a lot of helpful advice here - rim depth isn’t the only characteristic to pay attention to, and friction losses are often neglected while they don’t grow exponentially like aero.
I ultimately went with a pair of 6s because of better hubs and spokes, and it took some time to break in the rear hub - initial impressions were that the new wheels were holding me down because I had to ride in lower gear compared to my regular riding habits, it took about 2 weeks of riding to break them in.
If you’re concerned with crosswind stability, I’d get 4/4, 4/6, or 6/6. If you cannot go above the price of 5s, I’d recommend Fulcrum Racing 4 or save the money on one more skinsuit or helmet.
If you want weight-weenie meets aero wheels, you’ll need to go full carbon and sacrifice aluminum brake track, or a little bit or rim depth - Fulcrum Racing Zero are a good choice (no personal experience with them, but I wish).
P.S. Re: tri setup of 6/disc - I’m not a triathlete but it’s my understanding that it’s more of a race day setup. A pair of 4s or 6s is a solid choice for wheels that you train on and race.
Hey all - i recently picked up a pair of these from MBS (**HED Jet RC5 Plus Disc Brake to be exact) **as my first ever set of “fancy wheels”! When I got the box, i pulled out the wheels and was kind of shocked as they feel like plastic? meaning, i can easily push in with my fingers the deep part of the wheel (relax, i didnt actually do it, but i could). is this normal? If so, are these wheels durable? I purchased these and plan on using them as my regular wheels based off of many reviews i read but now I am having second thoughts. Any help is greatly appreciated.
HED jet wheels are an aluminum rim with a carbon fairing. I have seen 1 cracked fairing in my group that includes a lot of sets of jets. I hit the side of a truck at 30 mph on my jet 6+s and the fairing is still fine, but the aluminum has a crease in it.
They are tough and you will never need to have the wheels trued…
Yep, perfectly normal. The strength of the HED wheel is from the aluminum rim, that is what the spokes actually attach to. They just pass through the fairing on their way to the rim. The fairing is glued on for aerodynamics. The wheels are awesome, and tough. Enjoy them.
that is normal. Carbon is very tough, you should not hesitate riding them daily.
We made thousands of mountain bike Jets in the 90s, when courses and bikes were such that aero made some difference. They were trouble free.
enjoy your wheels.
1 last question - am i doing something wrong or is it normal to struggle to get on my Conti GP4Season (28mm) clincher tires on the rim? if its normal, any specific helpful tricks?