6’ 3" 200lbs. MOPer riding QR '04 Kilo 61cm
2004 was my first year in tris = a sprint and several olys
2005 = focusing for 1/2IM distance (Musselman & Timberman)
2006 = all leading up to IMLP
Lots of choices for race wheels out there and I’m throughly confused. Any advice for the best set-up for my specs?
Thanks!
I use an HED3 front and disc rear in ALL my races. Wind, hills, flat, who cares! Its the fastest setup. That being said, I would probably switch the rear to a HED3 IF the hills were BIG…and I mean BIG. Where it takes more then a few minutes to the top. I’m experimenting with a 404 front (18 spokes) and the rear disc. Not sure of the results yet, though. I have 3 sets of wheels and they are all tri spokes and discs, either HED3 or Zipp 3000. I have only one spoked wheel and its the 404, I just bought it about 2 weeks ago as an experiment v HED3.
Cheap, strong, affordable: Renn disc/Velocity DeepV-DA front, $800
Cost no object, bit more aero, lighter: Zipp 900 disc clydesdale/HED 3, $1900
.
Any other thoughts out there?
or Velocity Spartacus (on the cheap).
Renn, baby.
ebay is always fun for bargain hunters
Have you gone to the Hed website? He posts the aerodynamic and weight data for each of his wheels. Maybe not objective, but good info for the decision making process. Then there is this site
http://biketechreview.com/tunnel_main.htm
Run by Kraig Willet who was a serious racing cyclist, and puts a lot of thought and energy into evaluating various wheels. In fact, for a small price ($6 IIRC) he has evaluated all of the wheels on the market based on aero vs weight, and has put them down on a nice little spreadsheet to help with decisions like this. I have the spreadsheet, but don’t want to undermine his fee, since he used it to buy wind tunnel time to evaluate the wheels. If you go to his website, you can pay pal the money and he will send you the spreadsheet and some other data. To me, the small fee is well worth it for objective evaluation of such a big ticket, but performance enhancing purchase.
hope this helps
steve
Look at factors like road surface, course elevation, what you want out of the wheels and then price.
If you want an all round wheelset at a low budget look for wheels like what Tom was posting the other day, Easton/Velomax style.
If you have the money then look at a set of tri spokes.
If you want the best of both worlds maybe look at HED/Zipp and get a stronger wheel built to order.
If you’re just fishing for recommendations without any other info (other than possible a clydesdale version):
Go with Zipp 404 tubulars (not clinchers)
Pricey, yes. Other than $$ - they fill all the variables: super aero, very lightweight, durable (new hubs anyway and they have a clydesdale version), and command a high resale value if/when you sell them ('kinda like the Honda of wheels). There is a reason so many pros (that don’t have wheel sponsors) use them. Only a disc rear would be faster (if you don’t mind the small handling penalty - I doubt it at your weight).
This advice is worth what you pay for it, which is $0.
Renn disc closeouts $320 all all3sports. New $400
Hed H3 front , closeout, slightly out of true (you won’t notice) $310-360. True~$400.
Actually, I tried the “slightly” out of true H3s. I did notice - especially when braking on the front (almost scary downhill with a slight shimmy when braking). Also wore out my brake pads quickly. No way to true 'em either.
I’ll take my wheels straight and true, thank you.
Thanks for all of the recommendations…
Yeah Docfuel, this is a set up that seems to certainly get the most bang for the buck! I’d be willing to spend the $ for a Zipp setup, but it sounds like the benefits are slight in comparison much greater cost…
John,
Being 6’5" myself and 220, you really want to get a set of spoked wheels, not tri spokes. Both Zipp and Hed make great wheels and to justify one over the other is hard.
I sell both Hed and Zipp wheels and for my size, I have a preference to Hed Wheels, Jets specifically. The spokes run to the rim and they use a “fairing” of carbon to make the wheels aero. They are very easy to true and any bike shop can handle this.
Hope that helps and if you need more technical advice, feel free to ring me.
Steve H
I have 'em. Some fast downhills on my tri’s with them–I didn’t notice anything. 1mm, is not very far out of spec and that is the max on those closeouts.
What i would do: Tubular Reynolds Stratus … very durable, light, great hubs, very aero … overall extremely good quality. Be sure to use good tires.
And, a rear disc: Zipp, Hed, Renn, whatever. (Althought the Campy disc is dead sexy).
If you are poor like me: get a great front wheel, and use a normal rear wheel. Most aero benefit comes from the front wheel, unless you run a full disc in the rear (in which case the aero benefits vis a vis front to rear is about the same).
It appears as if Hed has the best aero for the dollar.