I’ve had both of these wheels turning now for the last 3 months so sat in my small pond what did I think ?
Hed 3 The Hed 3 may be heavier but i find it more stable in corners due to it’s gyroscopic effect. Thats purely a personal thing though and I like it. Mine is 2 years old and I found that trueness varies between friends models. I ride it with a pro race tyre and despite it’s weight penalty is very very good but my trueness is ±1.5mm. Bearing quality is superb.
Hed 3c The 3c is damn light and it’s trueness stunned me. It climbs very well and accelerates great. Unless you are sub 75kg in moderate winds it’s suitable for most courses. I have had no problem with handling this year since I ride steep putting more weight over the front keeping it steady but there is also less gyro effect to throw the front around when it picks up an updraft since there is no metal rim. On my old slack bike using a Hed I used to have huge problems. As a result it rides well. It is squirelly if you are not use to it but with a good quality tub it handles well. Like most things ride time makes things more predicatble. Both wheels feel completely different and should be treated as such.
So when would i use either and should I sell one of them ? Answer ? No. The Hed3 is going on my track bike for the time being (where weight isn’t an issue) whilst the 3c is my TT front wheel of choice since UK courses are mostly lumpy. One thing I would say though that the fork quality makes a massive difference to a wheels handling since it’s puts a strain on flexible blades trying to torque them. On my old Giant carbon TCR it just could not handle it.
Is the cost jump worth it for a 3c ? If you can handle a tub I would say so but if not I was never disapointed with the standard either. What I wonder is if the heavier wheel may be better on rolling courses since mine has a very slight flywheel effect. One for Bunnyman that one…
I don’t know about the science, but for some stoooopid* reason, I was always faster with the “flywheel” effect. I don’t know if I was younger and in much better shape, but for some stoooopid* reason, those heavy aero wheels were faster. I don’t know if it was their shape, or just the plain fact that it’s harder to stop a heavier spinning object once it gets going. On the downhills, the heavier wheel just plain cruised, and it seemed that I got up hills pretty quickly by sheer momentum. But I have no scientific data to back that up, however. I do a 53 minute 40K on a semi-aero tubed bike that was equipped with a Zipp 3000 front wheel and an 1150 disc (boat anchors those wheels were). That bike weighed over 23 lbs with full-on TT equipment…
*stoooopid: more than plain stupid; just really, really inexplicably stupid.
No the standard 3 is a clincher the 3c is a tubular. Like I said I prefer tubs but my my race changing strategy isn’t tested yet. Something I hope to learn in '06.
Thats interesting. I brought up the question of a flywheel effect earlier in the year thinking for these reasons it may be a good idea. Hmm I’d like to see a lab test of that one…
How is the braking difference between these wheels?
I’m planning to buy HEDs (jets or stingers) soon and I’ll probably take clinchers as I may use standard brake pads with them. I followed the other thread about tubies/clinchers - noone mentioned the special brake pads needed for full carbon rims. Am I the only one who thinks about this problem?
How is the braking difference between these wheels?
I followed the other thread about tubies/clinchers - noone mentioned the special brake pads needed for full carbon rims. Am I the only one who thinks about this problem?
Frank
a good point. I rasied this as a seperate thread the other week and nobody answered. I’ve used Corima pads (awful) and standrard brake blocks (better) but I need a better block for the 3c as braking just isn’t good enough. The standard Hed 3 is a aly rim and brakes fine.
I used “No name” cork brake pads & they worked very well even in wet conditions on my H3c’s. I’m basically lazy & I keep the cork pads on when I put on my alloy training wheels. Braking performance seems excellent on the alloy surface, but I’m told the cork pads will wear quickly. That being said, the cork pads lasted for all of 2005 & still made lots of wear left. Perhaps it’s because I don’t do any crits or rides that require agreesive, frequent braking.
If you like, I can try to find out who males the pads. They came with my Blue Competition build kit.
Zipp pads are good but expensive, I think they are made by coold stop. I have read in CW that Bontager cork pads are good as well.
Zipps are Kool Stops
The Zipp pads are made by Kool Stops, but they are a different formula (which is only available in the Zipp version). Zipp uses their manufacturing ability, but otherwise they are a completely diffferent product.
Now do they perform any different than Kool Stop’s own version of carbon pads (or any other companies for that matter)? That’s another question…
I’ve been experieincing the same thing with the difference between my HED3 abd HED3c front wheels. The carbon version is far lighter and you can tell in corners and wind. The regular HED3 version is heavier and you can feel the difference when riding at speed in corners. The HED3c version does not brake as well and mine “pulses” when braking hard.
. The HED3c version does not brake as well and mine “pulses” when braking hard.
Mine does exactly the same. Braking is truly awful but i haven’t raced the wheel over a really lumpy course yet to get the full benefit of the reduced weight. Ironaically it almost seems from the replies that the preference is for the standard wheel !!! How bizarre…
