I am doing IMCDA in three weeks and was planning to use racedaywheels.com to rent a powertap race wheel. This will be my first race with a powertap and I only have a training wheel. Turns out, RaceDayWheels is sold out. So, I have three options: 1. Just use my normal race wheels without the powertap. 2. Find some other powertap race wheel rental company. 3. Get a disc cover.
I have been planning on racing with the power tap, so #1 seems like a bad idea. Does anyone know of other race wheel rental companies? What about the disc cover idea? I know people talk about this on the forum all the time… too good to be true?
slap a cover on your PT training wheel and you are good to go. I race/train with mine exclusively. It’s mavic open pro that I bought used on ST. Going out of your way to get another race wheel seems to me like you are more after bling than function??
Do whatever you have to to race with the PT if you train with the PT.
Jamie
I’ve been racing with the cover/PT on a Velocity Deep V for 5 years now, no problems. Worked for these guys also:
(from the wheelbuilder.com site)
Wheelbuilder congratulates the top 5 professional finishers at Canada’s 2009 Oliver Half Distance Triathlon. We’re proud that all of you raced on Wheelbuilder Disc Covers – thanks!
Place
Name
Bike split mph 1
Tom Evans
2:15:47
25.54
2
Jonathan Caron
2:15:43
25.54
3
Jeff Symonds
2:21:32
24.48
4
Kyle Marcotte
2:17:42
25.17
5
Mark Van Akkeren
2:16:40
25.35
“you are more after bling than function”. Nope, I ride a 5 yr old Kuota, have a really old Renn disc, and did Kona in '08 with a non-aero helmet. Function over bling.
It’s just that installing a couple of pieces of plastic seems… well… too McGyver… especially for my A race.
David,
When you have a cover, it is hard not to smirk when you hear someone with a spendy wheelset say they can’t afford to buy a powertap. If they are in your AG, just make sure you tell them how awesome their zipp disk looks so they don’t sell it and buy a powertap/cover.
The other problem with rental wheels (especially tubies) is the tires and glue job is set up for durability, not performance.
From what I’ve read the setup on most rental wheels is at the worst end of the rolling resistance curve. With clinchers, you
can put your preferred setup on them, so not really an issue.
Good luck in CDA - it was my first IM and favorite venue.
“you are more after bling than function”. Nope, I ride a 5 yr old Kuota, have a really old Renn disc, and did Kona in '08 with a non-aero helmet. Function over bling.
It’s just that installing a couple of pieces of plastic seems… well… too McGyver… especially for my A race.
I have been using a disk cover on my PT wheel since '06, for every race - A, B, C. Flat, hilly, technical, whatever.
The air doesn’t know you didn’t spend a coupla grand on your disk wheel.
If it’s not too McGyver for Pro’s to use, it’s more than fine for you.
After 4 full seasons of use, I retired my original cover, and have just started to use the replacement.
For under $25/year, that was by far the best aero investment I have ever made.
PS - the very fine, and highly regarded HED Jet disk is just a prettier version of the aero cover - theirs is CF and bonded on.
Otherwise, it’s the exact same concept. For a whole helluva lot more $.
Did the Wheelbuilder disc cover on a PowerTap/open pro wheel. Fit and works great, though my Silca “crackpipe” doesn’t seem to like my particular valve stem!
If it’s not too McGyver for Pro’s to use, it’s more than fine for you.
** yeah but what wasnt included was that 4/5 were running 808’s with the cover. Per jens test results. Kyle sold his disc for a wedding/engagement ring. Good move Kyle, but when are you going to finally beat Kelly in the water? **
I train and race on a 404 with a PT, and slip a disk cover on it for anything shorter than a half. Works like a charm. Give it a go. Got my cover from Wheelbuilders.
**