How windy does it have to be for me not to use my rear disk wheel in an 1/2 Ironman or Full Ironman race?
How windy does it have to be for me not to use my rear disk wheel in an 1/2 Ironman or Full Ironman race?
You know that scene at the beginning of “The Wizard of Oz”, with the tornado?
roflmao.
Depends on how big you are and how brave you are. 25 ish knots with 10+ gusts is a pretty good high end starting point. If you aren’t used to riding in wind it would be lower. So for my money, Ken was pretty close on when I don’t use the disc. The more wind the faster the disc gets.
So windy the swim would be cancelled, all the cups would blow off the aid station tables, and the finish line banner would be gone.*
Seriously, if the race is raceable the disk is the best choice.
It isn’t the rear wheel that is the problem in the wind, it is the front wheel.
*Answer based on actual experience riding/racing a disk.
I am really lightweight (140lbs for 5’11) and now have a disk and 404 front, and have ridden in 20kph tail/crosswinds without any problem - I was just riding with my hands on the drops downhill (even without wind I would be concerned at 45+mph with my hands in the aerobars)
Not sure I would use a disk with 30+mph winds, though…but I may be wrong!