Which is the overall better wheel for mostly racing and some training, the hed stinger V5.0 or the Hed Alps?
Depends if you want clincher or tubs.
What kind of bike do you have?
I want tubs
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The bike they are for is a Trek 5200 that would have Hed Clip on bars. Does anyone know if the hed clip on’s fit the Bontrager Lite OS handlebar?
I’d go Stingers on a 5200.
Tubies are the way to be.
I think those bars are 31.8mm right? if they have a section that necks down to standard size like some bars - You may have some problems if you try to mount clip-lites at that point
make sure you buy the 31.8 version of the clip lites
Yeah, they neck down to the standard size, thanks.
Hopefully your drop bars have a good 1 or 1 1/2 inch section of flat 31.8 before they neck down. My 3T bars that came on a 2002 bike started sloping imediately…you could not mount clip ons unless you mounted them nearly 2 inches from the stem…or well into where you normally tape drop bars.
Anyway…on the Alps/Stinger…I use the Alps for training and racing. I think they are reliable and useful in that dual role, if you are willing to accept the potential for breaking a more expensive wheel…though a lot of folks ride high end Ksyriums which are nearly as expensive…the good side is that Hed are tremendous in the customer service department if you do ever have a problem.
I don’t think I’d train much on an all carbon wheel, though if I did, the Stinger would be my first choice. Stingers would spend a lot more time in the garage than my Alps do, that’s for sure. For one thing…I’m not going to mount anything but Continental Competition tubulars on a tubular wheel…and at about $109.95 per tire…that gets REALLY expensive for training.
At the end of the day, I think most folks would gain more than they give up by going with the Alps in a clincher model, with tires like Michelin Pro Race mounted…If Chris McCormack can win Roth in sub 8:00 with an Alps clincher front…that’s good enough for me.