Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
weight?
Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
There’s usually a small weight advantage to full carbon rims and in strict UCI racing fairings aren’t kosher though HED seems to get around that rule easily enough and I suspect Flo could as well but they seem to be targeting the Tri market that has their own rules.
Basically the advantage of faired wheels vs. full carbon rims is cost, alloy braking surfaces which is nice in wet weather, no worries about over heating carbon through excessive braking on long descents. The advantages of full carbon rims is usually weight and bling factor and in some cases unique aero shapes that may or may not be better than faired alternatives but come at a substantial bump in price.
And there’s no reason you can’t run 23c or 25c or even larger tires on Flo rims though I expect 23c would give you the best aero match to the rim width.
-Dave
There aren’t any innate benefits or downsides of either. Just depends on the two particular wheels.
Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
there are faired wheels with carbon braking surfaces
and structural wheels with alloy ones
and alloy wheels with shaped braking surfaces! (well, one that I know of)
Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
There’s usually a small weight advantage to full carbon rims and in strict UCI racing fairings aren’t kosher though HED seems to get around that rule easily enough and I suspect Flo could as well but they seem to be targeting the Tri market that has their own rules.
Basically the advantage of faired wheels vs. full carbon rims is cost, alloy braking surfaces which is nice in wet weather, no worries about over heating carbon through excessive braking on long descents. The advantages of full carbon rims is usually weight and bling factor and in some cases unique aero shapes that may or may not be better than faired alternatives but come at a substantial bump in price.
And there’s no reason you can’t run 23c or 25c or even larger tires on Flo rims though I expect 23c would give you the best aero match to the rim width.
-Dave
There’s usually a small weight advantage to full carbon rims and in strict UCI racing fairings aren’t kosher though HED seems to get around that rule easily enough and I suspect Flo could as well but they seem to be targeting the Tri market that has their own rules.
I’m pretty sure the “Fairing” rule only applies to disc wheels and “Attachments” … such as a wheel cover … not glued on rim fairings like HED, Flo, etc. wheels.
As to the original question … it mostly has to do with weight, though if you can get the gap between the rim and the fairing to be non-existent, it can help with aerodynamics. Other than that, there isn’t much difference than weight.
Actually, the benefit or detriment is based primarily on what you can do with rim depths and spokes. If you want to have a spoke sticking out of the side of your non-structural fairing, then you can go deeper (at a significant detriment to aerodynamics), but when you start looking at a traditional aero rim deeper than about 50mm, regardless of off-setting the nipple to the opposite side of the rim from the side of the hub where the spoke is coming from, the spokes start getting well away from the trailing edge of the fairing. With more recent blunt shapes this detriment at moderate depths (say 50-65mm) is reduced, but not eliminated - and you still have greater issues at greater rim depths.
Weight is also an issue, as is the inability to true the wheels without removing the tire.
Some structural wheels you are unable to true without removing the tires…even some tubular ones. Talk about annoying!
And yes, the spokes coming out of the fairing probably do provide some negative aerodynamic penalty. Significant? I do not know. It wasn’t enough for The 2011 World TT champ to pick the stinger over the Jet for his front wheel.
Some faired wheels have carbon rims and/or are not any heavier than some structural wheels
Actually, the benefit or detriment is based primarily on what you can do with rim depths and spokes. If you want to have a spoke sticking out of the side of your non-structural fairing, then you can go deeper (at a significant detriment to aerodynamics), but when you start looking at a traditional aero rim deeper than about 50mm, regardless of off-setting the nipple to the opposite side of the rim from the side of the hub where the spoke is coming from, the spokes start getting well away from the trailing edge of the fairing. With more recent blunt shapes this detriment at moderate depths (say 50-65mm) is reduced, but not eliminated - and you still have greater issues at greater rim depths.
Weight is also an issue, as is the inability to true the wheels without removing the tire.
there are faired wheels with carbon braking surfaces
and structural wheels with alloy ones
and alloy wheels with shaped braking surfaces! (well, one that I know of) .
Fair points on structural carbon rims with alloy braking surfaces like the older Zipps or current SRAM/Zipps. Same for the 101s and shaped alloy rims. I’m not aware of any faired wheels with carbon braking surfaces but I guess I must have missed those somehow.
So I guess it mostly comes down to a handful of grams and a fistful of dollars.
-Dave
Bontrager made some carbon rims with HED fairings for a while.
Might be some others.
Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
Our wheels will run 23c and wider. I agree with the benefits that others have listed below. I’ll PM you an article that might be beneficial for you to read.
Take care,
Was looking at buying a set of flo wheel and started wondering the benefits of a structural carbon wheel vs a fairing?
Also do the flo’s still run a 23c tire or a wider tire
There’s usually a small weight advantage to full carbon rims and in strict UCI racing fairings aren’t kosher though HED seems to get around that rule easily enough and I suspect Flo could as well but they seem to be targeting the Tri market that has their own rules.
The UCI definition of fairings are covers or shrouds that are added on. For example you can’t cover your bike in seran wrap or tape on a plastic cover. If the fairing is part of the manufacturing process and is permanently attached you are ok.
We are considering UCI approval, it’s just an expensive and time consuming process.
Take care,