So i’ve looked through most of the threads on free speed, and I think i’ve fairly optimized my setup short of buying a superbike, but wanted to throw it out there for ridicule. Anywhere I’m missing some “free” speed?
Bike: 2005 Litespeed Saber 55cm
Wheels: HED3 19mm Front and Rear
Tires: Front 20mm Conti GP II 4000S / Rear 23mm Conti GP II 4000S (i used to run SS’s but had too many flats.
Hydration: 1 bottle between the arms
Helmet: Rudy Project Wingspan
Glasses: Rudy Project Noyz
Finish Line Dry Teflon Bike Lube
Shaved arms and legs
LG Tri suit, idk what model its what my cycling team ordered
I even wax my bike and helmet…
ETA: Latex Tubes
Then you’re missing the single biggest factor in that regard from your list.
Position
Also, what aerobar are you using?
I was under the impression that the Rudy Project Wingspan was generally found to perform poorly for most people. Perhaps some of the more informed testers could comment.
I presume you’re kidding about waxing your helmet and bike? Maybe not…
Edit: Oh yeah, and latex tubes… but mostly position
Get any kind of an aero frame. I just bought a used P3C frame in perfect condition for $400. An aluminum one would cost even less.
The old Hed3s want a ***really ***narrow tire. Conti 20C might not even be narrow enough. That’s OK if you’re riding in a velodrome or on really great roads. Otherwise, you’re going to give up a lot of your aero gains to rolling resistance losses. I’d look at replacing the front with a used Zipp 404 or Jet 60 – maybe $200.
I hope you’re not using Finish Line on your chain. It’s one of the slowest things you can use. See threads on Slowtwitch about waxing chains. Mo bettah.
Shave your head. It won’t make you faster, but it will make us bald guys feel better.
Get any kind of an aero frame. I just bought a used P3C frame in perfect condition for $400. An aluminum one would cost even less.
The old Hed3s want a ***really ***narrow tire. Conti 20C might not even be narrow enough. That’s OK if you’re riding in a velodrome or on really great roads. Otherwise, you’re going to give up a lot of your aero gains to rolling resistance losses. I’d look at replacing the front with a used Zipp 404 or Jet 60 – maybe $200.
I hope you’re not using Finish Line on your chain. It’s one of the slowest things you can use. See threads on Slowtwitch about waxing chains. Mo bettah.
Shave your head. It won’t make you faster, but it will make us bald guys feel better.
In regard to the wheels…I am looking for some help too.
I am currently running a set of box 27mm giant wheels that come standard on the Giant Trinity Advanced Pro 2. I want to stay under $500 for the fastest wheel set possible.
Would my best bet be to buy used front and rear wheels separately and then put and aero jacket wheel cover on the rear? Does mixing and matching wheels matter?
funny enough, a few years ago i got to do a fun experiment at A2 wind tunnel where we tested “old peak aero equipment” against “new peak aero equipment” in as close a test as we could come up with. We duplicated my position between an old Litespeed Saber - set up almost exactly as you describe except with a zipp 404/disc - and a fairly optimized P5-3 with a similar but new generation wheelset.
the data was not mine so i didn’t get to look at the spreadsheet, but if i remember correctly the aero drag difference @ 30mph was something around 20-30w (i want to say 27, but it’s been a while) at 0 deg, and a good bit more at 15 degrees.
In regard to the wheels…I am looking for some help too.
I am currently running a set of box 27mm giant wheels that come standard on the Giant Trinity Advanced Pro 2. I want to stay under $500 for the fastest wheel set possible.
Would my best bet be to buy used front and rear wheels separately and then put and aero jacket wheel cover on the rear? Does mixing and matching wheels matter?
You don’t need to match. Aero jacket gains more speed per $ than anything else I can think of. Just put one on the rear wheel and spend all your money on the front wheel. Used Hed wheels offer excellent price/performance.You can probably get a used Hed Jet 6 front for less than $500
What helmet would y’all recommend seeing what you can of my position. I hadn’t gotten a new one because everyone seems to say that you have no real clue which is best without aero testing.
In regard to the wheels…I am looking for some help too.
I am currently running a set of box 27mm giant wheels that come standard on the Giant Trinity Advanced Pro 2. I want to stay under $500 for the fastest wheel set possible.
Would my best bet be to buy used front and rear wheels separately and then put and aero jacket wheel cover on the rear? Does mixing and matching wheels matter?
You don’t need to match. Aero jacket gains more speed per $ than anything else I can think of. Just put one on the rear wheel and spend all your money on the front wheel. Used Hed wheels offer excellent price/performance.You can probably get a used Hed Jet 6 front for less than $500
For the aero jacket, is it just a matter of me email the company and see if the stock Giant wheels are compatible? Also, do you know if there are really any major differences between an aero jacket and a full carbon wheel (are we talking a min over a half ironman even?) Would it be more of a benefit to go 90mm deep on the front? Most of the races I am doing are pretty flat and fast.
What helmet would y’all recommend seeing what you can of my position. I hadn’t gotten a new one because everyone seems to say that you have no real clue which is best without aero testing.
They are speaking the gospel truth. The lessons I took from the postings on ‘aero camp’ is that if you can’t pay for wind tunnel time or the velodrome, then your best bet is to avoid helmets that generally do test poorly on most people (hence, the advice to dump the Wingspan) and go with helmets that generally test well on most people. E.g., the old Giro Advantage 2 rarely was the #1 best on anyone, but was a top scorer on most people (and is really cheap if you can find one). The new Giro Aerohead is another that tests well across a lot of athletes.
What helmet would y’all recommend seeing what you can of my position. I hadn’t gotten a new one because everyone seems to say that you have no real clue which is best without aero testing.
They are speaking the gospel truth. The lessons I took from the postings on ‘aero camp’ is that if you can’t pay for wind tunnel time or the velodrome, then your best bet is to avoid helmets that generally do test poorly on most people (hence, the advice to dump the Wingspan) and go with helmets that generally test well on most people. E.g., the old Giro Advantage 2 rarely was the #1 best on anyone, but was a top scorer on most people (and is really cheap if you can find one). The new Giro Aerohead is another that tests well across a lot of athletes.
The Giro Selector is another good one. In fact, I have one for sale…I bought it on eBay and it doesn’t fit my large head.
