Hey, I was wondering if anyone on here that uses or has used the disc covers could share on how well they work. I am also wondering how similar the speed of covers compares to a true disc wheel. I would greatly appreciate if you all would share on this based on experience.
No idea of a comparison to a true disc, but the cover has been the best $100 I’ve spent in this sport. I’d ride it every day but then the ST army would subject me to ridicule.
They are the shiznit!
http://www.wheelbuilder.com/aerodisc-data.html
Hey, I was wondering if anyone on here that uses or has used the disc covers could share on how well they work. I am also wondering how similar the speed of covers compares to a true disc wheel. I would greatly appreciate if you all would share on this based on experience.
I got one. I intended to only use it during races, but I just left it on. It’s so cheap, if it breaks, screw it… I’ll just buy another one. I think it’s been on for over a year. Makes the bike look super cool, too. Love it.
It depends on what rim you use the wheel cover with. If you’re using it with an 808 rim, it’s likely more aero that a flat disc. Johnny Caron did some testing on this a few years back, iirc.
Never ridden a full disc, but I use the aerojacket all the time. I’d leave it on also, but it’s also the powertap wheel I use on my road bike.
John
have one…love it…the only negative? no whoomp whoomp noise…yes im shallow and love that noise…apparently the flo discs are quiet too?
Best bang for the buck. My only gripe is the little plastic bolts that come with it break very quickly. I have since switched simply taping the cover to the 808 wheel with electric tape.
I can’t speak to how effective they are in terms of speed myself, but I have found mine to be the best value purchase I’ve made in 8 years of triathlon.
The only negative, having to swap cassettes when I put it on my race bike, is easily worth avoiding the cost of a disk. That being said, I could see myself upgrading to a FLO disk in the future.
Depending on your frame, the NDS cover could interfere with your cover. The cover is dished almost perfectly to lay flat against the spokes of a 60 mm deep wheel (when the cover is cut appropriately, that is), but stands proud of the hub side of a shallower rim.
For frames like the Spec Transition with it’s (super-annoyingly) tight-to-spokes chainstays, it’s easy to get collision. Unless you’re using the cover on a deep rim, you’ll need to custom dish the wheel cover (read: make your own).
In short: if Wheelbuilder says the cover is incompatible with a certain frame, AND you’re not using a deep rim, then the cover will probably rub. Clear as mud?
Agree, I might even say the same with one on a 404.
I used one without screw holes - just taped it to the rim and spokes. Loved it, but it was a bit of a hassle since I was sharing the rear wheel. I found an old Zipp 900 for $450 and won’t go back to the wheel cover. I have one cut for a 404 and an AC high flange hub that I’d sell for super cheap. It’s one of the white ones.
How flush does everyones aerojacket sit on the rim of the wheel? The AJ I received flanges out at the end by about 1/16" when it sits on the rim in the opposite direction, though it does sit well on the rim, just flanges out. I emailed wheel builder and they said this was fine, but wouldn’t an aero penalty occur?
anyone know why wheelbuilder says the cover is incompatible with williams wheels?
How flush does everyones aerojacket sit on the rim of the wheel? The AJ I received flanges out at the end by about 1/16" when it sits on the rim in the opposite direction, though it does sit well on the rim, just flanges out. I emailed wheel builder and they said this was fine, but wouldn’t an aero penalty occur?
That’s about how much mine have always flanged out. I’ve never been too concerned about it.
You could always electrical tape it down. That is what I do.
A side question - I need to retape mine does anyone know the best way to get electrical tape residue off the rim?
How flush does everyones aerojacket sit on the rim of the wheel? The AJ I received flanges out at the end by about 1/16" when it sits on the rim in the opposite direction, though it does sit well on the rim, just flanges out. I emailed wheel builder and they said this was fine, but wouldn’t an aero penalty occur?
No idea of a comparison to a true disc, but the cover has been the best $100 I’ve spent in this sport. I’d ride it every day but then the ST army would subject me to ridicule.
We’ll be happy to anyway. Just post up a picture of your pain cave or garage.
goo gone is pretty magic stuff
You could always electrical tape it down. That is what I do.
A side question - I need to retape mine does anyone know the best way to get electrical tape residue off the rim?
How flush does everyones aerojacket sit on the rim of the wheel? The AJ I received flanges out at the end by about 1/16" when it sits on the rim in the opposite direction, though it does sit well on the rim, just flanges out. I emailed wheel builder and they said this was fine, but wouldn’t an aero penalty occur?
Good data, although their “conclusions” section is misleading:**"**Disc cover performance is virtually identical to disc wheels through the entire range of yaw angles: 0-30 degrees."
Not exactly - at 0 degrees, the difference between the covered 30mm rim and the disc wheels appears to be about 20g drag.
That said, it is MUCH more cost effective to get a cover, and more versatile too.
Our disc covers are not compatible with some Williams wheels because the non-drive side hub flange sits outboard further than the lens shape can accommodate. This can allow the hub flange to contact the center of the cover causing severe warping. The newer Williams wheels have hub flanges placed inboard a bit further and the covers should fit. Unfortunately we don’t exactly know what the production timing of the change was on Williams wheels, so I can’t give you an exact spec on which models will fit with the latest hub.
Rich
Wheelbuilder.com
Had one on my old race wheels (reynolds stratus dv tubular) and loved it. Easy to install, ran nice and quiet once I started taping it in addition to using the fasteners. I actually found that the reynolds wheels handled crosswinds far better with the cover installed than without it. I have one for the set of Jet 6 wheels that I picked up over the winter but haven’t tried it out yet. I would think there would be negligible speed differences, especially at normal yaw angles and typical triathlon speeds of 23-25 mph vs the 30 mph they often use in wind tunnel testing. Obviously the cover weighs more than a full carbon disc, but many production discs are just a permanently covered spoked wheel anyways and weight difference would be negligible.