Which wheels for road race

Triathlon Forum
1

Have an upcoming road race in 2 weeks, the course is 10 laps of a 12km circuit with 95m elevation on each lap for a total of 950m elevation, so not insignificant. Theres a short sharp hill on each lap where most of the elevation rise is going to be, so it will be obvious attacks will come there

which wheels do I choose:

Choice 1: reynolds assault slg clincher 2017 model. Tyres are vittoria corsa 23 front and 25 rear.

Choice 2: zipp 404 tubular 2009 model. Tyres are a conti attack comp 22c front with a sprinter gatorskin 25c rear

2

Even if it comes all at one climb, that’s still not much elevation. That’s only an average of 40 feet per mile. I would guess the overall average speed on a race, or front end of a fondo, for something that flat to be over 23mph.

Don’t race with a Sprinter gator. I had one as a trainer tire on a disc wheel and the thing is an absolute dog of a tire. It’s almost as stiff as a car tire.

What category this? Or is it a fondo? As 75 miles is pretty darn far for any lower category racing. Even most Cat 3 racing here tops out at about 50 to 60 miles.

3

The Reynolds. Because riding wheels with gatorskins is akin to riding with your brakes on.

The wheels simply don’t matter with those tires.

4

It’s out highest cat locally. Anticipated speed is 38kph average.

You’d go with the zipps over the reynolds?

5

It’s out highest cat locally. Anticipated speed is 38kph average.

You’d go with the zipps over the reynolds?

Highly doubt you’ll be gaining anything between those wheels, except…don’t race with a gatorskin!! lol. If you go with those wheels, swap the tire.

6

Get some proper racing tubular tires and run the Zipps. Veloflex Carbon (or Criterium, if you prefer gumwall). They are much cheaper on the UK sites. They will ride like butter and grip like the Dickens.

I don’t understand why anyone would run a Conti tubular in this day and age. They might be puncture resistant but ride like wood.