This isn’t new (I think), but was curious if anyone would rock this front wheel given how deep it is.
106mm depth!
I would use a front disc if they let me
(Joking? Maybe?)
Can’t see why not. Lots of folks ride 85mm+, even in windy races like Kona. Also each additional mm of depth is less added surface area than the mm before, and closer to the axis of rotation (smaller lever).
FWIW, I race on a 90mm front (HED J9) even in windy races and it has not been an issue.
I fear that, if IRONMAN don’t finish the irrational prohibition of rear discs, that those with bottomless pockets will arms-race (for one event annually) to the various 180mm rims on the market. Every athlete good enough to KQ owns (vast majority) a disc wheel, or has access to one (ie borrow or even hire).
Such a simple change for IRONMAN to make, and one easily justified with a modern risk assessment as opposed to clinging on to faux-tradition.
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I have no problems with disc/superdeep rears. It’s the superdeep fronts I’m thinking about - even for me, 88s get a bit sketchy when it starts gusting out and there are absolutely conditions where it would be unrideable if really gusty, whereas a 50-62 wheel would still work fine.
Yes I appreciate that’s your Q: why are you asking/curious?
I recommend you follow the pros. If they thought these 100+mm front rims gave advantage, on balance, they would roll them. They don’t: typical deepest rim is 85mm - experts on here can correct me.
I know the pros haven’t been using them. But they might. Hate to say it, but pros in triathlon often lag on tech and do some really rookie mistakes on a regular basis, even the top ones. Not their fault, though, they’re really constrained in resources and experts compared to the uberrich pros in very popular sports.
I’m still interested in hearing if anyone has used such a thing, to hear how it goes for them.
You’ll see the likes of Trevor Foley, Sam Long, Jamie Riddle and other pros who are sponsored by Enve rocking their new 100mm front wheel this year. My guess is with triathlon, most of the guys with wheel sponsors are limited and don’t have the ability to go larger in the front since most brands stop around that 80-88mm depth.
Yeah 100% but only with a rear disc wheel for the stability. I use an Aerocoach Titan front wheel and it’s 100 mm - and surprisingly quite stable, especially with a disc rear wheel. Stability can really vary between manufacturers though, so I would have to see some positive reviews on the Light wheel before I would spend the money. Also of course wind tunnel data, but thats just a given.
I agree with this. I have a set of AR80s I’ve only ridden a few times. The back wheel is fine but riding an 80mm front wheel with any kind of cross wind is pretty much terrifying at speed. Particularly descent speeds.
I can handle 88s in front in decently gusty conditions no problem. Even on fast descents. But there have been those rare VERY gusty training days where even a 50-60 mm wheel was getting suddenly blown sideways several times which was terrifying.It’s the abrupt gusts that are the killer - the steady but firm sidewind you can lean into, becomes almost natural after awhile, but those sudden gusts - yikes.
I have 80mm, 90mm and 100mm deep front wheels. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the depth of the front rim is not as significant as the shape in terms of crosswind handling. When I switched from a Zipp 404 to an 808 a decade ago, handling actually improved because the cross-section of the 808 probably allowed delayed airflow separation. The 404 was a terrible wheel in windy conditions despite the shallow 40mm depth. That switch was a win/win for me and one of the best decisions I made from a performance/aesthetic standpoint for that bike.
Later, I upgraded to a high-end 100mm Reynolds wheel. I didn’t notice any major degradation in handling in all but the worst of conditions. Would I race with that wheel if it were very windy? Probably not. All deep wheels could be tricky in windy conditions. For those who race, you will have to weigh the performance benefits of a deeper front wheel versus the need to slow down on a windy race day to maintain predictable control of the bike. If a shallower wheel won’t require any slowing down, then that is the faster wheel for such conditions. The takeaway: it’s good to have multiple wheel options for each condition to optimize your setup.
I have an old V-shaped 50mm Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheel and it’s worse in crosswinds than my hybrid-toroidal 90mm HED J9, and much worse than my U-shaped 60mm HEDs.
Yes! Precisely what I noticed as well. My oldest wheel is a 30-year-old 650C 90mm HED DEEP, which has a very V-shaped cross-section, and it’s much worse than the toroidal 700C 80mm Zipp even though the latter has a bigger diameter. The newest wheelset on my Andean is a HED Jet 9+, which is also 90mm but has a U-shaped cross-section. Out of all of the deep-section front wheels I own (650C 90mm HED, 80mm Zipp, 100mm Reynolds, 90mm HED Jet 9+), the newest HED Jet 9+ with the U-shaped rim is the best handling and by a significant degree.
Incidentally, the Reynolds 100mm has a cross-section that looks something between a toroidal shape and a V. It’s toroidal up to about 2/3rds to the spokes and ends in a sharp point similar to an old V. It performs essentially the same as a toroidal cross-section due to Reynold’s incorporation of what it terms a ‘Dispersive Effect Termination’ (DET) that controls the boundary layer. It’s quite well behaved for such a deep wheel unless it’s very windy. Today’s wheelsets never come in V-shapes, so that shouldn’t be an issue unless buying used or old stock.
Looks like you’re ahead of the game.
This front wheel was mentioned in Taupo commentary. ?100mm. ?make
Light to minimal breeze.
She’s running shimano wheels during training rides, so I’m assuming it’s a new shimano prototype. I believe MVDP was running a prototype recently as well but in a smaller depth. I’m expecting an update to the shimano wheel lineup to get more with the times in regards to rim widths, etc.
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