Expensive wheels - would I notice a difference?

[andyhunter]

i have just purchased myself 2010 campy bora ultra 2s tubulars with campy freehub and will be using 2010 vittoria corsa cx evo. The reason i went for these which i could have gone for top of the range mavic, renyolds or lightweights or m.o.s.t was due to the technology that campy had in them not only ceramic but oil instead of grease and the fact the spokes would be easy to replace as i could not be bothered sending away and waiting which also the fact they get a brill review/write up and have won many stages. i am also using a custom cassette (marchisio ultra lite campy spline to shimano spacing) for current setup before i invest in a new bike build in a few months. it is like anything when i started racing i was using reliable products, but now i am using not only very lightweight but also the that offer the best technology which trust me you notice the slightist detail in new bits and pieces.

 

[Chrisz]

come on folks put some numbers on these claims, a series of much easier, night & day, blah de blah....etc. That just comes across as self justification for financial outlay... get specific you wusses:-

changed from x to y and my average speed went up by 3mph

since changing from x to y I now expend 200 watts less for the same results

it used to take me 14 minutes to go up Ditchling Beacon it now takes 3 minutes

my butt used to ache like mad and I my hands were so numb I couldn't pick my nose until I switched to x wheels


Specifics folks, the man needs to know there will be a measurable improvement, other than wallet shrinking and bragging rights. Otherwise this all sounds like the guff people trot out, that struggle to generate enough power to disturb the skin on a rice pudding, to support clipless pedal systems

A bloody good shout mate - far too often there are opinions bunged about on this forum with no facts/evidence or even anecdotes to back them up! How often has someone posted "Don't buy a .............. it's crap!" with no actual justification/reason for their opinion? It's much better to read WHY something is/isn't worth it

 

[GrasB]

I wouldn't say my Campag Neutron Ultra wheels are faster than my Shimano RS30 in a straight line on a decent road surface. I would say that in terms of ride quality however they are better so on badly deteriorated road surfaces less will be taken out of my legs. Anecdotally going out of Triplow towards Fowlmere I feel slightly relaxed & don't want to stand on the pedals with the Neutrons, the same can't be said about the RS30s. The same is true about the rough stuff going up the incline on Madingley Rd just after the M11 traffic lights.

 

[Davidc]

come on folks put some numbers on these claims, a series of much easier, night & day, blah de blah....etc. That just comes across as self justification for financial outlay... get specific you wusses:-.... etc.

Well said. A lot of this sounds like the oxygen free cables and 24ct gold connectors in the hifi magazines!

As crankarm says - training's cheaper and has guaranteed results!

(Though I have to agree that tyres really do make a big difference)

 

[ChrisKH]

come on folks put some numbers on these claims, a series of much easier, night & day, blah de blah....etc. That just comes across as self justification for financial outlay... get specific you wusses:-

changed from x to y and my average speed went up by 3mph

since changing from x to y I now expend 200 watts less for the same results

it used to take me 14 minutes to go up Ditchling Beacon it now takes 3 minutes
my butt used to ache like mad and I my hands were so numb I couldn't pick my nose until I switched to x wheels


Specifics folks, the man needs to know there will be a measurable improvement, other than wallet shrinking and bragging rights. Otherwise this all sounds like the guff people trot out, that struggle to generate enough power to disturb the skin on a rice pudding, to support clipless pedal systems

Well I haven't tested my new wheels yet, but I'm hoping to make it up Ditchling without stopping; that would be an improvement. So will report back this year when I get back from a Brighton run. Or not if the results are that embarrassing.

 

[accountantpete]

come on folks put some numbers on these claims, a series of much easier, night & day, blah de blah....etc. That just comes across as self justification for financial outlay... get specific you wusses:-

changed from x to y and my average speed went up by 3mph

since changing from x to y I now expend 200 watts less for the same results

it used to take me 14 minutes to go up Ditchling Beacon it now takes 3 minutes

my butt used to ache like mad and I my hands were so numb I couldn't pick my nose until I switched to x wheels


Specifics folks, the man needs to know there will be a measurable improvement, other than wallet shrinking and bragging rights. Otherwise this all sounds like the guff people trot out, that struggle to generate enough power to disturb the skin on a rice pudding, to support clipless pedal systems

I don't time trial or even have a computer MacB - so can't prove anything.

All I can say is that I use expensive factory wheels and they are a joy to work with.

Is there anyone on the forum that has used a quality pair of factory wheels (£300+ retail) and gone back to hand-builts because they offer better performance?

 

[GrasB]

Okay so this is 1 mile turn around & 1 mile back on a fairly nasty piece of road keeping my heart rate to 160bpm:
Neutron Outbound - 2:59 (20.11mph)
Neutron Inbound - 2:50 (21.18mph)
RS30 Outbound - 3:11 (18.85mph)
RS30 Inbound - 2:59 (20.11mph)

 

[MacB]

Folks, don't blame me, I'm merely stating the obvious that there are benefits and improvements via better kit I don't doubt. It's the quantifiable value that I question. GrasB has had a go and shows a 21 second improvement over 2 miles. He's a very fit and fast rider and so will gain more benefit from high end kit than a lot of us. Beyond a certain basic level, all things being equal, the returns for investment grow smaller the further up the scale you travel.

I see two ends to the spectrum here, out and out speed and out and out comfort. There's a whole raft of options, and pricepoints, in between. It's all about making the right decision for you and specific information helps people to decide wisely. Anecdotal can help, for example I've ditched skinny tyres and currently run nothing smaller than 32mm. Are there speed and weight penalties?, yes, but my guestimates indicate that it slows me by about 0.5mph over 24 miles. At my speeds this equates to a 3 minute difference. However I also feel I could possibly push harder as I don't get as tired or banged about by the ride quality. Plus I relax more as I don't have to avoid every road blemish that I can.

Ever wondered why manufacturers don't put speed improvement claims on their products? Though I do note that some bike reviews at least say thing slike, if it's comfort you're looking for then this isn't a good choice, etc.

 

[swee'pea99]

I have neither the money nor the train-spottery mentality to delve into the mysteries of multi-£100 wheels, but I have bought ebay bargains with relatively heavy wheels and with light wheels (I'm talking olde-worlde Mavic CD-4 sort of level - not exotica) and I certainly notice a big difference between them. Don't have a computer, but the light ones are definitely more fun to ride, easier to push, and I go faster.

 

[Globalti]

Interesting discussion. Surely a wheel built with fewer, aero spokes will go faster than a regular wheel, irrespective of weight or cost?

 

[GrasB]

The same test but on a smooth tarmac road:
Neutron Outbound - 2:48 (21.43mph)
Neutron Inbound - 2:28 (24.32mph)
RS30 Outbound - 2:50 (21.18mph)
RS30 Inbound - 2:29 (24.16mph)

MacB, it's the more compliant wheels which are noticeably faster on the rough road surface but when it comes to a smooth surface then the difference is very small, less than 1%.

 

[MacB]

The same test but on a smooth tarmac road:
Neutron Outbound - 2:48 (21.43mph)
Neutron Inbound - 2:28 (24.32mph)
RS30 Outbound - 2:50 (21.18mph)
RS30 Inbound - 2:29 (24.16mph)

MacB, it's the more compliant wheels which are noticeably faster on the rough road surface but when it comes to a smooth surface then the difference is very small, less than 1%.

That seems fair and is as close as we've got to a real test.

 

[John the Monkey]

I'm of the opinion that "feel" and how pleasant the wheels are to ride should be the only factors considered, unless you do this for a living.

Riding your bike should make you happy - if you've the money to get these uberwheels, and they make you more happy, have at it.

 

[andyhunter]

will post up info when have the new boras ultra twos up and running as currently in a parcel force depo

 

[Fab Foodie]

Interesting discussion. Surely a wheel built with fewer, aero spokes will go faster than a regular wheel, irrespective of weight or cost?

I'd say so. I think aero wheels are a big advantage if you travel at relatively high speeds, say 18mph plus, more so that weight unless you live in a very hilly place.

Also, it's not just about outright performance. My Semi-Aero Reynolds are just a delight to ride, less effort and better 'zippy' feel to the bike. They're a revalation after riding Ultegra CXP22's all winter... look sexy too

Go for it TBM!