Why are wheels the best upgrade?

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400bhp

Guru
Less rotating mass, better bearings. A lighter wheel needs less energy to accelerate it.

Take half a kilo off your frame... you'd barely notice. Take half a kilo off the wheels.. you will definately notice it!

Well, actually you might not notice it.

The difference in 0.5kgs is, IMO, only noticeable on longer (more than 25 mile) rides over lumpy terrain where you're likely to feel less tired which I guess, is a result of accelerating easier up lumps/hills.
 

MikeW-71

Veteran
Location
Carlisle
Well, actually you might not notice it.

The difference in 0.5kgs is, IMO, only noticeable on longer (more than 25 mile) rides over lumpy terrain where you're likely to feel less tired which I guess, is a result of accelerating easier up lumps/hills.
That is pretty much what I've found. The wheels on my carbon bike are about 400g lighter than the other and up slight/moderate hills it feels easier, or I climb quicker. If it gets really steep, I'm still struggling, but over a decent distance I do feel less tired on the lighter wheels.

Like all things there is going to be a point of diminishing returns. The Defy wheelset weighs in at over 2kg (yeah, they're pretty heavy) and the others are about 1700g, so that's a significant difference. If I then went to a 1500g set, I would probably not notice such a massive difference.
 
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