Triathlon - CH Aero wheel cover (DISC WHEEL)????

I have heard some talk of these wheel covers that simulate a disc wheel....

Can anyone tell me if they have used them or not and if they work? If so how well do they compare to say a Renn disc or HED? I mean you can buy these wheel covers brand new for like $60. If they really accomplish the same aero affect how can you beat that??

I have seen some wind tunnel test results that showed they had drag numbers comparable to pure-disc wheels (a Renn, Zipp 950, etc.). It will make the wheel you use it on a bit heavier, but then again it won't lighten your wallet nearly as much. Take your pick :D I plan on picking one up this year.

Some guys on the team have them for a tandem. They claim, by seat of pants, that is is very similar to a true disc.

But then you don't get that cool sound. :)

Yeah ... but i have never owned a disc before .... I have a set of tri spokes right now and was looking to get a rear disc .... especially if the $60 cover could get me similar results to a true disc .... You are right ... the sound of a true disc is sweet ... but not $500 - $1000 sweet.(the money saved with the cover) .... Right now i guess i am just looking for results ... and not to break the bank!!

I would just run the tri spokes if you have front and rear. They aren't that much less aero than a disc.

I have one, I hate it, it's been on my wall for 4 years. Oh, and you get that sound allright, like a cheap piece of plastic tap tap tapping on your spokes. The additional rotaional weight is absurd, the edges of it actually make your rim profile (head on) wider, and to tell you the truth I always felt like an idiot when it was on my bike. The only upside I see is that you can paint a neato design on it and not care about ruining a real disc wheel.

As a side note, whatever happened to those cloth/plasticky fabric wheel covers? they were much better than the CH Aero.

I have one, I hate it, it's been on my wall for 4 years. Oh, and you get that sound allright, like a cheap piece of plastic tap tap tapping on your spokes. The additional rotaional weight is absurd, the edges of it actually make your rim profile (head on) wider, and to tell you the truth I always felt like an idiot when it was on my bike. The only upside I see is that you can paint a neato design on it and not care about ruining a real disc wheel.

As a side note, whatever happened to those cloth/plasticky fabric wheel covers? they were much better than the CH Aero.

Rotational weight is such a small effect that the aero benefits far outweigh the weight of a disc.

How so? I mean other than exotic frame materials, why is the major aim in cycling to make a wheel lighter? Anyone that has ever got some water into a rim or tire knows that rotational mass is far from a slight effect. The point onto which the CH Aero disc cover affixes to the rim is a strip of sticky foam about 3 or 4 millimeters thick, effectively turning your 20c frontal tire profile into a 27-28c comfort tire. Not to mention the large, obtrusive plastic rivets which are on both sides of the disc. I mean buy it if want to try it, but, I told you so.

PS - the sound they make is hilarious

No, no, we are talking about two different things. I am talking about a true disc wheel when I say the sound is cool and talk about the aero benefits.

Sorry for the mix up.

Oh, hehe- yea, true discs are where its at. lol

So what you guys are saying is just save my $60 ..... I guess my next best option would be to go with a Renn disc ?.... they are the cheapest i have seen and look to be of almost/if not equal aero quality of some of the bigger name brands (HED, Zipp)

Well, if you have the cash a tri front and disc rear are going to be the #1 setup. But, from what I can discern, there isn't a whole lot of difference between a rear tri spoke and a disc. I've heard claims of only a minute or two for IM distances(nothing scientific though). I guess it depends on how much you have to throw around money wise. I'll see if I can find some comparisons between a 3 spoke and a disc.

On a side note, I ordered my Renn and should have it by Wednesday.

I have read on this site that the Renn disc does not have that "sweet" disc sound. Is that true? If so why?

Renn does indeed have the disc sound! Sounds like being chased by a jet engine (at least to me it does...) Love that sound!!!