Track Cycling - Disc's

What are you guys using? I'm thinking of switching teams, and my goal next year is Top 3 in 2008 nat's. My current team has Zipp disc's that I really like, the other team, however, is a much better organized team, but doesn't have disc's and the owner says that disc wheels are mainly hype, and that I can do the same performance with aero rims.
So, I might have to pay for my own disc's, but I do get them at very handsome prices. What are you guys running, who makes the best bang-for-the-buck, and how would a set of 808 track wheels compare?

Discuss.

I'm curious about this too. I could really use the money from selling my disc and tri-spoke, and I've seen Rolf and a few other aero wheels selling for so cheap lately, that I can't help but wonder if I'd get the same basic effect for a whole lot less money.

Well, right now, I'm looking for cross-section pictures of disc's. If I can find some lightweight foam that hardens quickly, and can be sanded or shaped, I could make my own carbon fairing to go over a lighter-weight spoked wheel.

You're one industrious track racer.

Mavic Comete/IO combo or Zipp 808s

You're one industrious track racer.
Thanks, I'm going to be working with composites in college, so I might as well try something so I have some experience.


Mavic Comete/IO combo or Zipp 808s
Kind of different wheelsets. One is $5000, the other is half of that and has spokes. Anyways, I've been meaning to talk to my Mavic Guy and see if he's got either one of those for a good price, but I'm a little down on money right now.

Well, right now, I'm looking for cross-section pictures of disc's. If I can find some lightweight foam that hardens quickly, and can be sanded or shaped, I could make my own carbon fairing to go over a lighter-weight spoked wheel.

you could make a full wheel if you do something along the likes of Renn - http://rennmultisport.com/technical/technical.shtml
Flat cross section, center a hub and a rim, fill in everything else.

To anchor the hub you could use threads through a hub's spoke holes (prevent windup etc - I think a Parlee TT bike had some such wheel on it). Or if you're old school sort of like the Tioga disc wheel (32H compatible sides which replaced spokes in a wheel - truable etc).

if things work out I'll buy a wheel from you :)

cdr

Thanks for the Renn website. But I'd have no clue as to how to make sure that the hub is properly centered, remember, this is a bicycle wheel, where you can notice .4mm of hop in a rim. But I do understand that making the actual disc could go pretty smoothly, and by adding a cosmetic layer of very light non-structural 1K carbon, I could put dimples into it.
Another thing is how will I get a hub designed like the one Renn uses?
I do have a machine shop in my school that might be able to make a decent-quality hub with one high flange, and a removable flange on the other side that bolts to the hub body and then to the disc.

I'll try to get some ideas out there, and I might be able to make some this winter and spring or something.

hub goes in first and you spin it to shape.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html

Not that I want to be seen as a grammar Nazi or anything... :lol:

Okay, I think I've got a pretty good design going on. I've got a basic design of a hub made out, I'm going to make the drive flange pretty high and have a 12 bolt pattern, and a removable, bolt-on flange for the non-drive with a 6-bolt pattern.
The carbon should run me in the $150 range, plus epoxy.
Getting the hub machined out should be pretty easy, all of the hub internals will be Dura-Ace 7700.
And making the disc dimpled should be super-easy.

The only thing that remains before starting is the foam. Does anyone have an idea of a good foam that's very, very rigid? I'm thinking marine stuff, anyone?

try carving foam, it's rigid, easily shaped (you can carve it with a knife), and should be available at art stores, or even hobby shops that specialize in RC airplanes.

Not that I doubt your skills or anything, but how are you going to be sure that your disc is safe? Especially for racing?

Just tape cardboard over your regular wheel...

Not that I doubt your skills or anything, but how are you going to be sure that your disc is safe? Especially for racing? I'm going to race it. Duh.:p