Track Cycling: Velodrome Racing and Training Area - wheels (for the 1^6 time!!)

So I'm about halfway through my first track season and am hooked (after many years of road cycling).

I've got a really nice set of custom mid profile alloy wheels that currently I'm both training and racing on. This past weekend I rode in the state titles and was given a set of Zip 303's with Vittoria pista tubulars and could feel a significant difference.

So there are some a number of significant races in the season, and I'm thinking about getting the guy who does my wheels to build me a set of nice carbons for the track. I've got two options.

a) 50mm on the front and 85mm on the back (20/20 with cx-rays)
b) 50mm front and back (20/24 with cx-rays)

I'm starting to focus on pursuits and scratch races though also omniums and points racing. The track I live nearest to in Sydney is 250m (boards) and has 42deg banks fwiw.

Would you take the 50 or the 85 in the rear and why? I'm leaning towards the 85's which would be built around an X-treme rim.

Thanks
brett

I could be totally wrong on this, but from what I understand by the time the wind gets to your rear wheel it's already a total "mess" - lots of unpredicatable vortices caused by your front wheel, your legs and your cranks. Therefore the aerodynamic properties of your rear wheel don't matter as much as the aerodynamic properties of your front wheel.

In other words, go with what's stiffer or what's cheaper.

I've been told the above as well. If anything, go deeper in front.

I hope that you realize that one to the sixth power is still one, implying that this is still the first wheel thread... your title should use 6^6 or maybe 8! (factorial)

i really meant to type 1e^6 but somewhere between my brain and fingers it just never worked out :-p

-- brett

thanks for the replies guys. it confuses me why i see so many riders riding rear discs though?

i guess either way theres not a lot of difference between a 50 and 85 in terms of aerodynamics. i'll chat to my wheel guy this week and see what he recommends.

--brett

...

A rear disc doesn't affect handling that much and is better than not having a rear disc, aerodynamically speaking.

It's not as good as having a front disc (again, aerodynamically) but outdoors it'll really affect your ability to control the bike.