Originally Posted by
Jay Andriot
Aero's main advantages comes in at high speeds. Light weight advantages comes in at points of acceleration. For me, and only for me, light weights trumps aero. I like light weight because what I value most in a bike is quick turning. Aero is about going in a straight line very fast, not something I care much about.
Agree. To be more specific: when I've ridden aero frames (e.g. Cervelo S2) or aero wheels (e.g. Zipp 303 & 404), I didn't notice much of a difference until speeds were at around 18-20mph. There may be some slight advantage at lower speeds, but it's not one that made a discernible difference
to me. Once I hit the 18-20mph range, it feels like it takes noticeably less effort to maintain speed on the bike with aero aids.
FWIW, I don't notice any real aero benefit when using aluminum wheels with depths in the 25-30mm range. It might be there, but
I don't notice it while riding.