Originally Posted by
raria
Amen. Lighter tires, or wheels have a huge improvement in acceleration. Now people are always telling me, this only applies when climbing (i.e. your are constantly accelerating, decelerating when climbing with each stroke). But just remember that every time you enter a turn you slow down and have to accelerate when leaving it.
Math tells us that it shouldn't make much of a difference in 'spinning up' lighter vs heavier wheels, but perception tells us that it's quite noticeable; I still think that it more of a gyroscopic thing where the heavier wheels are resisting change in orientation (like when you're sprinting out of the saddle, rocking the bike back and forth under you) more than resisting spinning up.