Best type of wheels for racing?
What are the best type of wheels for racing?
Deep carbon tubulars?
Superlight shallow carbon tubulars?
Deep carbon clinchers?
Superlight shallow rim clinchers?
Something in-between?
I know that it depends on the kind of racing, so I’ll be more specific.
Which type of wheel is best for bridging up to a breakaway at around 30 mph?
Which type of wheel is best for sustaining a breakaway going 27 mph?
We have 4 factors that effect wheel performance –
1) Weight, probably the least important for most riding, but most focused on property of a wheel. Important when accelerating or climbing
2) Aerodynamic profile. We all know that 50mm is way better than a standard box rim, but how much better is it than a 30mm rim profile? (How many watts does this save?)
3) Rolling resistance – if it’s really true that you can save 5W or more per wheel with good clincher tires/tubes why would anyone ever use tubulars? Saving 400g in a 72,000 gram system is only one half of one percent. Saving 10 W for someone who averages 300W in a race is over 3%!
4) Wheel bearing resistance - Ceramic bearings. How much do these help?
Forgive me if this has all been asked before (I’m sure it has), but it’s hard to find it all in one place.
Opinions?