Originally Posted by otoman

BTW, acceleration seems to have been misused a little in this thread. Not only is it a change in the rate, but it is also a change in the direction of movement. Therefore, the rim is always accelerating because of the change in direction of movement of any given location on the rim.

Originally Posted by JavaMan

These arguments are academic. Bikes don't really go at a constant speed. Every pedal stroke is an acceleration. Your bike (and especially your wheels) should therefore be as light as practical.
Tom with a BS in Physics from Kansas State University, 1977.