Originally Posted by
CliftonGK1
But there are big benefits to shaving mass off the wheels. While at speed, a rotating mass will offer some conservation and maintain its momentum, but in getting up to speed and (especially) climbing, it takes extra effort to turn a heavier wheel.
Please define "big benefits" and show us where these "big benefits" are. From
Analytic Cycling modeling, even if I try to wildly vary the wheel mass/rotational inertia parameters (i.e., 10 lbs vs. 5 lbs total wheel weight plus double the rotational inertia for the heavier wheel), at the end of a 3-mile 8% climb, the two riders are only apart by less than 300 ft or a minute. I'm not sure I'll call that "big" if you're not racing.