Ok so checking out the stats from the NYC Triathlon this past weekend I saw something that alarmed me. My bike average speed was 16.1 MPH vs my friend's 17.9 (His overall bike time was 9 min faster). The reason I was alarmed was that I didn't FEEL like I was going any slower, and in the past he has never been faster than me on the bike, we have always been equal or I a bit faster. There were no real long steep climbs this event as I can usually out climb him as well, but it was basically long rolling hills. But for all intents and purposes we are basically equal. Its been a bit under 2 months since our last Tri, where I beat him on the bike, and while my training has lacked a bit, from what he has told me he hasn't turned up the juice in his training that much (I ended up beating him by 3 min in the run).

Now the difference in this race is he got himself a pair of HED Jet6 C2's (I think thats the model) either way they are deep carbon wheels. I am running Fulcrum Racing 5's with a Wheelbuilder rear disc.

I find it hard to believe that those wheels could make that huge of a difference or am I wrong?