Pros and cons of disc wheels?
 

Can someone help me out? I'm planning to buy this sort of vintage carbon HED disc but I don't know much about riding with discs. Is it hard to pump up? Is it hard to replace the tube and tire? Is it harder against the wind? I need as much information as possible. Thanks!

Does it have tubular tires? The ones I have seen had tubulars. Read up on the cost and installation of tubulars (PITA). There is only one bike shop in my area that will do it. They charge $65, PLUS supplies (tire, glue, etc) to install.

My friend that runs a nearby small shop told me his insurance carrier told him he would DOUBLE the cost of his liability insurance if he decided to install tubulars. Needless to say, he doesn't do it. Maybe larger shops have more bargaining power with insurance companies. Of course, doing it yourself is always an option.

I would advise against vintage disc wheels. These where intended for track racing and time trials, and made to be used for a season or part of a season only. Most have racing style tubulars which are a serious pita on a street or road bike and pressed sealed bearing hubs which can't be readily serviced. For these reasons and insurance as said most shops won't work on or sell them. Also many where prone to catastrophic failure when they got older and a bit worn.

i always thought tubulars were safer to ride on during a blowout.

Moved from Vintage Appraisals to Bicycle Mechanics with 3 day redirect.

Indoors on the track with no sidewinds , its OK. Advantage: linear flow around the disc rather than the turbulence, stirring even Bladed spokes raise in the air.

... or as a special event Time Trial (Big Prize Money Triathlon) rear wheel .. is less likely to have side winds steer for you, open spoked wheel in the front, then ..

And there is a Loud hollow rumble as they roll along the surface (quieter on a smooth wooden Velodrome track) rather than on the road.

Reads like the OP really does not need them , for even asking the question phrased like they Did.

Trying to stretch the Hour record ? Now, 52.937 KM, next goal stated by Pro Bradley Wiggins is At 55 KM.

From the pic it appears to be configured for a fixed track cog, if so the intended use is on the Velodrome not the road.
As such it require glued-on "tubular" tires which are the last thing you would want busting mad-skidz on your Pure Fix.

A host of other negatives are too long to list, Pass and go for Plan B unless you intend to take up track racing.

-Bandera

Come on guys, what's with all the hate? I run tubulars on the road, and tubulars on one of my fixed gears on the road. It's not that big of a deal.

That said, I'll give it a shot answering the OP's question as I used to own a tri-spoke wheel (similar pros/cons to a disc.) The main pro is that it's going to be aero and faster on mostly flat land. Cons are that it's going to be heavier than a conventional wheel and terrible in a cross wind. If you weigh enough or have excellent bike control it might not be an issue. But you will probably hate it in cross winds.

The real purpose of disc wheels is for time trial/triathlon or record events where every single second matters. Completely unnecessary for general riding but use what you like.

But it would be kewell!

Back in the early '90s I used a Uni Disc wheel cover for weekly TTs in my area. I wouldn't purposely ride it on a gusty day, but a little wind was really no problem.

I can't comment on the durability or ride of a true carbon disc wheel, though.

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