StanSeven

What are you saying?

DinoShepherd

Super cool. I have no reason to doubt you.

I am a huge LeMond fan. I was a young college racer when he was tearing up the pro-circuit.

I'm not sure if you've mentioned you were his buddy here before, but I need to ask: Why would you bring this up in an internet forum?

At any rate, if you would, please mention there are those who still strongly support him.

-Z

DinoShepherd

D@mn. I've been doing it wrong.

I though beatiing someone who has expensive wheel while riding open pros made me cooler.

-Z

SharpStone30888

This might just mean that the person riding the expensive wheels sucks bad.

bretthammy

Saying that someone is contradicting Newton's first law, when not all the requirements are met, isn't necessarily correct.

bretthammy

Hmm this might be my sig now.

KiddSisko

But it did start a rigorous debate, which is more fun.

2manybikes

.

No one can defy the laws of phsics. But common sense helps a lot.

An object in motion tends to stay in motion in a perfect vacuum, with no gravity, no friction, no wheel bearings, and no tires. This law does not apply to something on the planet earth with wheels. If weight did not matter, then if you put a 150lbs. passenger on your bike rack it would be just as easy to go 20 mph with him as without him. A car with five people would get the same mileage as an emtpy car. etc.etc.
If a rider does not notice a change it only means the rider does not understand, not that there is no change.

exRunner

Its great when someone starts a post out like this, and then demonstrates that common sense is not all that common.

In summary, wheel weight matters, but with in the reasonable range that bike wheesl weigh, it does not matter any more then any other weight. The "flywheel" effect that so many try to use to support their aruguement does not have a measureable affect when applied to a bike wheel.

Pedaleur

Oh, really?

Staarkhand

I religiously read every thread about weight and aerodynamics, especially when they involve wheels. Why?

First, there's a chance I'll learn something.

More importantly though, watching all the flailing about with high school physics seasoned with a few money technical words the poster doesn't really understand is absolutely comedy gold.

KendallF

Staarkhand: Awesome.

Just in case anybody actually cares about the math for real:

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/fo...r=asc&start=45

Read the post by Mark McM.

pinwheel

some people actually appreciate good engineering for what it is and simply want to own it because its cool, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If its something they can enjoy regularly by riding around town, I figure that's even better.

umd

Nice

Grumpy McTrumpy

it's pointless. he doesn't get it. I ask for proof and get a lot of technobabble instead.


science is not about posturing. it is about experiment. There are plenty of experimental models available and plenty of data recorded but perhaps the best example would be Sosenka's world hour record in which the wheels used were designed to be heavier than normal. In fact the entire bike was 20 pounds or so.

rpeterson

So rather than try to understand the scientific discussions here I just went out and got more data yesterday and today. 2 more laps with the new wheels, then switched the old set back on for once more. Over the 3 laps the new wheels averaged a 1.7mph gain in the climbing with a 5% HR increase and an 6% cadence drop, so I'm pretty sure my gains are coming from being able to push that next gear up comfortably while climbing. When I went back to the old wheels I had a 7% HR increase, 9% cadence drop, and had a 1.5mph gain, I was still able to push a gear higher than usual, but it took a tiny bit more effort, trying to spin the lower gear my HR was going up and I was well above my comfortable climbing cadence.

So what do I get from this? Well yes, the wheels do make a difference, but between the wheels, tubes, and skewers that difference is just over 1kg, which I doubt anyone is really going to tell me will hurt my climbing performance. What I do suspect though, is that my winter training regime (Westside for Skinny Bastards + structured interval training) is helping quite a bit more than I first suspected. Oh, and pretty new things always have a positive effect on performance.

exRunner

^ ->

merlinextraligh

What are the tires on the respective wheels, and did you consider the computer calibration issue?


And if you really think 1kg is making that big of difference, try this experiment; do the ride with one water bottle 2/3rds full, then do the ride with 2 waterbottles full. That's a kg of weight.

Most people can't tell the difference climibng with empty or full waterbottles, and its certainly not 1.7mph on a loop with flats and descents as well as climbing.

Cipher

Finally got a few pictures for ya. Greg actually gave these tubular wheels to me as a gift but since I don't race at all, I've decided to sell them. (Had him autograph them before I said I would take them or not). This set of wheels are brand new, never has tubulars installed on them, much less installed on a bike. Rather than let then sit, I've decided to sell them. Any clew as to what I might ask/receive for them?!?

Ygduf

Latex tubes are more flexible and puncture resistant. They just lose air more quickly than butyl.

mustang1

what if we went the other way round and got the OP some 10kg wheels.... do all the nay sayers reckon it WONT make him slower?

loreley

pretty much yep, as long as you keep the magnitude the same i.e. add 1 kg instead of subtracting it.

pdedes

5 big ones

Fleabiscuit

How much for the wheels without the graffiti? Do you know if nail polish remover will take it out or will it require something stronger? Nice looking wheels, best of luck with the sale.

Thanks,

FB

otismedina

That's a lot of weight in wheels. I'd say that matters.