In My Experience
The basic premise is true. The DT 240 S--RR 415--Super Comp wheel IS a super light race wheel. But because of the better quality components and build, using the DT Tension meter, this wheel is good for everyday use as well. Even crazy light carbon tubular wheels are useable, but because carbon is likely to break dramatically in common impacts with the road, they are not very safe and are very expensive to replace.
My problem with the low weight aero is that it encourages a kind of “mania” that the industry is pushing. The curmudgeon view point is that having a 14 pound bike with 1000 gram wheels is pointless because with a 180 pound engine (rider) the percentage of weight and aero difference is meaningless.
Well-designed wheels are only as heavy and complicated as they need to be to do the job. The rest is smoke and mirrors.
At the moment, the quest for a high performance bicycle is too obsessed with “small”. Super light and aero dynamics are important and easy to get the mind around, but they are only a “small” part of the quest.
I would suggest starting with having your body fitted to the bike by a trained person, a skill which is fortunately not too difficult now. However, the best person to do the fitting may not be the person fitting you to a bike they are trying to sell you! The most important part of going far and fast is getting the most out of the engine (rider). The human engine is completely unique in size and shape, so “small, medium and large” doesn't always work. For instance, the seat, tube angle, and saddle set back is determined by the ratio of the upper leg length to the lower leg length. Getting this right allows you to determine the correct gear ratios and RPMs to get the most out of your engine.
The human body is not designed to be aerodynamic, but fine tuning your upper body position on the bike can be far more important than wheel, frame and handle bar aero advantages. Comfort on the bike is also very important. If you can't relax, your body will always be in contraction which is unhealthy and energy draining. This is only the tip of the iceberg. You will be amazed at how different your performance can be once you have had had a professional fit.
Then there is training of course, but everyone is aware of this factor. To me, the most important issue is, in fact, training. But it takes a lot of time. You need to be realistic. Most of us have a life, other than cycling, that gives pleasure and creates wholesomeness. When I asked a potential trainee what level of racing she wanted to achieve and she said, “ Cat 1 or Pro I”, I said OK, “First thing on Monday, quit your job!”
After achieving some insight and improvements on the engine (that’s the rider!), NOW the bicycle can be looked at.
To me, the frame material is secondary to fit. If you’re one of those lucky folks who can buy your clothes off the rack and look great, you may be able to buy a bike the same way. If not, or even if you can, there are more talented hand built frame builders scattered around the country than ever before. The old Euro practice of using your local frame builder is possible in the USA now. Most of the builders now are also trained in fitting riders to bikes, but it doesn't hurt to bring a second opinion with you. When I had my retail shops, I sold more custom frames than most. I used several of the best builders available. Most of the buyers had worked their way up to the top off the shelf bikes made by the best euro pro frame builders I represented. When their custom frame arrived, they were expecting an improvement over the last bike, but most were amazed by the difference in performance they found. Do some research. There is probably a great builder in your area.
When considering materials, try not to fixate on carbon. Carbon frames are good if they are done right, but carbon is very complicated to work with and there are many grades and building techniques (see the first part of this article). I know very little, but most of the custom builders who work with carbon know a lot. Many frame builders still focus on steel and titanium. Steel is extremely versatile allowing for different designs, sizes, and joining techniques. And the new steel alloys are very light. Titanium is also very light, doesn't rust, and has a delightful ride quality. Titanium is the very best choice for heavier, stronger riders.
Carbon wheels are also tricky to design. The high profile carbon wheels, when made into clinchers, tend to be heavy, especially in the rotating mass (rim, spoke, nipples, etc.) where you don't want extra weight. High rotating mass is only good for flat conditions where its fly wheel effect keeps the speed constant. When building for tubular tires, carbon wheels can be scary light - like those “throw-away-after-one-race” aluminum tubular rims back in the day. The problem with all carbon rims is that if you hit something unavoidable that may pinch flat your alloy rim, you will be throwing away your carbon rim (clincher or tubular) for a new one at lots of $$. Off the shelf carbon frames and rims seem to be very popular with the bike industry because they have cool fast looking shapes and if bought from the right place an extremely high profit margin. : )
I am still dedicated to classic designs because in most situations they are more suitable for the designs I like to build and the people I generally build for. My philosophy is that I design and build a wheel where the rider has an enjoyable, productive experience, arrives back safely, and doesn't have to work on the wheels before the next ride. I am not stuck in the past, as I try to review all current designs and use what I feel is relevant for each situation.
The core of the classic design is to use a few more spokes and keep the rotating mass as low as possible. The use of more spokes has a very small weight penalty compared to using a heavier rim. Low rotating mass helps in easier and faster acceleration out of corners, closing gaps and climbing, Most all rides, whether commuting, riding with the family, hanging on in the pack, or breaking away from the pack, - most of all rides have these elements.
My wheels are as heavy as they need to be. The performance wheels can be less than 1450 grams with clincher rims and 1400 grams with tubular rims. Wheels below 1400 grams cost about $2.00 per gram, tend to be fragile and temperamental to work on. As the demand of higher loads, power transfer, and higher mileage go up, the weight of the wheel increases but never more than necessary. With proper experience over kill designs are not necessary. Quality hubs with best quality bearings increase performance and save energy as well as cut down maintenance requirements.
Classic designs, in general, cost less, aid in performance expectations, and keep your body and mind in alignment.
Enjoy your ride.
Joe
The basic premise is true. The DT 240 S--RR 415--Super Comp wheel IS a super light race wheel. But because of the better quality components and build, using the DT Tension meter, this wheel is good for everyday use as well. Even crazy light carbon tubular wheels are useable, but because carbon is likely to break dramatically in common impacts with the road, they are not very safe and are very expensive to replace.
My problem with the low weight aero is that it encourages a kind of “mania” that the industry is pushing. The curmudgeon view point is that having a 14 pound bike with 1000 gram wheels is pointless because with a 180 pound engine (rider) the percentage of weight and aero difference is meaningless.
Well-designed wheels are only as heavy and complicated as they need to be to do the job. The rest is smoke and mirrors.
At the moment, the quest for a high performance bicycle is too obsessed with “small”. Super light and aero dynamics are important and easy to get the mind around, but they are only a “small” part of the quest.
I would suggest starting with having your body fitted to the bike by a trained person, a skill which is fortunately not too difficult now. However, the best person to do the fitting may not be the person fitting you to a bike they are trying to sell you! The most important part of going far and fast is getting the most out of the engine (rider). The human engine is completely unique in size and shape, so “small, medium and large” doesn't always work. For instance, the seat, tube angle, and saddle set back is determined by the ratio of the upper leg length to the lower leg length. Getting this right allows you to determine the correct gear ratios and RPMs to get the most out of your engine.
The human body is not designed to be aerodynamic, but fine tuning your upper body position on the bike can be far more important than wheel, frame and handle bar aero advantages. Comfort on the bike is also very important. If you can't relax, your body will always be in contraction which is unhealthy and energy draining. This is only the tip of the iceberg. You will be amazed at how different your performance can be once you have had had a professional fit.
Then there is training of course, but everyone is aware of this factor. To me, the most important issue is, in fact, training. But it takes a lot of time. You need to be realistic. Most of us have a life, other than cycling, that gives pleasure and creates wholesomeness. When I asked a potential trainee what level of racing she wanted to achieve and she said, “ Cat 1 or Pro I”, I said OK, “First thing on Monday, quit your job!”
After achieving some insight and improvements on the engine (that’s the rider!), NOW the bicycle can be looked at.
To me, the frame material is secondary to fit. If you’re one of those lucky folks who can buy your clothes off the rack and look great, you may be able to buy a bike the same way. If not, or even if you can, there are more talented hand built frame builders scattered around the country than ever before. The old Euro practice of using your local frame builder is possible in the USA now. Most of the builders now are also trained in fitting riders to bikes, but it doesn't hurt to bring a second opinion with you. When I had my retail shops, I sold more custom frames than most. I used several of the best builders available. Most of the buyers had worked their way up to the top off the shelf bikes made by the best euro pro frame builders I represented. When their custom frame arrived, they were expecting an improvement over the last bike, but most were amazed by the difference in performance they found. Do some research. There is probably a great builder in your area.
When considering materials, try not to fixate on carbon. Carbon frames are good if they are done right, but carbon is very complicated to work with and there are many grades and building techniques (see the first part of this article). I know very little, but most of the custom builders who work with carbon know a lot. Many frame builders still focus on steel and titanium. Steel is extremely versatile allowing for different designs, sizes, and joining techniques. And the new steel alloys are very light. Titanium is also very light, doesn't rust, and has a delightful ride quality. Titanium is the very best choice for heavier, stronger riders.
Carbon wheels are also tricky to design. The high profile carbon wheels, when made into clinchers, tend to be heavy, especially in the rotating mass (rim, spoke, nipples, etc.) where you don't want extra weight. High rotating mass is only good for flat conditions where its fly wheel effect keeps the speed constant. When building for tubular tires, carbon wheels can be scary light - like those “throw-away-after-one-race” aluminum tubular rims back in the day. The problem with all carbon rims is that if you hit something unavoidable that may pinch flat your alloy rim, you will be throwing away your carbon rim (clincher or tubular) for a new one at lots of $$. Off the shelf carbon frames and rims seem to be very popular with the bike industry because they have cool fast looking shapes and if bought from the right place an extremely high profit margin. : )
I am still dedicated to classic designs because in most situations they are more suitable for the designs I like to build and the people I generally build for. My philosophy is that I design and build a wheel where the rider has an enjoyable, productive experience, arrives back safely, and doesn't have to work on the wheels before the next ride. I am not stuck in the past, as I try to review all current designs and use what I feel is relevant for each situation.
The core of the classic design is to use a few more spokes and keep the rotating mass as low as possible. The use of more spokes has a very small weight penalty compared to using a heavier rim. Low rotating mass helps in easier and faster acceleration out of corners, closing gaps and climbing, Most all rides, whether commuting, riding with the family, hanging on in the pack, or breaking away from the pack, - most of all rides have these elements.
My wheels are as heavy as they need to be. The performance wheels can be less than 1450 grams with clincher rims and 1400 grams with tubular rims. Wheels below 1400 grams cost about $2.00 per gram, tend to be fragile and temperamental to work on. As the demand of higher loads, power transfer, and higher mileage go up, the weight of the wheel increases but never more than necessary. With proper experience over kill designs are not necessary. Quality hubs with best quality bearings increase performance and save energy as well as cut down maintenance requirements.
Classic designs, in general, cost less, aid in performance expectations, and keep your body and mind in alignment.
Enjoy your ride.
Joe