Track wheels for sprinting?

quickfeet

Hi,

Just looking for a bit of advice if anyone is kind enough to give it. I am currently looking to upgrade my wheels then the bike. What type of wheel is best for the sprint events I am currently looking at a few discs for the back and maybe a 4 spoke for the front. Cant really afford any top end Mavic stuff. But what would be really good to know is what tyoe of whhel is best to get, does a disc on the back make a huge amount of difference to having a 4 spoke, considering that I wil be doing an equal amount on indoor and outdoor track racing?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

quickfeet

Eddy S

You definitely get a stiffer and more aerodynamic platform in most situations with a rear disc but they don’t always help outdoors.

With regards to the front, I’ve not had a chance to try any of the CF 4 spoke wheels so don’t know how stiff they are. I’m between 95 and 100kg during the racing season so the wheels get quite a test under me! If I was after a 4 spoke wheel I’d err towards a Corima HM for sprinting but I’m holding out till I can justify buying a Mavic IO (or find one on eBay!)

All 3 of my tub front wheels are deep rims with spokes and I flex them to varying degrees depending on where I’m riding – you can hear the magnet hitting the speed sensor when I start my sprint for a flying 200 on the indoor tracks, less so outside.

My ‘best' front wheel is a large flange, 24 spoke Navigator and this flexes the least but I’m still considering getting it re-built soldered and tied at some point.

I think the biggest problem you’ll have with just one set of wheels is finding tubs that will work for you both indoors and outdoors without compromising too much. I have now got to the point where I’ve ended up with different set of wheels for indoor and outdoor use.

Up until the early part of last season I was using one set of wheels/tubs (a 16 spoke front/Cormia disc combination) for everything with my clincher training wheels for back up. Through the tail end of ’07 and start of ‘08 I punctured 5 Vittoria Pista Evo CS tubs in 7 meetings at Palmer Park.

This finally prompted me in to buying a pair of Planet-X 50’s and these are fitted with Conti Tempos and these are now my outdoor wheels. Some people find these Conti tubs ok indoors but I’ve found them less the grippy at both Newport and Manchester.

And then I bought another disc (a PRO) and the Navigator mentioned above so I now have spare set of tubs at important meetings.

On a track like Palmer Park I don’t think that I’m losing too much sprinting on the spoked wheels and I’m less effected by the wind. If I was racing a Sprinters League meeting at somewhere like Newcastle I’d more then likely use my indoor wheels.

Sorry if this rambles a bit – there’s no straight forward answer but I hope some of this helps! 8)

oldwelshman

I got a pair of ffwd wheels, one disx and one 4 spoke from sigma for about £1100 but only use them indoors due to wind outdoor and the fact that I don't want to puncture the tubs outside
For outdoors I just use pair of shamals with HP's.
As there a a few guys faster than me sprinting ( by more than a length) it does not make any difference sprinting anyway

oldwelshman

here they are:

SteveR_100Milers

sory to hi-jack this thread (and I have) but hey Dai, what do you think of te FFWD disc? And likewise at Alex with the Pro - I've considered both for a TT bike. Did you look at the FFWD THREE? (front tri-spoke)

Eddy S

Steve, I assume your question was aimed at me rather the Alex...

I’m pretty impressed with the build quality of the PRO wheel over that of my Corima wheel. Looking at the specs of the PRO and FFWD discs and the fact that both companies are Dutch, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that they’re the same wheel.

The only minor pain is the size and shape of the valve hole – you can’t get a normal pump head in the hole and the L adaptor that comes with the wheel is useless (unless you have 3 hands) but it was all very easily sorted by using a Hirame pump adaptor.

Toonraid

Your best bet would be to buy a set of high profile carbons such as FFWD F5's and then a single rear disc - that will give you the option to run the F5R's for out doors and then switching the rear to disc for indoors - u will definitely notice disc v everything else but for the front the 5cm high profile carbons are more practical that 3's or 4's - I think FFWD have recently done an 8 or 9cm front too.

SteveR_100Milers

Eddy S wrote:

Steve, I assume your question was aimed at me rather the Alex...

I’m pretty impressed with the build quality of the PRO wheel over that of my Corima wheel. Looking at the specs of the PRO and FFWD discs and the fact that both companies are Dutch, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that they’re the same wheel.

The only minor pain is the size and shape of the valve hole – you can’t get a normal pump head in the hole and the L adaptor that comes with the wheel is useless (unless you have 3 hands) but it was all very easily sorted by using a Hirame pump adaptor.

Sorry Eddy, similar avatar and all that...

Is your last comment (about valve hole) for the Pro disc or the FFWD? The latter has a hole cut into the disc from what I can tell from the photographs, whereas the Pro disc looks more coventional...

Eddy S

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Sorry Eddy, similar avatar and all that...

Is your last comment (about valve hole) for the Pro disc or the FFWD? The latter has a hole cut into the disc from what I can tell from the photographs, whereas the Pro disc looks more coventional...

No worries Steve – I’ll take it as a compliment being mistaken for Alex 8)

The comment regarding the valve hole, etc applies to PRO but the FFWD disc has the same size/shape valve hole (and hence my other comment about thinking that the wheels come from the same source) and you’ll have the same issues pumping it up. Seriously, just buy one of the Hirame Yoko adaptors - it’s one of the best bits of bike kit I bought last year.

Toonraid wrote:

Your best bet would be to buy a set of high profile carbons such as FFWD F5's and then a single rear disc - that will give you the option to run the F5R's for out doors and then switching the rear to disc for indoors...

It’s a good/valid observation and approach but the problem is finding that crucial compromise with track specific tubs that won't puncture easily on an outdoor track yet will give that sublime grip and confidence on an indoor track. I’ve not found that yet and that’s why I still think that the answer is 2 sets of wheels.

Toonraid

Of course 2 sets would be ideal but where finances do not allow it then its a good compromise. Problem with 2 sets is also that you will need to buy 2 sets of tyres which can be really expensive - not sure what you guys use on in-door track but Ithe UK track team is sponsored by conti whom provide them with 50 Olympic tyres (@over 200 quid each) which they don't actually use in main competitions and instead "buy" Dugast Tyres which can cost upwards of 1000 quid!

Point being that you can always make things better when finances are not an issue.

oldwelshman

Steve, my wheels are great, but then again I never roide them on my old frame
Edy, I thought Pro wheel swere Shimano same as the other Pro carbon gear ?

SteveR_100Milers

Well I'm waiting for a FFWD disc for the TT bike.