wheel weight reduction equals what speed(for the boffins)?

baccodaddy

currently run dt 370 hubs and mavic xm317 hubs and standard spokes with tubes.going to buy swiss 4.2 rims and 240 hubs with revolution spokes and tubeless.total weight saving around 600grms.so if i did the same course with same effort and same wind what advantage would i have.also noting the 240 hub will have a better pick-up?

littleandy0410

Not sure it will affect your top speed, but will improve acceleration, decceleration, and changing direction.

Flywheel effect, I think?

lesz42

inertial?

benneally

it would make it easier to accelerate and so would fatigue you at a slower rate and be better for your brakes. If there is a weight reduction in the hubs, its not going to have a massive effect on rolling performance. It will make you faster on flats uphills, but downhills will be more skittish and may even be slower. Skittish as your wheels will have less angular momentum and so will be more affected by hitting rocks and roots.

supersonic

A very small, but possibly noticable difference.

At constant speed it is purely a mass issue. When accelerating, the location of the mass in the wheel has an effect.

600g is a pretty big saving though!

lesz42

i went from the Rigida ZAC 19 SL wheels on my aspect to Dt swiss 4.2D rims with the XT hubs, with XT 8 speed cassette ( thankyou merlin cycles!)

acceleration is a bit better, buts its the changing direction, thats very much improved!

the wheels are lighter, built better

Anonymous

supersonic wrote:

A very small, but possibly noticable difference.

arent lighter wheels heralded by everyone as the be all and end all? loads of folk claim that saving 100 g with a merlin build instead of crossrides will make all sorts of difference.

surely a 600g saving will make a huge difference?

lesz42

made my bike feel better, alas still get tired on long climbs, might need to fit a 2-stroke?


on my Rigida zac wheels i have fitted some sportcontact (1.3) road slick tires, they weigh about 350 grams each


the Rigida zacs are still heavier then the 4.2d with kenda nevegals dtc 2.1 ( seems so)


neeed to weigh them really

Tank-slapper

sheepsteeth wrote:

supersonic wrote:

A very small, but possibly noticable difference.

arent lighter wheels heralded by everyone as the be all and end all? loads of folk claim that saving 100 g with a merlin build instead of crossrides will make all sorts of difference.

surely a 600g saving will make a huge difference?

A simple weight saving alone will make a bit of difference, but with wheels it depends how the weight is distributed that matters most. I have a pair of Crossrides and a pair of XT/717s. They weigh virtually the same (about 1950g), but the XT/717s feel 'lighter' because there is less mass in the rims and more in the hub.

supersonic

sheepsteeth wrote:

supersonic wrote:

A very small, but possibly noticable difference.

arent lighter wheels heralded by everyone as the be all and end all? loads of folk claim that saving 100 g with a merlin build instead of crossrides will make all sorts of difference.

surely a 600g saving will make a huge difference?

Well, more than 100g lol. I would say that on its own it would be noticable, but when accelarating it should be even more noticable. i think what I was trying to say it is not the 3x the static mass saving that is often quoted - doesn't work like that.

Anonymous

i getcha. i recently saved about 300g on my enduros wheels and the diference is very noticeable with respect to effort.

the bike does feel easier to spin upto speed but im prepared to admit that it might just be a placebo effect.

baccodaddy

cheers for replies ordered the 4.2 limited rims today so no going back now.i,m going to be using the new wheels for enduros thats why i was interested.i understand top speed wont be affected it was more the average over long distances that interested me as i will still put in the same amount of effort so it wont be easier just hoping its quicker.