Quality wheels and hubs?

porker33
porker33 Posts: 636
edited April 2011 in Road buying advice
I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

(same tyres/pressures, same rider weights etc.....)

Is this what I can expect from a quality wheels set or do you have to spend £1000 to get wheels to roll like this?

I was keen on DA 7850/9000 CL's before today, are the mavics in another league?

tks..

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    His wheels are handbuilts, the hubs could be almost anything! Helium rims are rather old and IIRC haven't been made for a number of years.
    My cheap wheels 'roll' fine, maybe you have an issue with brake rub, the bearings need servicing or he's a lot more aerodynamic than you?
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    Tks, I thought the hubs were the red anodised Mavic R's.

    I appreciate what you are saying, but I know better than to run with the brakes rubbing, I am probably more aerodynamic and my wheels are faster than they were when new, now they have 1500 miles on them.

    I usually ride with friends who have fulcrum 3's, other Bontrager and Ultegra rims, there is no real difference in how they all roll.

    I was amazed how these Mavic wheels rolled, so really interested in how much difference quality hubs makes, I never expected there to be this much difference.......but it sounds unlikely from your response.
  • Rule74Please
    Rule74Please Posts: 307
    If he is on heliums stay in front of his 15 year old wheels. They were scary even back then

    Rolling resistanve from the bearings is less than 2% at 20mph so don't loose sleep over that. He is a more "Aero" package than you I have a friend who weighs thee same as me but is 5" shorter he out rolls me always
    Don't know the Rules?

    http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/
  • Kiwi_rich
    Kiwi_rich Posts: 68
    I have a new set of fulcrum zeros with ceramic bearings and i am amazed at how well they roll. My second set are mavic kysrium sl and there is a big difference between them.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    Tks chaps, v interesting on the effects of aero and 5" when it comes to rolling...i have definitely been more impressed with these wheels compared to anything else I have ridden with.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Next time you're out together, swap your wheels over so you use each other's wheels but on your own bikes. See if he starts to be 'outrolled' by you.

    I doubt he will.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    Interesting thought...
    Hmmm........maybe I should just give up cycling if I am going to have to try so much harder than everyone else to keep up! :D
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    porker33 wrote:
    I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

    tks..


    Sorry, but I've got to ask. How would you know that you friends wheels were rolling better than your wheels? I know of no computer or gauge or measuring devise that would tell you this.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    dennisn wrote:
    porker33 wrote:
    I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

    tks..


    Sorry, but I've got to ask. How would you know that you friends wheels were rolling better than your wheels? I know of no computer or gauge or measuring devise that would tell you this.

    http://physics.technion.ac.il/~rutman/c ... 20test.pdf
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    dodgy wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    porker33 wrote:
    I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

    tks..


    Sorry, but I've got to ask. How would you know that you friends wheels were rolling better than your wheels? I know of no computer or gauge or measuring devise that would tell you this.

    http://physics.technion.ac.il/~rutman/c ... 20test.pdf

    Wow. My bad, my bad. If only I had known how easy it was.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Don't tell me, tell the researchers.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    dennisn wrote:
    porker33 wrote:
    I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

    tks..


    Sorry, but I've got to ask. How would you know that you friends wheels were rolling better than your wheels? I know of no computer or gauge or measuring devise that would tell you this.

    Over the course of 2 1/2 hours, neither of us pedalling and rolling down the same hills on the same tyres with same pressures......it rolls better than other bikes I have ridden with and my friend even remarks that he has been told before how well the bike rolls.....sometimes real world comparisons are interesting enough to make you want to find out more.
  • spanielsson
    spanielsson Posts: 776
    Which Bontrager wheels are you using?
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    RL's

    I understand they have a DT hub, now with 1500 miles they have improved slightly, but as mentioned above, are now no worse than Fulcrim 3, bontrager race or Ultegra wheels/hubs at rolling.....I do appreciate the RL is not a great wheel, which is why I am researching an upgrade.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    porker33 wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    porker33 wrote:
    I was out earlier with a friend who was riding on Mavic Helium rims with the red anodised hubs, he was rolling so well compared to my very average Bontragers.

    tks..


    Sorry, but I've got to ask. How would you know that you friends wheels were rolling better than your wheels? I know of no computer or gauge or measuring devise that would tell you this.

    Over the course of 2 1/2 hours, neither of us pedalling and rolling down the same hills on the same tyres with same pressures......it rolls better than other bikes I have ridden with and my friend even remarks that he has been told before how well the bike rolls.....sometimes real world comparisons are interesting enough to make you want to find out more.


    So you're saying that this couldn't possibly have had anything to do with your weight vs his weight, how aerodynamic he was vs you, or any other factors? It's all in the wheels? :roll: :roll:
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    I think you will find those possibilities have also been considered and answered above...looking forward to trying the wheels myself soon.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    porker33 wrote:
    I think you will find those possibilities have also been considered and answered above...looking forward to trying the wheels myself soon.


    Lots of luck in your wheel search. Spend all you want on whatever wheel you want.
    I'm just trying to remind you that "buying" performance doesn't always go as well as learning "how" to make your body perform better. plenty of people out there buying the best stuff available with cost not even an issue, yet they still can't "keep up".
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    i dont think it will have anything to do with the wheels. how much difference are we talking anyway. it wont add up to much power on a long ride.

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