What is the real value of the best road bike wheels?

Macrocyclic televised game screen, you can see the riders carbon wheel, tire tube top aluminum wheels carbon wheels, carbon wheels and carbon wheel --Racing 0 Shamal and the like, although when found, but has been extremely rare. In the circle of the common people, many manufacturers claim that carbon knife can significantly save your power to improve your score.

However, this is where the value of carbon wheel? Its value worthy of its price?

Chatting among riders always wander upgrade equipment and equipment, and many times the topic is always transferred to the upgraded wheel group. In fact, more and more fans think, for a pair of wheels or a change than a change of kit can be something more to improve their athletic performance. There is an inappropriate analogy: Many fans feel that the road car wheels is the car's engine.

The performance of the major wheel plant in the past decade booming, I guess not unrelated many riders impulsivity upgraded wheels. At the top of the pyramid of the carbon fiber wheels to expand market was particularly notable. They called can greatly save time and power to help drivers get better results - as if as long as another pair of carbon knife,your car fitted with a nitrogen acceleration. In this respect, carbon wheel "price" is really quite high. Especially the high-end market is now close to saturation, the more affordable carbon fiber wheels have begun to compress down living space aluminum alloy wheel group. I do not know will not like aluminum wheels aluminum frame, as the market gradually compressed to the bottom until the fade out, but I do not think there is no chance. 15 years ago, the drivers believe that large-scale carbon fiber frame can not be universal, because the carbon fiber material is too expensive, there is no proof of performance in the contest, unreliable. But now but disruptive change.

The world's top Lightweight Obermayer, the same top price

According to marketing, it is very light weight and better aerodynamics important value of carbon fiber wheel set. Well-known advantages of lightweight carbon fiber. The wheels of the major manufacturers have started the process of wide-body and further strengthen its aerodynamics. The mid-1990s CampagnoloShamal box high 40mm, weight 1980g, was already considered simply incredible heights. And now, more than 50mm high carbon wheel weight is almost no more than 1500g.

Carbon fiber is only one color, but a different arrangement of carbon fiber to obtain a different appearance.

Another advantage of carbon fibers is that it can be molded into precision molds of various shapes. With the help of hydrodynamic model, computer simulations and real wind tunnel test, the round shape of the carbon can do limit the ability of manufacturers. Propaganda breaking wind and wind resistance is now the main direction of marketing carbon wheel, and these capabilities can be sorted by quantitative data, so before you decide to buy, you can be very visually compare air resistance and other properties of each type of wheel.

A typical wind tunnel test chart, note that wind between 10 ° -15 ° Most wheels can be minimized wind resistance, rather than in all directions to the wind can be very low resistance - Data from Bontrager 2011 Nian Research.

Carbon fiber materials rim or even the whole set of wheels, you can achieve a very high stiffness to weight ratio. We all know the characteristics of bicycle accessories carbon fiber frame garment: it can be very hard in one direction, very high rigidity. Carbon wheels usually do very high rigidity, thus reducing the required number of spokes.

Carbon fiber wheels carbon frame and compared to other parts of its material requirements more stringent, top carbon wheel will be extensive use of carbon fiber to uplift M40 above grade rigid, and generally the pursuit of a carbon wheel T800 is basically dominated. At the same time, carbon fiber wheels are relatively less care about strength.

At the same time, due to manufacturing methods in the production of aluminum frame can not guarantee complete roundness and no yaw, but high-quality carbon fiber rims can achieve this, so that the spoke tension more evenly, higher quality wheels. Therefore, the carbon fiber wheel set on the track easily overwhelm the aluminum is taken for granted. This is one of expensive carbon fiber rim reasons. Their yield is still not particularly high, and therefore there will be one, two, three, four and other goods.


Very light, very high aerodynamic resistance, very high rigidity weight ratio, when athletic performance as the primary consideration, the carbon fiber wheels obviously very

valuable. But why, many people still think of carbon fiber wheels "too expensive"? Let us continue to resolve the real value of carbon fiber wheels in it.

Barrel short board

Ultrahigh carbon wheel frame may provide an aerodynamic advantage, but in the complex environment of the wind, it could significantly affect the handling of the vehicle.

Obviously this wheel application range is relatively narrow. In addition, manufacturers often promise a set of wheels can reduce the number of resistance, but this is not a universal value claims. The minimum wind resistance a lot of wheel set between 10 ° -15 °, once the wind beyond this range - for example, you took a turn - drag may suddenly become larger, which also may cause trouble on the control. We do not doubt the authenticity and validity of the wind tunnel test aerodynamic. But in the real world, how they occur utility?

Through strict control variables, researchers have established a perfect environment to measure drag, in this environment is a constant wind speed and direction, which in turn means that changes in wind speed and direction could significantly affect the results of measurements. In other words, the gap between the various brands of wheel air resistance is so small that they can only be measured in a highly controlled environment. These data are measured on wheel group itself, without considering the situation when the wheel is mounted to the car later. Bontrager made a top TT frame and wheels them in their research reports combine drag test, the conclusion is still the change in the wind will greatly affect wind resistance. Therefore, the so-called aerodynamic advantage in reality, it is impossible to reach the theoretical performance. This is a more idealized model.

This is a lot of wheels have warning labels, whether carbon or aluminum wheels wheel

Burning box is another irony of all carbon wheels problems are likely to face. Many people believe that braking performance is lower than the carbon frame aluminum frame, and the frame is easy to burn, this is insecurity. Now, under the efforts of various manufacturers, brake performance and reliability carbon wheels have started catching aluminum frame wheels. However, continuous brake for a long time may still lead to brake failure side, especially carbon brake wheel side opening side - not so pro brakes, have some experience of amateur riders would not be so brakes, but the most common people have been accustomed to his mouth brake downhill, especially in the kind of long, steep slope.

ENVE Reynolds and other companies developed their unique formula brake pads to slow the rise in temperature of the brake side, and requires drivers must use their designated brake blocks. But the risk still exists in some American race organizers ban the use of carbon wheel riders. Recent reports indicate the presence of more and more question marks reliability carbon side opening round group. The vendor selection coy. Disc brakes might be a good choice, but it is also facing a lot of problems. In short, the user concerns about side brake reduces the value of carbon wheel.

Swisstop of yellowking the world's most commonly used carbon wheel brake blocks, but many manufacturers prohibit the use of such riders brake blocks on their wheels. Then swissstop launched the Black Prince, claiming more than yellowking control heat buildup. But the more personal recommendations cork brake blocks - CORIMA of course not. Another aspect of the anti-burn positive frame is wide popular circles, expanding the volume of the air box and carbon fiber cloth area for cooling is advantageous.

In addition to the brake side than carbon wheel strength and durability how? To be fair, the manufacturers, these wheels basically no problem. But, after all, it is not like the carbon fiber material withstand impact. Wheel manufacturers are often reluctant to publicize their wheels What technologies rarely provide information on the rim durability (especially brake edge durability) of. ZIPP stressed their wheels with Kevlar fiber as a reinforcing (the so-called Carbon Bridge), and spoke with a woven around the hole for reinforcement. The ENVE directly by molding the spoke holes to avoid drilling may bring structural damage.

Many riders when the carbon wheel hanging racks, only in the game, or any other special day was out riding. Personally feel that a group does not run on the road bike clothing accessories wheel can fully reflect its value, it is understood that the treasure drivers for thousands of dollars. Even if the various manufacturers have low-cost carbon wheel damage after the renewal of the policy, once the carbon wheel damage, the cost is still a lot of money. Prospects carbon fiber wheels for everyday use exactly how?


Many manufacturers specified weight limit wheel sets, but manufacturers can not seem to control their wheels should be how to use. ZIPP wheels seem to think that they should only be used in the game, and ENVE commute daily training also considered carbon wheel is not a problem. If you are concerned about the durability of carbon wheel - especially brake side. So unfortunately, now there is no definitive research to draw in the end carbon wheel brake side when it will be consumed - some sporadic argument is that the life of carbon brake wheel side will be even higher than the aluminum wheel! Overall, carbon wheels for everyday use, as long as you overcome the psychological barrier no problem.

In fact, another major factor is that the mere mention of the smell of carbon, the high cost of many scruples tire tube may bring, in fact, really that high? Road feel worst tire tube can also catch up with some of the advanced opening the tire, which is about three times the price of the former, and very easy rolling tires, the rolling tires also slow leak majority. I do not understand the things of unwarranted fear is human nature, but it is easy to find a real contact which is really just unwarranted fears.

Evolution aluminum wheels
Lightest aluminum wheels can be done 1200g, and less than fifteen hundred dollars can be achieved, of course, you do not have too many options. Stan's Alpha 340 offers this ring, vacuum tire support a version only 385g, with Dash ultralight flower hub is easy to reach light. American classic (American Classic) with two new, a 1179g, another magnesium alloy only 1108g. They are often not high tension, to specify a brake blocks, tires or difficult to install, but the rigidity may have no way to meet the competition requirements.

In fact, a comprehensive look at all the factors, the value of carbon wheel is unique and individual. Perhaps the major brands have not been able to resolve all the shortcomings of carbon wheels, but obviously, carbon wheel on the athletic performance hard to beat. Aluminum wheel is no way to provide the weight, aerodynamic performance and rigidity of both solutions. But their prices to ensure that they have to survive.



Source: Cycling Express
Author: Henry