Racing with your powertap wheel.

BlueJersey

I think the race data I can gather is worth while to race with it. Any way I can make it lighter? How about more aero? Mine is built with a Velocity Aerohead rim. I think the total weight minus tire and cassette is about 1130g. Those race and train/commute with it, what is your setup?

beerco

As I've mentioned in the other forum, I always race and train with my Powertap. I recently picked up a HED Alps powertap wheel to race on which is probably a few grams heavier than my PT/open pro but the deep section and fewer spokes will more than make up for the added weight.

Are you worried that 200g is going to be a big difference come race day?

BlueJersey

Hahahaha.....that's what I have been telling myself. If you guys race with it, even with some of the very hilly races, I may as well do it too. And to sell my Zipp 303 rear. Just use the front. How about using latex inner tube and some sub 200g race tire?

peterpen

Why not relace your 303 rear w/a PT?

I'm trying to decide on a set of race only wheels and they probably will be the 303 tub rims/ 24 or 28 2x CX-Rays/ and White Industries hubs, but I find myself toying with the idea of putting another PT SL in back. It still would be an aero sub-1500gm wheelset - definitely wouldn't hold *me* back.
But I doubt I'll do it because 1) it's too much $$$ and 2) for a target race, I want every advantage possible, even ones that are largely psychological. For less important races where I want to gather data, I can always use my usual DT Swiss PT SL wheels - the bike weighs 16.5lbs with those 'training wheels,' so it ain't that bad.

frenchyge

I was planning to race with mine this season. There's always wheel covers for TT's : http://wheelbuilder.com/closeup.asp...id=185&offset=0

BlueJersey

I need my powertap wheel to be an all around wheel with racing, training, trainer ride, and commuting in mind. Laced with a carbon rim may not be a good idea. It won't make a lot sense to get another set laced with a carbon rim just for racing. With the added cost of an extra PT SL wheel, I may as well get myself a SRM power meter. Or I can sell some of my wheels and added with some tax refund I may just as well get another PT SL built with a carbon rim.

Bruce Diesel

After a lot of deliberation the combination I have settled on is a PowerTap Pro with Mavic Open Pro rim for training, and a Zipp 404 Tubbie with Powertap SL for racing.

My problem is that I have a training bike and a racing bike - so SRM was going to cost a fortune. I have the wiring harnesses on both bikes so if I want to train on my racing bike I just use my training wheels.

What I have noticed is that with power based training the bike is completely irrelevant. Plus I find the psycholigical benefit of getting on my race bike on race day is significant. The bike just feels fast and responsive.

The Zipp 404 tubbie with PT SL is barely noticeable.

Furthermore, I believe that race data is THE most important data. Especially important races. This is when you get your true performance numbers - when your motivation is at a peak.

RapDaddyo

What are you saying?

Bruce Diesel

Weight wise. I race on a Lapierre Carbon X-Lite, which is just about on the UCI weight limit anyway, so the PT is no problem.

palewin

I rode just about every RR & crit last year with my PT SL/DT Swiss wheel, and don't think it held me back at all. One of the few races where I didn't use it was an uphill TT, and in hindsight I would have benefitted more from the pacing assistance of the PT than I "gained" from using a lighter wheel; this year I will use the PT wheel for the hillclimb. Since almost all the extra weight of the SL is in the hub, I don't think there is a noticeable performance loss (i.e. my limiter is power in my legs, not power measurement in my hub!).

HammerHead

I'm building up a PT SL now with an AC 350 Sprint rim. The rim is pretty light and should spin up no problem, and the hub is light enough that I really doubt it will make a difference in my races.

__________________
I'm only truly happy when I'm anaerobic.

Squint

I'm worried that once the iBike is released, its users will dust me and my anchor of an SRM on climbs. Their website says so.

RapDaddyo

I've spent way too much time on wheels, but I may as well share my thoughts in the event that others can benefit from my deliberations. The main reason I have thought a lot about wheels is that there can be doubt about the difference they make in speed, at least in clean air. While this is clear and obvious for TTs, I have reflected on it as well for RRs. That's because I am attempting to train myself to a level that I can at least contemplate making a break in the late stages of a race. It remains to be seen whether I can sustain a break and it will depend on the competition, but I am working against a planning model that assumes I will have the opportunity from time to time and, if the opportunity arises, I want to be prepared and have the right equipment. We're pretty limited in equipment in RRs and crits, and wheels are about the only thing we can have that matters. Also, I'm committed to riding with a PT hub. For a long time, I limited my consideration to wheels currently offered with a PT hub or wheels that could be built with a PT hub. This ruled out perhaps the fastest spoked wheel ever designed, the HED3. But, eventually it dawned on me that I could build my own wheel, including a HED3. I work with machine shops on a regular basis, so doing one-off machining projects is nothing new. I just never looked at a wheel as simply a set of parts and that I could replace a part such as the hub. It depends on how the wheel is constructed, but I think I'll be able to put a PT SL in most race wheels, including discs. My main concern is how the wheel performs in the wind, but on windy days I would ride something different on the front such as the HED Alps. So, the direction I am going at the moment is to build a HED3 and HED disc, both with PT SLs. Of course, if Saris introduces the 2.4Ghz hub in time, I may go that direction. Either way, I'm not going to show up with a $2K wheel (including the hub) until I can show up with enough watts under the hood to warrant such an arrogant statement.

beerco