Are lighter bike wheels worth it?

“Light weight wheels accelerate faster than heavy ones, which helps when you’re taking off from a stop, but heavy wheels maintain more of their momentum than light wheels, which helps you keep your speed on rolling roads and trails.

What is the best depth for aero wheels?

How Deep?

• Shallow 25 – 40mm Can be lighter, great for hill climbing and accelerating.
• Mid depth 40 – 60mm – Is often the best all-round option – relatively light for climbing, whilst still fast on the flat – best of both worlds.

How much faster are Zipp wheels?

From his tests, the rider discovers: With conventional wheels, he can ride 20 minutes at an average speed of 41.12 kph with an average power of 379 watts. With the Zipp 808 NSW aero wheels he rides 51 minutes at an average speed of 41.13 kph and average power of 344 watts.

Do lighter wheels make a big difference?

Lighter wheels can go faster because there is less weight to control. They’ll help you speed up your acceleration while decreasing the time it takes you to come to a full stop. They can also contribute to greater fuel efficiency because lighter vehicles use less fuel.

How much do aero bike wheels help?

At 20mph, a 45mm aero wheelset saves 99 seconds over 40km while the brand’s 90mm deep option ups that to 116 seconds. Or for an Ironman at 25mph, you’re looking at slicing six to seven minutes respectively. It’s also worth remembering that the lower the speed, the bigger the time savings you’ll have.

Are wider wheels more aero?

Manufacturers claim the wheels are faster than traditional designs in real-world conditions and offer better handling in crosswinds. Of course, there are limitations: Wider rims are slightly heavier and may not fit in some frames. The aerodynamic advantages are real, but minimal.

How many watts do aero wheels save?

The time savings for good aero wheels are significant, according to Barry’s research on the SystemSix and its new Knot64 aero wheels. Even on an aero road bike, the addition of aero wheels saved 48 seconds over a 40K TT at 300 watts compared to a typical 30mm-depth alloy training wheel set.

Are lighter wheels more comfortable?

Lighter wheels shouldn’t have much impact on ride quality. I suppose a heavier wheel dampens bumps some, but that’s mostly a guess. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Do lighter wheels improve braking?

Reducing rotating mass should make the car accelerate and stop faster as well. But how big of an effect is this? We’ve compared light and heavy wheels a few times before, and the results consistently showed a negligible difference in autocross times–even with extreme differences in wheel weight.