A new wheelset - training v racing - or can you have both?

[pcapetown]

Hi all,

My first upgrade from my factory-specification Giant 11 TCR Advanced road bike - will be a new wheelset. I am racing as well as training and wondering if it is possible to buy a single wheelset for both - or am I not hitting the mark with either? The factory wheels have DT rims and SwissR1800 hubs, clinchers of course.

I am 62kg and race up to 100km on undulating/hilly terrain that can be windy so I don't want deep section wheels (anything above 50mm).

Any thoughts or ideas?

Peter

 

[daveryanwyoming]

From a wheel standpoint there's nothing wrong with training and racing on the same set. The trouble is the wear and tear you put on your tires and the related choice of what tires and tubes for day to day riding that are still as fast as you'd like on race day. It really sucks to flat in a race because of some small road debris you picked up a couple of days earlier because you rode your race tires every day and it sucks to run overly heavy and slow tires and tubes because you want something bombproof for day in and day out training. It also sucks to change tires and tubes before and after each race so most folks even with the best intentions tend to end up running compromise tires and tubes for all around use.

Personally there's no reason training wheels need to be super fast so I'd keep what you currently have for training and get a nice race day wheelset that you can mount up with good tires over latex tubes.

I'd also suggest a good semi deep wheelset like the Bontrager Aura 5 or HED JET 4 C2 rims with alloy braking surfaces that are reliable wet or dry and don't put you at risk of overheated carbon if long technical descents are part of your riding. It also saves the small hassle of swapping out brake pads on race day to handle full carbon rims not to mention saving some cash as full carbon wheels are very expensive. If you really don't want aero rims then I'd suggest something like HED Ardennes or Kinlin XC-279 rims or Velocity A23s or Boyd Vitesse wheels. All of those are nice alloy wheelsets in the new wider clincher rim design which is really nice for aggressive cornering.

But sure any of those could be used day in and day out if you don't mind running the same tires and tubes every day and running the risk of picking stuff up during training that leads to a race day flat tire or swapping out rubber before and after each race.

-Dave

 

[danfoz]

If you are going to run 2 different sets of wheels that have different hubs, make sure you know how to make minor indexing adjustments with the RD barrel. It may be surprising but I know some elite level racers who still drop their bikes off at the shop to do this sort of stuff, but that is not always possible on a Friday night before a 6:30am start the next day.

 

[pcapetown]

Thanks to all, and to danfoz. What do you mean by RD? I don't mind showing my ignorance as it helps me learn. Anyways, I might not be the only one who doesn't know, understand or appreciate your helpful suggestion here ....

 

[CAMPYBOB]

RD = Rear Derailleur

 

[CAMPYBOB]

"It may be surprising but I know some elite level racers who still drop their bikes off at the shop to do this sort of stuff..."

...racing in Central Park...

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

...racing in Central Park...

Prospect Park, but close enough.

And I was one such dummy in 93' with a brand new set of racing wheels - gp4 rear, gl330 front, 32 spoke on some fancy lightweight titanium hubs that did not matchup to the Shimano spacing on my "training" wheels. As this was my first year racing after my stint as a teen in the 80's and coming from my friction shifting background I had no idea how the new fangled indexing was adjusted. Night before I threw on the new hoops and started turning screws. Who knew what the heck a barrel adjuster did? Long story short I couldnt get either wheelset to work without skipping. Moral of the story, learn thy barrel adjuster friends./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

Btw pcapetown are you in SA? I came over to the good ole USA from that neck of the woods in '79.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

"Prospect Park"

Ah...Brooklyn.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

"Prospect Park"

Ah...Brooklyn.

Although Central Park really is a nice circuit, we don't get all the tourist traffic in Bklyn. Day in day out a much more bike friendly place to be.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

"...in Bklyn. Day in day out a much more bike friendly place to be."

I never thought I would hear Brooklyn and bike friendly used in the same paragraph! Could be worse...Long Gisland. I can not imagine what cycling day in and day out around all those...those...people! It must be like...which ring of hell?

Man, I remember the busloads of NYC AYH'ers that invaded Ohio for TOSRV! Furriners! They actually stopped to take pictures of our cows! No! Not our women...the bovine ones!

 

[pcapetown]

I was last in Central Park a year ago at Easter - rode a tandem and then two of the best bikes they had with my racing cyclist son. Wonderful!