Penn State's mentor group - CLOSED! (Page 76)

I got SRAM s80 wheelset + wheelbuilder cover.

I didn't know I could feel this gross the day after a 17+ mile run! A friend took me out to dinner and we tried the fried Oreos. Oh. My. God! THEY WERE SINFULLY AMAZING!  But, now my body is saying "WTF were those things?!"

Are those a part of  a good nutrition plan? *smirk*

HAHA, I try my best to completely avoid stuff like that.... I know how good it used to taste, and the memory is slowly fading to the point I can say: "oh, it didn't taste THAT good anyway".  But like you, a couple weeks ago I went to the movies... got a "large" popcorn (had no idea they now supersized the supersized popcorn and called it "large").  Ended up with it anyway... devoured the entire thing

 

That's a good looking wheelset.  I'll be looking forward to the bike p0rn once you get them mounted  

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Sexy.

So... can someone help me understand the sexy wheels?? Yes...I am doing an Ironman in ONE month, but I don't have the first clue about bike stuff (p.s. I just learned how to get up a hill without DYING just a few weeks ago, so I am a really slow learner!)

Those wheels are sexy, because they look fast even went there not moving.

"sexy" wheels just mean race wheels, which in triathlon (where aerodynamics trump weight) means they have carbon fairings to improve aerodynamics.  The spokes are shorter so there is less spoke cutting through the air at all times, and the rim has a complicated shape to make it aerodynamic no matter which way the wind cuts across it (because it's spinning there is no single direction wind will be hitting the wheel, unlike with bike tubes or aero helmets, etc). 

YOU DONT NEED RACE WHEELS to do any tri.  I've done every race of my life so far on my training wheels.  You'd need to decide if the few seconds to few minutes it will save you over the course of a race is worth $1000 or more.

Because they aren't used all the time, race wheels also usually get paired up with faster rolling tires (and latex instead of butyl tubes if they are clinchers), which are usually less durable and puncture resistant.  But because you aren't training on them all the time, you you don't need those things as much.  While the risk of a flat in a race goes up some, the decrease coefficient of rolling resistance (you'll see this called crr in geeky circles) means your wheels conform to the miniscule bumps in the road instead of bounching over them... this gives you another few seconds or few minutes because more of your energy goes into pushing you forward, not lifting your whole bike + rider over each fraction of a millimeter bump a few hundred thousand times.

As he whose name I shall not mention famously wrote, its not about the bike.  Race wheels + aero helmet will help a little... but there is just no substitute for fitness.  I've schooled lots of people on fancy bikes with wheels that cost more than my bike in many races.  Now I've decided I want to be one of the people who gets embarassed by the dude who can school me on a yardsale bike with crappy wheels (although to be fair I'm still riding an aluminum bike and my "race wheels" are half the price of the virtually equivalent zipp 808s).

Edited by JoshKaptur 2010-06-25 11:32 AM

PS - the ultimate "sexy" wheel combo, IMHO, which shows you know what you are doing vs. just being a lemming and trying to buy speed even though you don't train, is a used older front wheel (HED 3 is common) paired with your rear training wheel with a disk cover (www.wheelbuilder.com).  You'll see LOTS of people riding this combo at lake placid (and I bet several in this thread when we start posting pics of our race-ready bikes).  You're out the door for under $500 and you'll be pretty much as aero as the guy who paid $2400+ for his wheels.

Edited by JoshKaptur 2010-06-25 11:36 AM

Slight tweak, and then I agree with Fred.  Obviously, a PT is a valuable training tool if you know how to use it too.

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Nice wheels Josh!  I like em.

Got back from my trip.  I thought I would be able to train nonstop down there but even though this is a class it went past 6 almost nightly.  I also got an ear infection from surfing the second week, and was sick these past two days after swimming in the dirtiest pool I've ever seen.  I'm glad to be back in familiar waters (literally).

So I'm excited to be home back to my normal routine now. 

To add to what Josh said, most of us do not NEED race wheels.  If you're just out to have fun and compete against yourself and what you can do and are not looking for a podium spot (yet), then race wheels don't have much of a return on investment.  Yes, they do make you faster, but everyone has to decide if the cost is worth it.  Josh: I'm by no means attacking you here.  Personally, the time savings they'd give me wouldn't make me get on a podium and until I think they will, I have no intention of buying any (unless I see an deal on a used set or a front wheel that I just can't turn down and have the spare cash laying around).  I'd love to have the bling and the psychological boost of riding such a nice set like Josh has now, but being on a budget I just can't justify spending that kind of money on something like that yet.  For now, it's all about the engine.  But if I had the spare cash... I'd have more bling, but most likely I'd buy a tri bike before I bought set of race wheels.

On the topic of buying speed... I do have an aerohelmet that I got a week or two after my last tri last year.  It's a Rudy Project SytonSupercomp which retails around $225, but I found it on craigslist for $100 and it was in perfect condition.  One of those times I had the spare cash and it was good enough deal I couldn't pass up.  Do I need it? no, not in the least... do I like having it? absolutely... I 'feel' fast and it makes my pictures look cooler  But it's not going to let me beat the other 30% of people in my AG I need to beat in order to get on the podium and probably had no effect on my standings in my last race.

oh yeah, here's some pictures from the 5430 Sprint Tri last Sunday as well (see, aerohelmet but no fancy wheelset):

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=14671&useralbum=140962 

Training with power is a subject that can be a difficult conversation in an internet thread.  I was just looking for something that would push us over the 100 page mark quicker!

I like training with power, especially inside.  The results of the effort are immediate and repeatable.  I am also a numbers geek.  I like looking at some of the information that I get from the cycling peaks software and seeing improvement.  Although I have been using power for the last year and a half, I only raced a couple of times with it as the bulk of last years races were run focused.  I got the PM on a good deal for an older style wired model.  I asked the question as I really didn't use the power meter for my races other than post race analysis since at the time I was still learning.  I am still learning now, but I have a pretty good start.

As far as race wheels go, it is bling and the return is minimal at best.  But, I gave up most of my bad habits a few years ago and so if spending too much on my bike is bad, sue me!  I'm having fun.

ETA: I do appreciate and respect the budgets.  When I first got into the sport a few years ago, I started with mostly entry level stuff.  Since I have made the commitment to make this a lifestyle, I have been adding some upgrades here and there as I have some extra available. 

Edited by kenj 2010-06-25 5:04 PM

Pete,
Did you purchase those pics?  I liked a couple of my pics that the photographers took but not sure I am ready to make the purchase.

I have the MS 150 this weekend.  This will  be the longest two days on my bike ever.  My brother, aunt and second cousin all have MS so they will be my motivation.  It should be a good time.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!

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