View Poll Results: How deep is the FRONT rim on your speedy all-around road bike?
Voters: 90. You may not vote on this poll
How deep is the front wheel on your all-around fast road bike?
#26
Senior Member
Using 46/46mm Light Bicycle rims. I have no data as to their aero capabilities, though they certainly look the part. But they are nice and wide and I ride them with 34mm Compass tires; the pairing is heavenly to ride. I've felt an influence on really strong crosswinds before, but it wasn't anything that ever put me in any danger of going off the road or anything. It was enough to feel it and react to it, but not much more. And that was with really strong crosswind gusts. With typical breeze I don't feel a think.
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#28
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56F/R just like noodle soup. I noticed a big difference in stability between a P Zero and a Turbo front tire - apparently, the "file" pattern actually helps? Less likely is that I just got used to it. I can ride hands off the bars in most conditions upto around 21mph. It gets harder to react to sudden gusts by that point. One time, I hit 53mph in the draft of an SUV (I know, bad) and the front wheel started wobbling quite a bit. Hambini talked about these wheels and said it has something to do with the "trip ledge" but filling the tire-rim gap with silicone will fix it and make the wheel more aero across a range of speeds and yaw angles. So I'll probably do that for race season, since I'd like to have as much stability as I can get.
My bike is also on the twitchy side (crit bike), narrow bars, a 100mm stem (as opposed to a longer one like many people use) and my geometry gives me a very high center of gravity, AND I'm light, so I feel like I'm likely to be most affected by poor handling wheels. All my friends shook their heads when I told them I was getting a 56mm wheel. No complaints thus far.
My bike is also on the twitchy side (crit bike), narrow bars, a 100mm stem (as opposed to a longer one like many people use) and my geometry gives me a very high center of gravity, AND I'm light, so I feel like I'm likely to be most affected by poor handling wheels. All my friends shook their heads when I told them I was getting a 56mm wheel. No complaints thus far.
#30
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Hmmm, let me go get my calipers. Never mind. My two road bikes both have Fulcrum Racing Zeros, so relatively low.
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#31
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We should do another poll - an anonymous poll to see how much the look of the deep profile impacts the choice. I'll admit - I love the look of the 40-50mm profile. But, I went with 35s for a couple reasons...
- Atlanta is hilly; trying to balance weight / aero / budget
- 90% of my rides are with a group; aero need is negated a bit
- Atlanta is hilly; trying to balance weight / aero / budget
- 90% of my rides are with a group; aero need is negated a bit
#32
Me duelen las nalgas
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Heck, I clean my bike once a year whether it needs it or not. My handlebar is wrapped all the way to the stem with hi-viz yellow Arundel Synth Gecko, which resembles putrid sausage casing but is comfy. I have no sense of style.
Which a friend reminded me of this weekend. After a fast club ride over coffee and donuts, he said between mouthfuls "Your wheels and tires don't match."
Yup. Bontrager aero on the front with Vredestein Fortezza Tri Comp, swapped over from a tri bike. Wolber Alpines on Shimano 600 hubs on the back with Continental Ultra Sport II -- blue stripes on the sidewalls, no less, because they were cheaper than blackwall on Amazon.
I think my bike was spoiling his appetite.
#36
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< 26 mm and 46-58 mm have been tied since the start, and still are (at the moment I'm replying).
#37
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Personally I think shallow rims look better. I have deeper ones, and they make the bike look a little weird, unbalanced maybe. I think mid depth rims look great on a lot of bikes … just not mine, at least from the side.
#40
Senior Member
Wasn't sure how to answer, so I chose the one on my TCR race-style road bike (30mm) because I feel it fit the "all-around" designator. If you wanted the fastest bike (aero) I own (that compromises ride comfort for top speed) it would have been 54mm.
#41
Full Member
Shape matters more than depth. My 32mm deep v-shaped DT Swiss aluminum rims move around a lot in gusts, while my wide 36mm LB carbon rims don't even notice the wind. I suspect there are 60mm+ rims modern rims that move around less than the narrow V rims.
#44
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