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$1270 to save 1/2 lb at the rim?

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$1270 to save 1/2 lb at the rim?

Old 06-13-19, 12:26 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by f4rrest
Walton brothers invested in Rapha.

Oh dear...this, too, raises its ugly head?
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Old 06-13-19, 01:58 PM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by hsuehhwa
Yes, if FTP > 3.5 watts/kg

3.5 -- 2.8 : yes or no.

No, if FTP < 2.8 watts/kg, the money could be better spent improving oneself.

If you don't have a power meter to measure FTP yet, the money should definitely be spent to procure a power meter first.
This is pretty much why I don't worry too much about how light my bikes are. I have no idea what my FTP is, but I'm fairly certain I'd fall into the "No" category.

That said, there's nothing wrong with someone spending money on light bike parts because they like having a light bike. Everyone doesn't have the same priorities. I see plenty of beer bellies on expensive race bikes.
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Old 06-13-19, 02:58 PM
  #53  
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Are you having them take apart and rebuild around the new rim? You would probably be better off having a new wheelset built and selling the old set assuming they are in good shape still
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Old 06-13-19, 03:47 PM
  #54  
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Nope won't make a difference...emotionally and psychologically it might and to some people that's worth $1270.
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Old 06-13-19, 05:36 PM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by seypat
No. I would take off a water bottle and add an extra water stop to my route. That's at least a pound and a lot cheaper.
The same question still exists after that change. NOW would you spend $1200'ish to save a half'ish pound? I assume the answer is 'no', but the quoted response does not really address the question (even if the pound of water was rotating weight, somehow).

dave
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Old 06-13-19, 08:48 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by DaveLeeNC
The same question still exists after that change. NOW would you spend $1200'ish to save a half'ish pound? I assume the answer is 'no', but the quoted response does not really address the question (even if the pound of water was rotating weight, somehow).

dave
The answer would still be no. The question is at what monetary price is it worth it? That answer is different for every person. The OP has to answer that question on his own. If it is worth it to him, then he should get them. My opinion, or yours should not matter at all.
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Old 06-13-19, 09:41 PM
  #57  
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I can get Light clinchers, Sapim spokes and Mack hubs built locally for $870.

Claimed weight is 1357 grams.

This would save 253 grams or just under 9 oz rotational weight, most of that at the rim.

Tubulars have been ruled out for a variety of reasons including the fact that they don't make the tires I like, Vittoria Rubino G+ Speed, in tubular flavor. The next best tubular tire is the Corsa G+ Speed but the tubular flavor is 50 grams heavier than the Rubino + tubes. The Corsa tubs are 23 mm only and I run 25's. The Corsa tubs are insanely expensive.

Anyway, $1270 to save 7.9 oz is a different equation than $870 to save 9 oz.

The discussion here has been great and I really appreciate it. It still isn't compelling enough for me to start clicking a bunch of "Submit order" buttons but the input has been great nonetheless.


-Tim-

Last edited by TimothyH; 06-13-19 at 09:44 PM.
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Old 06-13-19, 10:22 PM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
I can get Light clinchers, Sapim spokes and Mack hubs built locally for $870.

Claimed weight is 1357 grams.

This would save 253 grams or just under 9 oz rotational weight, most of that at the rim.
Anyway, $1270 to save 7.9 oz is a different equation than $870 to save 9 oz.
-Tim-
Light clinchers, or Light Bicycle clinchers?
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Old 06-14-19, 06:03 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
Light clinchers, or Light Bicycle clinchers?
Sorry, Light Bicycle, the wheel company.

RRU25C02 rims.
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Old 06-14-19, 08:06 AM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
Anyway, $1270 to save 7.9 oz is a different equation than $870 to save 9 oz.


-Tim-
Sounds like a better deal to me.
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Old 06-15-19, 06:04 AM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by hsuehhwa
Yes, if FTP > 3.5 watts/kg

3.5 -- 2.8 : yes or no.

No, if FTP < 2.8 watts/kg, the money could be better spent improving oneself.

If you don't have a power meter to measure FTP yet, the money should definitely be spent to procure a power meter first.



I love the completely random and arbitrary numbers you selected.

It's diabolical to think that you can train, lose weight, AND have better technical performance all at the same time, right?
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Old 06-15-19, 06:05 AM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by kingston
This is pretty much why I don't worry too much about how light my bikes are. I have no idea what my FTP is, but I'm fairly certain I'd fall into the "No" category.
Don't worry. People advocating for a specific FTP for a particular aspect of technical performance probably don't know what FTP is, period.
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Old 06-16-19, 05:43 PM
  #63  
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Depends on what else you want. In my grand scheme of things a power meter of some sort is my next "luxury" purchase. Garmin Vector 3's or whatever is out when I decide to open my wallet.
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Old 06-17-19, 01:01 PM
  #64  
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If saving weight is the only goal, you can do it much cheaper. I have a couple of pairs of wheels I build using components from bikehubstore.com that weigh 1285 grams. I used their lightest hubs with Kinlin XR-200 rims, 20 Sapim Laser spokes in the front and 24 spokes in the rear with Lasers on the left and Sapim Race spokes on the right. The fronts are laced radial and the rears are 8x16 laced radial left, 3x right. I'm 170# and they've held up fine on crappy New England roads. Oh, yeah, they cost under $250/pair to build! Even if you add $100/pair to have them built, they're still a bargain.
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Old 06-19-19, 05:03 PM
  #65  
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Saavedra Turbo. Also sold as Wheelsmith Turbo. Long out of production and very possibly all used up and gone. Very low production item to start with. But still lighter than any clincher rim mentioned here. I built a 32 as a 16 spoke front, one cross, and did around 10k miles while weighing 185# before the brake track got too thin to trust. Front wheel was just over 500grams. Titanium spokes. Some kind of light hub, not nearly so light as what can be had now.

Price? The rim was free because no one trusted it. Felt fine to me downhill at 100kph.
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Old 06-19-19, 05:37 PM
  #66  
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You went how fast on a bicycle?
Originally Posted by 63rickert
Felt fine to me downhill at 100kph.
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Old 06-19-19, 06:14 PM
  #67  
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Originally Posted by Robert A
You went how fast on a bicycle?
k is for kilometers. Bikes do that. It's often stupid to go that fast downhill but it is not hard.
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Old 06-19-19, 06:26 PM
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'Fine' is not the word of choice to describe how one feels on a bike at 100kmh. You start clenching your ring at half that speed...

A word about light hubs - folks shouldn't really count them as rotating mass. Sure, they rotate, but doubling the weight of your hubs will do stuff-all next to doubling the weight of your rims.

And light hubs come with drawbacks, particularly for all the folks using Shimano cassette splines - making them out of aluminum (without the steel strips a couple of companies use) is an example of a product designed to be sold rather than used. And don't get me started on the unserviceabilty, and poxy sealing of most cartridge bearings...

The industry standard of merely quoting whole wheel weights is bogus; it's of interest only to weight weenies. Nothing wrong with that per se, but I want to know how much the damn rims weigh too.
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Old 06-19-19, 08:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Bnystrom
If saving weight is the only goal, you can do it much cheaper. I have a couple of pairs of wheels I build using components from bikehubstore.com that weigh 1285 grams. I used their lightest hubs with Kinlin XR-200 rims, 20 Sapim Laser spokes in the front and 24 spokes in the rear with Lasers on the left and Sapim Race spokes on the right. The fronts are laced radial and the rears are 8x16 laced radial left, 3x right. I'm 170# and they've held up fine on crappy New England roads. Oh, yeah, they cost under $250/pair to build! Even if you add $100/pair to have them built, they're still a bargain.
I do that on the 360# tanden. 20 front, 24 rear. I paid more.
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Old 06-20-19, 12:51 PM
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I wouldn't spend money on that. But, I did spend $600-700 on some Mavic UST's (comes with tires) and that is the best money I've ever spent on a bike. Smoother, lighter, faster and just generally a great feel.
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Old 06-20-19, 02:35 PM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by Kimmo
The industry standard of merely quoting whole wheel weights is bogus; it's of interest only to weight weenies. Nothing wrong with that per se, but I want to know how much the damn rims weigh too.
See, this is my thing too. The bike is already 15.9 lb and saving one half pound at the rim would be significant.

Keep in mind that this is a "fixed gear road bike." It has a fixed gear drivetrain but is ridden on the road like any road bike. The rear hub will not have a freewheel but even so, track hubs and track components in general are typically not light. Anyway, I'm going to save about 1/2 pound and cost will be a little over $800.

Light Bicycle 35 mm deep carbon rims have already been ordered.

Hubs will be Mack Superlight front and rear. The 8mm bolt-on is slick. They come with an aluminum track lockring but this will be replaced with Dura Ace steel for street use

The plan is to have ProWheelBuilder.com build them with Sapim Lasers and aluminum nipples.

Weight should be sub 1400 grams with much of the weight savings at the rim for faster acceleration and easier climbing with a 48x16 gear. A slightly taller cross section wheel should give a little aero boost as well.


-Tim-

Last edited by TimothyH; 06-20-19 at 02:43 PM.
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Old 06-20-19, 04:26 PM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
Sapim Lasers
Any reason why not CX-Rays?
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Old 06-20-19, 04:40 PM
  #73  
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I wouldn't spend that much on a whole wheelset, so I'm not an opinion to consider.

That being said,
Will you want to ride the bike more?
--Would you feel better when you do ride it?

Then perhaps it'll be worth it. Certainly would be purty, and sometimes that's worth the $.
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Old 06-20-19, 08:42 PM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by Kimmo
Any reason why not CX-Rays?
No, not particularly. I'm open.

Do they require different spoke holes at the hub?


-Tim-
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Old 06-20-19, 08:46 PM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
No, not particularly. I'm open.

Do they require different spoke holes at the hub?


-Tim-
CX-Ray spokes cost about 2.5 times as much as Laser spokes, and are about the same weight.
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