gregf83 

The quality of botto's response is often a reflection of the quality of the question. Try asking: Criterium racing on a Red bike with white trim... good/bad----advantages/disadvantages?

303's, 202's, red bikes with white trim... none of these choices will have a significant effect on your racing results next year.

botto 

who knows?

maybe, one day, i'll come around to the idea that cat 4 newbies should have a TT bike, a crit bike, a climbing bike, aero wheels, climbing wheels, and whatever else money can buy that experience/training/nous/etc can't.

JAX_11

He said "who knows, maybe one day" that's better than no

Ill take it

jwible

Although I am a lowly Cat IV I do appreciate the fact that at this level equipment means almost zilch performance wise. But I still like shiny things. I just don't expect them to make me better.

JAX_11

exactly what you said

Scummer

I don't do any intervals and can comfortably roll off the back, I mean, comfortably stay in the pack in a cat 4 race. Hah!

jwible

Yeah, but I know better than to ask this crowd.

JAX_11

Right but there are a few on here like kensuf and kendall from Orange park that I can ask. They just happen to be teammates though.

zzzwillzzz

look on the bright side, it keeps bike shops (or online retailers) in business and give some us a chance to buy lightly used stuff for significant discounts when the op (original purchaser) burns out after 1/2 a season and realizes that all the purchases had no effect on speed or results

hammy56

if youre looking to buy a new set of 404's, nows the time- https://www.competitivecyclist.com/12...ampaign=12Days

fordfasterr

Aero trumps everything, even if you have a "TT bike, a crit bike, a climbing bike, aero wheels, climbing wheels, and whatever else money can buy that experience/training/nous/etc can't."

KendallF

I think my cat probably ate your Zipps. I'll see if I can get him to get them out to you before Christmas. Look in the back yard..

Racer Ex 

(Raises hand)

When I got into this I had a lot of that junk within a year or so...not because I thought it would make me faster (or impress anyone) but because I'm a gear head/tinkerer. I just like dicking around with cool equipment. Part of the learning curve.

Worth noting that when I bought my first dedicated TT bike I told my newly hired coach that I'd be happy winning the TNW bottom feeder race. I thought I might have a shot, but there's was no way I'd ever be a decent "B" race guy.

I hired the coach because I didn't know my ass from a tea kettle about training and figured at 40-something I'd be better off not screwing that up.

Some folks just like engaging in the process. That was me.

Yeah, there's plenty of philanthrpic ways the OP could spend that money, but we could do the same with what we spend on a race weekend. Coeds moonlighting as hookers need financial help too.

When the word "need" pops into the question at the Cat 3/4/5 level, that's a different ball game.

botto 

ummm... you get a pass.

you were someone who already excelled at an incredibly elite activity, who also has a few brain cells to spare.

Hida Yanra

given his previous pursuits, he had fewer brain cells to spare?
oxygen deprivation and all that.

JAX_11

What did u excel at RACER EX? Do I get a pass if I excelled at something like distance running. Coming with 3the seconds of breaking 4:10 in the mile or running sub 15 minute 5ks. Just curious if I can have a pass also BOTTO?

ericm979

If you need Bottos approval, you won't get it.

Hida Yanra

RX excelled at being awesome, he repeatedly won this:

jwible

28:30 in the 10k? I'll give you a pass for that.

JAX_11

Yeah Nope not happening. I wish. I ran in the 33 minute range broke 33 minutes once

ProudDaddy

I am similar size to OP (and I don't think anyone that knows me would call me a light weight - 130 would be light at that height) and went 303 last season for an all arounder Colorado wheelset. Consider what kind of racing you will use the wheels for and decide on that. I don't do hill climbs and we have more crits than RRs here. The latest 303 does not lose much in aero to the 404 and is lighter with faster spin up; the 303 beats the 202 in aero and is stiffer, but not as light so not as fast spin up. Trade-offs like with anything. I also was in the market for only 1 wheelset. FWLIW, I won both a technical crit (2-man break on last lap that required a quick uphill jump away from the field) and a long road race (all out field sprint with no leadouts) on the 303s. No idea if the wheels helped but at least gives me ammo to internally justify the expense. Definitely go tubular for the lighter weight if these will be race day wheels. Tires I'd go either Veloflex or Vittoria SC (not CX), JMO.

hammy56

if you want botto's approval dont go to europe.

waterrockets 

Just came by to mention that aero trumps spin-up inertia unless you're doing trainer sprints in a vacuum or something. Of course, not everything is about being the fastest. I think the 202s look incredible.

merlinextraligh

fixed

merlinextraligh

Posting stuff like this just sets you up for failure.

See Phil's chart on the outcomes on posting your power data.

By analogy, posting running prowess is going to roughly go down the same branches of the chart.