Originally Posted by 79pmooney

Rotors, + stronger spokes and rims that can handle the bigger spoke loads. I raced 290 gm rims laced with 15-17 (~1.8-1.6mm) spokes (and 250 or
less gm sewups). More than once I made breaks that took everything I had. Would I have made it with wheels a touch heavier? I'll never know. But being able to close that gap by being maybe 12" closer meant that I beat the guy behind me by 10 minutes.

My fasted, hardest race the group I stayed in broke the course record (set by an animal some of you have heard of). The deciding climb was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever done. That race - 220 gm silks and a 250 gm front rim. (Same spokes.)