pastorbobnlnh 

As an update to my Lotus Super Pro Aero and tubular adventures:

So far Excel Sports have been very helpful. Several quick email exchanges and Tyler in Customer Services told me the bad Vittoria Corsa Speed G+ will be a warranty exchange. I had to pay the $13+ to send it back (Priority plus insurance). Hopefully I'll have a replacement in short order.

In the meantime I've ridden the Lotus with the Roval wheelset and the Vittoria Rallys twice. Since this is my first time to ride Rallys, and the last time I was on other tubulars (Schwalbe One) was six months ago, I can only compare the Rallys to the 27 X 1 & 1/8 Vittoria Zaffarios on my Schwinn Super Sport.

Comparing the Super Sport to the Super Pro Aero is like comparing a Lincoln to a Mustang, or a Buick to a Camaro. The weight difference is probably 6-7 pounds and the wheel weight alone is probably 1/2 to 1 pound greater (just guessing here).

All I can say is the ride on the Lotus is so much faster, the handling quicker, and the frame so much stiffer. According to the bike app, I'm riding the same route about 1.5 mph faster on average (about 25 miles). In some sections I'm averaging 2-2.5 mph faster. Is it the aero tubing and the Dura Ace AX gear? Or is it the weight difference? My bet is on the weight difference and the Rallys.

When I eventually try the significantly more expensive and lighter Corsa Speed G+s on the DA-AX Faimme rims, I'll see if average speed changes.