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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

upgraded front wheel

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Old 04-24-21, 09:37 PM
  #1  
Symox
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upgraded front wheel

Lately I have been working on my wheels. I had heard that wheel upgrades are some of best "bang for the buck" and was interested in learning - its been a fun and satisfying project. I had already done the rear wheel myself weeks ago. It did improve the bike.


Today I got to ride with the new front wheel on my favorite route with lots of hills. I changed the wheel to a wider flange, lighter hub and used lighter and stronger double butted spokes. I measured a 70 grams of weight saving in the front wheel - no big deal I thought. Well half way through the climb I realized I wasn't getting as tired as I usually do, I was climbing faster than normal and was accelerating easier. "Nah", I thought,, "it couldn't be the wheel, its just my imagination."


Then I remembered reading how rotational weight can make a big difference. For some reason I wasn't expecting this from the front wheel.


(I also noticed that I was hearing more of the tire on the road, not sure why that would be - the thinner butted spokes .)


I am very happy with my upgrade and just had to share I can vouch for lowering rotational weight improving the ride quality, at least on my bicycle.
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Old 04-24-21, 11:40 PM
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SoSmellyAir
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Originally Posted by Symox
Lately I have been working on my wheels. I had heard that wheel upgrades are some of best "bang for the buck" and was interested in learning - its been a fun and satisfying project. I had already done the rear wheel myself weeks ago. It did improve the bike.


Today I got to ride with the new front wheel on my favorite route with lots of hills. I changed the wheel to a wider flange, lighter hub and used lighter and stronger double butted spokes. I measured a 70 grams of weight saving in the front wheel - no big deal I thought. Well half way through the climb I realized I wasn't getting as tired as I usually do, I was climbing faster than normal and was accelerating easier. "Nah", I thought,, "it couldn't be the wheel, its just my imagination."


Then I remembered reading how rotational weight can make a big difference. For some reason I wasn't expecting this from the front wheel.


(I also noticed that I was hearing more of the tire on the road, not sure why that would be - the thinner butted spokes .)


I am very happy with my upgrade and just had to share I can vouch for lowering rotational weight improving the ride quality, at least on my bicycle.
Congratulations! Yes, rotational inertia is a phenomenon that applies to both the front and the rear wheels.
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Old 04-28-21, 02:53 AM
  #3  
znomit
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I think you had a tailwind.
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Old 04-28-21, 04:02 AM
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Koyote
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Placebo effect.
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Old 04-28-21, 06:40 PM
  #5  
SoSmellyAir
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Originally Posted by Koyote
Placebo effect.
Only from hub noise ...
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Old 04-28-21, 09:11 PM
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Symox
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one thing that isn't placebo effect - it absolutely feels better to ride on wheels you successfully built yourself
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