Profile Design wheels

Jorge Duque

Hi Team,

I am looking for a new set of race wheels and Profile Design wheels seem very attractive from a $ perspective with the team discount.

I have no experience at all with this brand when it comes to wheels and there is very limited information online. Has anyone used them before? Do you recommend them?

I am looking for 80mm wheels front and back (that would be the 78 / Twentyfour clincher). My weight is around 208 lbs so they have to be strong wheels - I currently use Mavics for training, commuting and road riding and love them (Cosmics and Ksyriums), they are bullet proof. For racing I have an old pair of SRAM S80 which I am looking to replace.

Any advice is appreciated

Al Truscott

Enve is supposed to be a great value. Some people buy two front wheels for the price of one Zipp, so something like that?

For the rear, you can't beat a disc cover (Aerojacket) from Wheelbuilder. EN discount, lighter than a full disc, may even be faster. Just goes on your regular whell for about $100. All my triathlon wins over the years have come with a disc cover, never had a disc wheel.

scott dinhofer

@Al Truscott - I think the Enve comment may be off. I just checked competitive cyclist (for list prices) and the Enve's appear as or more expensive than the Zipps!

@Jorge Duque - my personal opinion and I have zero experience with profile from a wheel perspective, is that any of the major brands are going to be reasonably similiar. while a zipp or enve at 80mm may test "faster" than other brands, I think the difference between 80s to the typical age grouper (including those vying for a KQ) is indiscernible. Any difference in net time on the course is likely to be made up by the fact that someone sits up for 15 seconds, etc. 

On a separate note, how much do you weigh? at 155 / 5'8, i find 80 depth a bit hard to handle on the front wheel going down hills at speed or in cross winds. Might want to rent/test a wheel from LBS before doing that. I actually sold my 808 front last year and stick with what they call a 606, 404 front/808 rear.

listen to Al about the wheel cover, he's a wicked smaht guy, usually

Jorge Duque

@Al Truscott Enve seems to be the most expensive wheel on the market. I think that only the new Zipp NSW top them out. I really like your idea of the disc cover. I have never ridden one before but I have always been intrigued by it. For a $100 I am more than willing to give it a try. The current wheels I have on the tri-bike are a set of Mavic Cosmic Elite which are great for training but not that good for racing.

Here is a thought and I value your input on this one: Order a cover for the Mavic on the rear and use my existing SRAM S80 on the front. That would provide a race setting for under $100. If it works great, if not, the hit is not that bad.

@Scott Dinhofer I weight 208 lbs and have been riding 80's back and front for the last 5 years. I feel pretty comfortable with those wheels both on the tri and road bike.

Al Truscott

Jorge: a principle Iearned in med school...if you change more than one thing at a time, you won't learn what worked.

Something I've learned in triathlon...improvement on the bike doesn't always have to be about speed. I changed my fit, a year later, bought a new tri bike. In each case my HR was immediately lower for the same power/speed. I bought free fitness, and a better run. Same concept can be applied to swim fitness. For me, the race is 65% about setting up the best possible run, especially in Ironman.