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Rent Race Wheels - Worth It?

DavidGHarrisDavidGHarris
in Racing Forum 🏎

Training for my first HIM, which is coming up in about a month.  Have done all my rides on the stock Shimano wheels (R500?) that came on my P2.  Will likely take the power plunge over the winter/OS, do the wheelcover and front wheel thing.  Wheelcover apparently won't work on my stock wheels, so now I'm thinking about renting a set for the race.  Looking at about a 3 hour bike split, will ride fairly conservatively per EN execution, etc.  Given my lack of speed, I'm trying to decide if it's worth it or not (and yes, I know that it makes a relatively bigger time difference for slower riders) . . . pros seem to be 1)  save a few minutes, 2)  get psyched up/look cool, 3) been training for this damn thing all year, might as well go all in . . . cons 1) why is that guy going 17mph with all that gear (just wait until I out-execute you on the run, punk), 2) not sure what else.  Gonna roll with the Vittorias and latex tubes either way.

So, what says the group?  If I do it, any thoughts on carbon clinchers vs. aluminum brake track?  Would have to get a set of pads if I opted for CC.

Comments

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    David, if you've got the budget to spend on it, go for it. You've been training for a long time, there's a huge psychology boost with kitting the bike out with race wheels, and they make you faster. If this is your goal race for the year, no reason to not optimize your speed, forget what anybody else says/thinks about you. Of course, if budget is tight, I'd save the money for a PM in the winter over having the wheels for one race...

    Quick story, IMLP 2010, I had a dude ride up to me around mile 6, and while passing me (I was at goal watts), say "wow, disc wheel, race front, you sure are going slow, huh? How's it feel getting passed by a guy on a road bike?" I didn't even look up at him, or acknowledge his presence. But I did get his number. After passing him on the downhill, I never saw him again, and beat him by over an hour. Doesn't matter what anybody else thinks/says when you execute like a ninja. And even if that guy had beat me, he still would have been a jackass the next day and for the rest of his life. His problem, not mine :-)
  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette
    David - If you want to rent them, then do it. Where are you planning on renting them from? I ask b/c all the RaceDay wheels I have seen already have tires/tubes installed.
  • Chris GChris G
    Not really sure what "worth it" means. Nothing we do it worth it. This sport, near as I can tell, is about middle aged folks with disposable income disposing of it in a way they enjoy. If you have the cash and you want to (and you know you want to otherwise you would not have asked) then go for it. Will fancy wheels make you faster, they likely will. Will they look cooler and make you feel good about yourself, yes and maybe (but then only if you are as shallow as I am and they are Zipps). Only kinda sorta kidding. The one thing I know for sure is that you are likely not going to be the slowest person with fancy wheels. And if you are, who cares. That is kinda like worrying about what that high school kid in a pos car is thinking when he passes you in the fancy car on the highway. His car is still a pos no matter what he thinks.
  • Chris GChris G
    oh and I have for sure seen people rent really "fast" wheels that had tufo's on them that at the end of the day likely made their bike split longer than training hoops with good rubber would have. But they did look cooler which is a huge factor on race day!
  • DavidGHarrisDavidGHarris

     Guys, thanks for the feeback . . . much apprecited.

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