Quote:
Originally Posted by madsciencenow
So I've been watching more CX this year than ever and one thing I've noticed is that CX rims (I'm speaking of the rims I see riders on the UCI circuit and other elite series riding but not suggesting they are actually CX specific) tend to be in the ~30-50 mm range (I'm estimating based on how they look to me on my TV). I'm curious if there is an advantage in having a deeper rim that would likely be heavier than a shallow CF rim that weighs less?
I understand the argument for an aero rim but this makes little sense to me in a CX race where you rarely reach speeds where you would benefit from the aero rim and the downside of the extra weight would surpass the aero benefit in multiples if you consider spinning up the weight of a deeper wheel the number of times a CX rider would need to do over the course of an ~1h race.
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The 'extra energy required' to spin up a 50mm rim vs a 30mm rim, carbon rims, is lost in the noise. About 50 grams per rim difference...less than 2 ounces...less than the weight of a PowerBar.
BUT...Is a 50mm carbon rim more reliable than a 30mm carbon rim on a really rough 'cross course? And is it easier to put big decals on these sponsored rims?