Hello, this is ICAN! This time, I will explain the effects of using carbon wheels. Using carbon wheels can make your current wheels lighter and improve your cycling performance!

What are the benefits of carbon wheels?

The benefits of using carbon wheels on a road bike include:

・Lighter weight

・Improved performance

The components of the drivetrain, including the wheels, are in contact with the ground, making them a part where various effects are easily felt. Therefore, the power from pedaling is easily transferred to the ground, allowing you to ride your bicycle more easily and faster, which is the advantage of carbon wheels.

Additional Note: Carbon Wheel Stiffness Increases

Furthermore, another benefit of using carbon wheels is an "increase in stiffness."

The reason for the increased stiffness is that the carbon wheels flex less. The higher the rim height, the shorter the spokes become, and shorter spokes mean less wheel flex. As a result, the reduced flex of carbon wheels increases their stiffness.

How to maximize the effect of road bike wheels

2020 40mm View Details

Up to this point, I have discussed how using carbon wheels can lead to:

・Increased stiffness

・Lighter weight

・Improved performance

There's actually a way to further enhance the benefits of carbon wheels.

Choosing lighter carbon wheels maximizes the effect.

When deciding between a lighter and a heavier rim, it's generally better to choose the lighter one. Using a lighter rim eliminates unnecessary effort during acceleration from a standstill. For example, you can move forward without expending extra energy when the traffic light turns green. What about using a heavier rim? Heavier rims have the advantage of making it easier to maintain speed once you've built it up.

Lighter road bike wheels are not always better.

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As I mentioned earlier, the lighter the wheel, the more easily pedaling power is transferred to the ground, allowing you to move the bicycle more easily and faster. However, lighter wheels are not always better.

For high speeds on flat terrain, wheels like deep-rims, even if heavier, may be preferable. Furthermore, even for hill climbs, some riders can go faster with more responsive wheels rather than just lighter wheels. Therefore, it's important to determine the weight of your bicycle according to your riding goals. Also, if you think heavier wheels are better, aluminum wheels are recommended over carbon wheels.

Choosing hubs that spin well will have a greater effect.

The hub is the central part of the bicycle carbon wheel. This component plays a crucial role in the wheel's rotation performance, making it quite important. High-performance hubs can reduce rotational resistance when freewheeling and efficiently transfer pedaling power. Also, when you stop pedaling, the "ratchet sound" from within the hub will be heard, so if you like this ratchet sound, it's a good idea to choose a hub that spins well!

Why it's wrong to say carbon wheels improve comfort

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It's often said that using carbon wheels "improves comfort," but to be frank, this is incorrect. Before explaining why, let's review the structure of a wheel. The structural components of a wheel consist of a hub in the center, a rim around it, and spokes connecting the "hub and rim." And everyone knows that when a bicycle is ridden, the contact surface deforms. This means that the "spokes" repeatedly loosen → tighten → loosen. This flexing of the wheel affects the comfort of carbon wheels.

Riding comfort varies depending on spoke lacing and number of spokes.

The lacing pattern and number of spokes affect the performance and comfort when using wheels. The higher the rim height of carbon wheels, the shorter the spokes become, and shorter spokes result in less wheel flex. This means that comfort is improved. Therefore, it's not the case that "carbon wheels automatically improve comfort."

Recommended road bike wheels

If you're looking for recommended carbon road bike wheels, these popular models are a must-see.

Summary

Thank you for reading this far. This time, I explained the benefits of using carbon wheels. Using carbon wheels will make your wheels lighter and improve your cycling performance. Please consider trying carbon wheels at this opportunity!

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