As I approached the Vosgienne, I finally took the time to do a comparative test of my wheels. The chosen terrain is a 3km750m bump for 212 m D+ (Salbert, 5.7%). All shaded, it allows you to be fairly sheltered from the wind, today there was none or very little so ideal, otherwise I would not have been able to validate the results. Overcast sky, 19°c. I choose the following protocol: alternating 1min30@250w / 30s@340w or 6 repetitions to reach the summit in 12 min, allowing accelerations of 100 w in order to highlight if a gain is possible thanks to the inertia of the wheels.
The wheels are as follows:
Neutron Ultra (485g rim), Ultremo ZX tires (195g), butyl tubes (77g). Edge Carbon wheel (395g rim, Ultremo ZX tires (195g), latex tubes (77g). RAR Svelt wheel (250g rim!), Veloflex sprinter tubulars 220g! On paper the Svelt have what it takes to blow the others away!
To validate the test
I weigh myself before each climb with the bike equipped with the test wheels + a 0.7 l bottle always topped up. I then compare the result obtained with the theoretical Awsoft calculator (scx 0.4, temp 20°C, Rr: 5). If the SRM watts are lower than the theoretical, the wheel saves time, and vice versa. Following Julien Pinot’s advice, I try to be as consistent as possible in my way of pedaling in order to limit the jolts. This is the best way to have good efficiency and to stick as closely as possible to a digital model. I therefore choose a fairly low frequency of 65 rpm @ 250w and 80-85 rpm @ 340w in order to be sufficiently in grip.
I start with my everyday Edge carbon. 12min@267w then the RAR 11’53@274w then the Neutron Ultra 11’52@274w. And there, first surprise, with almost 1 kg more on the bike, I have the same time between Neutron and RAR…I decide to do another pass with my Edge this time with 11’47@273w. Here is the summary.
