Its a good point. Just because it isn't what the team is sponsored, and isn't an official sponsor, it is massively naive to think to think this means that they had to pay for them.

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http://worksrider.wordpress.com/

There`s definetly too much "superficial knowledge" around here. Pros like Boonen, Pozzato etc.
get a special deal on the wheels from Carbonsports. Nobody did ever get one set for free, except Cipo I think. Can`t tell
you how much they still have to pay, but maybe some of you know what`s the tradeprice for a Lightweight set - there`s not too much
difference.

Honest question here: is there a set of production wheels (from the factory or easily/regularly available from wheelbuilders) made with steel spokes that matches Lightweight for stiffness, weight and aero?

You can probably get one that is same weight ( or slightly lighter) and a little bit more aero ( in general situations) overall with perhaps Edge /AX-Lightness rims, Tune/Extralite hubs and DT Aerolite spokes. But as for stiffness wise, perhaps only in the rear. The front will be extremely difficult.

But, again - that would not be 'production' nor easily available to most wheelbuilders.
Most wheelbuilders don't have Extralite or Tune hubs ready to build on demand. When a customer wants one, most have to order them.

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Exp001

If you plan ahead with your build this shouldn't be a problem anyways, right? If one has done their research and has decided they want an Edge/AX rim with a Tune/Extralite hub, I'm sure they have spent several weeks doing research and don't need the wheel over night.

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"Let's plunge ourselves into the roar of time, the whirl of accident; may pain and pleasure, success and failure, shift as they will -- it's only action that can make a man."

Dealing with both Edge and LW, I can say that it's possible to build a wheel thats as radially stiff as LW, but not not torsionally. In that regard LW is still in an other class.

Dunno if anyone ever did a comprehensive comparative test on torsional stiffnes?

I think the old RAR test on lateral stiffness is still fairly relevant (done on GenII LW's):

http://a21.idata.over-blog.com/0/02/72/10/Tests-Acheteur/base-de-donnees/lateral_stiffness_2008_wheels_curve_rear.gif

http://a33.idata.over-blog.com/0/02/72/10/Tests-Acheteur/base-de-donnees/rigidit-_lat-rale_roues_2008.gif

It certainly does not indicate any superiority of LW's..

/a

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Technical Artisans

Here you go: http://carbonsports.de/downloads/roadbike_nov2008.pdf

It can certainly be felt if you fix the cassettebody in a vice and turn the wheel. You will be surprised how much you can turn certain wheels that way. Especially Ksyriums are very bad. Generally, wheels with few drive spokes or drive spokes in the left side are bad.
This kind of stiffness is IMO underrated, as a torsionally stiff wheel feels much more responsive, as there's less windup.

Thanks Mario!

That is really illuminating.
You are right, I think resistance to windup in the rear is a highly underrated aspect of wheel architecture.

Certainly more of a factor than stem stiffness (sorry could not resist!)

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Technical Artisans

Aside from
- TEAM Milram (starting from 2009)
- Team UNIBET (in 2007)
- Erik Zabel
- Philippe Pozzato (until 2008)
- Jan Ullrich
- Patrik Sinkewitz

there were NO riders who not had to pay for their wheels.

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Andreas Schiwy, CarbonSports GmbH
http://www.lightweight.info
support[at]lightweight.info

Visconti on "Vision" Lightweights

Takashi Miyazawa (Nippo) won the Japanese National RR on a pair of LW.

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ciclismo-espresso.com

No mention of Team Radioshack. They are using Lightweight discs with Bontrager stickers.

http://video.bicycling.com/video/Team-R ... rager-Whee

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

Ricardo Ricco

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"Smart may have the answers, but stupid have all the interesting questions."