Yes, this is a half-baked idea but the engineer/tinkerer in me is looking for a new project.

Take a peek at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAAEze4nMyE&feature=related

So if you were going down this path, what wheel components would you use?

I'm thinking of using a nervation m28 wheel as a 'test subject' to see how it turns out. Presuming the results are positive, I am thinking that I'd make a second wheel with a tubular rim. I am leaning towards a 32H 23mm wide rim. I'm not certain of which hub I'd use as I am thinking that a straight pull hub might help the cover seat a bit more cleanly. That being said, I don't know if straight pull are less/more apt to other issues as compared to j-bend.

-Todd

Ingenious! DIY Zipp! I see you also built yourself a Specialized S-Works. Build yourself some pedals next.

Bla bla bla.

Putting this 'Fake ZIPP' video aside this is an interesting area to explore, given that some disc wheels (HED Stinger for example) have roughly the same build concept. Given the high premiums that even the low-end disc wheels seem to have, I think there would be quite some people following this topic very closely.

Good luck and keep us posted!

I wonder if anyone has gone down the Mavic Comete path and made a hollow disc...

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Slam your stem.

Interesting indeed. I wonder if you can get lower density foam, and I wonder if the foam cracks over time due to flex in the wheel.

Ultimately just using wheel covers is a lighter option
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xjBCxg7 ... re=related

That said if you wanted to go the foam way - I'd use a very light low profile wide rim, like stans, and then use a lot of very lite spokes, maybe even 32 spoke Ti or spaium super spokes etc.. Not point putting weight into the rim to save on spokes, not like less spokes is going to be less aero for you. Of course low profile rims need more spoke support, but should still be nice and stiff so you can use lighter weight spokes as well.

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signature deleted by the Admin.

the video is a bit mixed up - doesn't really show what uis being done, or at least I didn't get it.

looks to me that spoke covers are made from carbon fibre to fit over a read spoked wheel, in which case, what is the point since back in the 80s or 90s it was possible to by plastic wheel covers that are lighter but with the about same aerodynamic advantage; admittedly they do not look as good.

Looks heavy. The rigid 3mm foam board and carbon-looking vinyl tape should be enough. Just tape it around the outer edge and then you can take it off easily too.

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formerly rruff...

If you want something cheaper, simplier and lighter just use model airplane heat shrink skin and glue it to the rim and a small diameter solid ring near the hub. J-Disc wheels back in the day were like this. Back when I was a broke student I did an old wheel this way and it worked great...still have it today. Also the airplane heat shrink skin comes in any color you want - I went with a mirror like chrome.

Back in the day of the Tioga Disk Drive for MTB racing, guys in my town made home made versions just by using two sheets of clear thin plastic, cut to shape for each side of the wheel and connected to each side with adjoining plastic connectors. Was essentially just a clear full wheel plastic spoke cover for each side. Looked pretty cool, don't how aero it was but it I was told it felt like you went down hills pretty flicken quick with them on.

Best mate and I got bored one day and put this together. Took about 4hours of placing short sections of tape between the spokes and layering it all up. We used about 50m of duct tape on a fulcrum 3 wheelset. Was a school project. This was the first one we made. Never got around to making a second but had some good design ideas to improve on the second. Was faster than a fulcrum 3 rim over 16kms. Turned up to do a proper timed event and they didn't allow us to start. Good if your into that hipster shit I guess though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwJh8Fte4Lw