If you compare the Vigor and the Rolf carbon, its the same form of the rims and spokes.
So the ksyriums are faster. And if the Vigor rim is not stronger than the carbon rim, the ksyriums are also stiffer.

No one is making sense, thats no reason it would be fast or slow. And I'm not talking about the rolf vector, the VIGOR!! Come on people, read the post accuratly, thats twice people gave me an answer to something I didn't ask.

So why would the rim having the same shape as the carbon version automatically make it a slower wheeler then the ksyrium, and by the way they are not the same, the carbon is a zipp 280 rim, the Vigor is an American classic 420 rim.

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MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT! HUH!

Oh sorry,
but I think it´s a fundamental problem.
The arrangement in pairs of the spokes causes more air eddy than the traditional. You loose more than you win with a good shaped rim.

The same rims tested with traditional (16 Spokes front, 20 rear) Spokes are up to 15per cent faster, than the one with in pairs arranged spokes like Rolf or Shimano.

Cause of this fact I think the Ksyrium are faster, and the AC 420 wheelset with 16/20 Sapim X-ray also.

Im no Ksyrium fan!

Now where getting somewhere. But which of those two is faster, the American classic 420 with 16/ 20 bladed spokes, or the Ksyrium SSC SL? And is the difference very much?

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MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT! HUH!

errrrr doubt it!!

the american classic. In a TT 10km long (when you bring 400 watts, round 45km/h) i think your 2sec faster with the AC

Just an interesting side note to this discusion, I was flipping through the most recent issue of Cyclesport and they have a whole section on the TT machines at the Vuelta, and the Bianchi team TT machines are fitted with Ksyriums (front and back). There must be some merit to there aerodynamics.

yer... they get the wheels for free & there great for warming up on

2 possibilities:
1. it was for the warm up
2. it's this I think: they're was an uphill TT an the Ksyrium's are the lightest wheels of the Bianchi team

Interesting. Hmm, which wheel would you guys buy, 2004 Ksyrium SSC SC or the American Classic 420 16/20 Bladed. Keep in mind climbing is my strengt, so I'm only concerned about flatland speed.

And which wheel is the better quality wise.

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MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT! HUH!

or it was a foto shoot & TT wheels may have been OTT ?

I'd go with the Ksyriums. They are fairly light and very durabile. Plus they look great. Your aero concers seem to be a moot point if you are a climber anyway. If your in the pelaton all of this aero disscussion goes out the window. Your just sucking the wheel in front of you. Unless you are planning on breaks on the flats (which it sounds like you are not planning since your strong suite is climbing), the Ksyriums are a better beat. I beleive they will be stronger and stiffer and accelerate better on the climbs.

Superlite, since your strenght is in climbs I'd suggest you to switch immediatly to Campagnolo Neutron... they're far faster than Ksyriums... But if you want an aero rim why don't you look at Campy Eurus? (They're assembled on same Record-internals hub)
Ksyriums are very good wheels, maybe little stiffer than Neutron, but they are slower. I tried both on my training downhill, same clothing, same tires, same weather: there is a 2 or 3 kmph difference... so I assume that Campy are better...

Remember that since 2002, Ksyriums became more rolling resistant since Mavic decreaesed number of rear bearings (freewheel side) , and replaced the missing one with a plastic seal: that made wheels lighter, but with more internal friction...

Bye, Benz.

superlite what is your weight?
when it´s more than 70kg, i think the right choice are the AC with 18 sapim cx-ray front and 24 rear.
A friend of mine was last summer in the Sierra Nevada (Spain) and a front spoke of his ksyrium was broken.He did not want to break the vacation off, so he must buy a new frontwheel, cause a ksyrium spoke was not available.
My mountain wheels are tune hubs, Sapim spokes and Mavic open pro ceramics.
And my new ones are spada stiletto. i will get it this week . I hope!
I tell you more when they are here

There is also a Spada Aero wheelset, with a 30mm (?) deep rim, 18h front, 24h rear with elliptical spokes that might be lighter than the AC's (but mainly because of the hubs).

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Ride lightly!