FLO Cycling, a company that manufactures high-quality cycling wheels through rigorous research, design, and engineering, has released a blog post that aims to help consumers make the right decision regarding purchasing the best road bike wheels for fast road cycling.
The blog post begins by explaining that aerodynamic wheels are going to be useful for any serious cyclist regardless of whether they are time trialists, triathletes, or solo breakaway specialists. The blog cites evidence from studies that examined the aerodynamics of road bike wheels in great detail. The company says that it conducted its own research in 2015 where it collected yaw angle measurements with a computer-mounted data logger and determined that the angles stay relatively the same for cyclists in a peloton.
The blog post then discusses the myth that lighter wheels are always better. According to scientific research performed using the latest technologies such as computational fluid dynamics and high-end wind tunnels, aerodynamics was determined to be more important than weight by a large factor. Also, since wheel drag is responsible for 10 to 15 percent of the total aerodynamic drag of the bike, road wheels are more important to aerodynamic performance than the bike’s frame. FLO Cycling’s research also found that a wider internal rim width is proven to lower rolling resistance. The blog post also says that a strong crosswind on a poorly designed wheel can cause the bike to be pushed about or lead to it crashing.
Road bike wheels have also evolved with time, most notably in the kind of materials they are made from, rim depth, rim width, and whether the rims are hooked or hookless. Carbon fiber has become the go-to material for pro teams. It is also known today that a balanced combination of rim width and depth is required to make a wheel aerodynamically sound. Wider rims coupled with wider tires create a larger contact patch and result in lower rolling resistance which is beneficial to the biker. FLO Cycling says that it opted for making hooked rims for wheels as it reduces the chances of a tire blowing off to almost nil when riding at high speeds.
The blog post then discusses rim brakes and disc brakes and their importance to a road rider who uses them much more than a time trialist or triathlete. Early carbon wheels used to deteriorate due to the high temperature caused by friction from the rim brakes. To combat this, the company’s A+C model of road wheels offers an aluminum rim brake track for the front and rear wheel. Moreover, the company’s FLO All Sport (AS) wheel line ships in both rim brake and disc brake models to give the rider the choice based on their level of comfort. Road bikes are more likely to benefit from disc brakes since they have unmatched stopping power and cause no wear to carbon rims. They also require less hand squeeze pressure to stop, work well in high-speed descending situations and work well in mud and wet environments.
The blog post then discusses the ideal kind of tires that a road bike should have. It says that up to the year 2000, it was generally regarded that skinnier wheels are better as they were thought to have a better aerodynamic fit and less rolling resistance. This assumption was upended through the use of computational fluid dynamic modeling and real-world testing. Today it is known that wider tires on wheels are faster as a wider contact patch with the road lowers rolling resistance and provides increased grip and handling. The blog post then espouses the benefits of carbon clincher tubeless tires that are lighter, can be run at lower pressures, and are more resistant to pinch flats. Finally, the blog post talks about the importance of freehubs, high-quality round spokes, and axles to finish off the discussion.
Readers can find out more about the company and its range of products by heading over to its website, https://flocycling.com.
###
For more information about FLO Cycling, contact the company here:
FLO Cycling
Jon Thornham
702-518-2998
admin@flocycling.com
FLO Cycling Headquarters
Las Vegas, NV 89135
