Tricross wheels/tyre impact
Jakess1971
Posts: 1,208 Member
I currently ride a Specialized Tricross (http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/cyclo-cross/product/review-specialized-bicycles-tricross-sport-09-33640) Its done me quite well over the past 18 months but since pimping the pedals to be clip-less I've been wondering what else I can do to push a bit more speed out of it for road cycling which is what I tend to do these days, maybe a different set of wheels and or tires might be the ticket, the current tires are quite fat really so tires would seem the logical way to go but what about the wheels, anyone had much experience with this, any recommendations and what percentage speed increases are you likely to get? I'll be looking at getting a fully fledged road bike next year but would be nice to make the most of what I have for the time being.
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Practically speaking the clipless pedals were probably the best bang for your buck. You immediately notice a huge power difference and they don't set you back that much money. Felt like a 20-30% (guessed) increase in power when I first used clipless - due to the upstroke. No other upgrades have come close to that pronounced feeling (deep rims, gearing changes, fit, aero bars, handlebars, saddle changes, etc.)
No one will be able to quote you percentages or anything precise for gains. Too many variables. Your biggest limiting factor will be money.
The heaviest component, primary power source, and largest wind-drag factor is the rider. Take what you will from that. The rider is also the cheapest component to upgrade, incidentally.
Sounds smart*** but it's true. Lose weight, ride low, and ride hard.
Above 14 mph the majority of your effort goes into fighting the wind. Aero helmets are considered to be one of the best cost-effective upgrades. That assumes you don't mind looking like an egg and ride almost exclusively in your (steep) drops. Doubtful on a CX bike. Cheaper and easier just to get more flexible and comfortable in your drops.
A cheap upgrade would be thinner road slicks (make sure your wheels are compatible with the thinner tires/tubes). Knobbies are just not a good idea on pavement. The friction change will probably be noticeable. Continental Gatorskins or maybe a set of Schwalbes. I ride the Vittoria Rubinos, though.
Keep in mind that if you have wheels/hubs using disc brakes that may complicate upgrading to a common road wheelset (i.e. canti/side pull brakes). Neuvations are pretty popular and reasonably priced wheels. Aero/deep wheels can help if you're pushing over 20-24 mph consistently but they also set you back $1k+ USD.
The bike comes with Tiagra and and 11t in the back, 50t in front. I don't see a reason to change the mechanical until it breaks.
Maybe consider buying a Garmin or a good smartphone setup with data tracking, first. You can use a GPS on multiple bikes. You can then analyze your riding in detail to see how quick/slow you are to begin with. I've gotten faster just by racing myself. Granted, a stopwatch, set of landmarks, and a paper notebook could do the same thing.
Save your money for a proper thorough-bred road bike. $500+ on a road bike you may want to spend $1000+ can make a big difference on the quality of components.0 -
Brilliant advice, thank you for your insight, I picked up a Garmin 810 and its been a very nice addition although died when I was doing 35mph down a steep hill lol, still very useful so far. on the straights I generally hit about 18-20mph on the fat tyres so thinking slicks can only improve that, I guess additional wheels will allow a quick-ish swap out (minus time for brake configuration) but can't quite see the wheel change being worth the cost, I'd expect decent wheels to be £300+.
I'll be loosing a stone over the coming months so Im sure that will make the biggest difference
My reward will be my next bike I have my eye on which is a Giant Defy Advanced 2, I'm currently dreaming of the speed the above two combined will give me. 0 -
On a CX bike I don't know that wheels are going to make a huge difference. You can look at wheels with low rolling resistance like Conti GP 4000s or Michelin Service Course Comps, but I'd take whatever money you are looking at spending and put it back into the bike, maybe start a fund for a power meter. Like ghost said a bike that fits (ie does the best job of hiding the rider from the wind) will be your best purchase if what you're looking for is speed. Other than that work on the engine.0
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Not considered a power meter before, something else to look at 0
