Burn fewer calories on nicer wheels

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I guess that’s the point, right?

Road tubeless is finicky, which is another way of saying I’ve been switching back and forth between my two wheelsets a lot lately. My bike came with standard alloy wheels. I bought a set of carbon hoops to replace them; they weigh less and are dramatically more aerodynamic.

Over the course of 20 to 25 miles, I seem to be burning about 100 fewer calories on the nice wheels, almost 10 % difference.

I have a power meter to measure calories. I’m doing similar but not identical rides most days. The weather conditions aren’t identical either, so this isn’t a scientific test. It’s just something I’ve noticed over the last week.

I would obviously expect to use less energy when I have more aerodynamic reduction, but I didn’t expect the difference to be this big.

Replies

  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,990 Member
    Sounds like you'll have to up your mileage! :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,808 Member
    The point is to go faster rather than go the same speed easier isn't it? ;)

    As you go faster the power needed to overcome drag (which mostly comes from the rider) will get your calorie burns back up again. Power needed to overcome drag increases at the cube of the velocity if I remember my physics correctly.
    Or you could just go further of course. :smiley:

    They are nice (apart from riding in cross winds....) and you really notice the difference on fast descents.
    I swap between two very similar bikes (Roubaix) but one has conventional alloys and the other has Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbone Exalith (that's quite a mouthful...) and it's the carbon wheeled bike I set nearly all my PRs on.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    That's very interesting.
    Thanks for sharing.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    I agree with sijomial - the point one light or aero (rarely are aero bikes/components/helmets lighter than those that are designed to be light weight) components/bikes is to go faster at the same amount of watts. If you were attempting to maintain the same average speed with the new wheels over the same terrain with similar weather conditions then of course you're going to burn fewer calories. You're average watts per hour would be lower.

    The real question, and I suspect you know this, is why aren't you able to put out the watts that you were able to not too long ago?
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