Bike and this time especially wheels and tires appreciation post.
I’ve now ridden exactly 1076 km with those XMCarbonspeed D53TU-41 rims mounted on DT Swiss 350 boost hubs. I set those up last autumn end of October.
At the same time I mounted the Schwalbe Thunder Burt Super Ground Addix Speed 29x2.25“. I like them both. :)
#cycling
#DropbarMTB
#Supergravel
#fastfar
https://www.flickr.com/photos/huegelreiter/55137654846/in/dateposted-public/
Big update on my "wide aero wheelsets" article.
New wheels, new brands, new spoke tech. ... and MTB tire-sized shenanigans.
The market overview table now lists 30 manufacturers with 62 wheelsets.
Article in German. But you'll benefit from the table even if not German reading...
#cycling #aero #gravel #offroad #fastfar #wheelsets #Laufrad
...
b) Crucially such an ultracycling focused aerobar system should address the needed upward and especially rearward range of mounting positions in regard to a typical road bike, gravel bike and mountain bike handlebar and rider fit. Which is different to a base bar of a TT or Tri rig.
So when I wish for aerobars developed with special consideration for ultracycling and bikepacking I should add two points:
a) I should at least mention the Baryak and the VAP Butterfly solutions. Both pretty similar but also both not considered aerobars per se by me, although they feature optional (and rather minimalistic) arm rests.
I consider them more like multifunctional rollbag harnesses. For sure an interesting problem solver, but not what I have in mind here.
Aerobars tailor made for Ultracycling - a proposal.
Recently learned that Swiss Side offers an Aero Cockpit solution since July.
An interesting modular solution. Certainly interesting for Triathletes, maybe less so for ultracycling.
Bit pricey (even with the current discount) and a bit heavy, both aspects considering it comes without risers, mounts and brackets.
More in the following posts (or readily available in my Story-Screenshots and respective ALT texts).
112 likes, 4 comments - torsten_frank on April 15, 2025: "Supergravel I like that. Supergravel means super for (real) gravel. Real Offroad. Not just champagne gravel. It also means ‚above‘ mere gravel. Better fit for gravel. With ‚Gravel‘ so ubiquitously used and so diverse it’s just unavoidable that if you are exclusively off-road you encounter surfaces gnarly enough and long enough that you won’t have as much fun, aren't as comfortable and also not as fast as you could or wished for. Sure you can boast your bike-handling skills, technical prowess and underbiking ethos. It works for a certain amount of time or stretch of chunky terrain. But there are bikes really suited for this and if you prefer, you can mount drop bars on those. Born is the #DropbarMTB or #Supergravel. Or - the Gravelbike of 2025 as I predicted early 2023. Lo and behold: Already 8 new ready to buy Dropbar MTBs got announced only this year so far. I advocate for the joys and benefits of this bike category since over 2.5 years now and curate a story highlight called DropbarMTB Inspo in my Insta profile. And now I made a short article and full sized gallery out of it. And pick my favorites out of 52 stories and bikes so far. Link in bio (article in German - but all the slides with English text).".
So don't get me wrong! 40 mm external width is very much needed and also very helpful. Even for slower folks. This part is great about those new rims.
Zipp is just very late to the party!
And, with making these hookless (as they do with all of their rims) and sooo wide internally (32 mm) they narrow their use case unfortunately.
Because such rims (i.e. 40 mm external and aero) are also exceptional for randonneuring and ultracycling on road, not only gravel!
Enhanced Front wheel aerodynamics via collaboration of dtswiss, swissside & conti_bicycle
The heart of the system really is the new Conti AERO 111 front tire (available as 700-26c and 700-29c) with it's vortex generator intendations. According to tests you don't feel them riding. I nevertheless am apprehensive of the frequent deep cuts into the rubber tread for the purposes of #fastfar riding (Ultras, Brevets).
... (1/2)
#cycling #radfahren #aerodynamics #tires #Aero111
@mastobikes
(9/9)
But I’m very fond of the robustness and the wet grip of the AS TR so it may stay my main take. In any case this will be the tire for my next Ultra races on the road. Which will be Via Race, Chapter One this summer.
But before that, you will see me on my Dropbar Exceed in Girona for El Piri. :)
#fastfar #bikepacking #ultracycling #cycling #tirechoice #radfahren
Torsten Frank