[bikerx92]

I have been riding mtb and now into road cycling.
Have seen alot of wheels that are so called 'good for climbing'
They are usually low profile clincher 25mm or so with a weight around the same of a 40mm tubular. So what makes the 25mm better for climbing if they weigh the same? Or does higher rim depth make it harder to climb even if its light?

 

[Hank Stamper]

I don't think anyone is claiming 40mm tubular wheels of the same weight aren't as good for climbing as 25mm clinchers (assuming all else equal).

Most people don't even consider tubular so when they comment on the applicability of a certain wheel it is only within the context of the clincher world.

 

[spade2you]

"Climbing wheels" is a bit of a generic term. Weight being equal, deeper rims should be quicker, at least in theory. Yes, someone will probably post something with detailed info.

Clincher carbons tend to weigh more because they need the clincher lip and reinforcement. They're also a touch more expensive, usually. While I feel tubulars ride a lot better, they also tend to be lighter than a clincher tire and tube, depending on which tubular and clinchers you compare, of course.

 

[fallzboater]

Yeah, maybe they should say, "good for climbing, for a clincher." The potential weight savings of tubulars isn't worth the expense or hassle for most of us, though.

 

[Mike T.]

The potential weight savings of tubulars isn't worth the expense or hassle for most of us, though.

And I agree..........from my hindsight - gained from my first 24 years on tubulars and past 24 years on clinchers.

 

[Mike T.]

Climbing is all about power to weight ratio - the more you weigh, the bike weighs, the wheels weigh, the slower you climb. I would imagine the differences in speed between rims of the same weight, but using different materials or rim depth is minimal, if there is any difference at all.

My new light clinchers feel that they climb better than my 1lb heavier wheels.

 

[rruff]

Or does higher rim depth make it harder to climb even if its light?

No... aerodynamics helps on a climb, too... but these are all small amounts. If you thought getting a new set of wheels would make you noticeably faster, they won't... placebo effect exempted. Saving 100g will increase your speed <0.1% on a steep climb. You'd get more benefit by selecting low-resistance tires and tubes.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

Lose 5 pounds, and you'll notice that you climb a lot better. Take the money that you were going to spend on those fancy wheels and treat yourself to one of those early season cycling camps, next year.

On the other hand, if you are a Cat 3, or above, that finishes well, you probably need those wheels.

 

[spade2you]

Lose 5 pounds, and you'll notice that you climb a lot better. Take the money that you were going to spend on those fancy wheels and treat yourself to one of those early season cycling camps, next year.

On the other hand, if you are a Cat 3, or above, that finishes well, you probably need those wheels.

When you have no more weight to lose, the weight weenie mentality comes in handy. With my race bike being over 6lbs lighter than my every day road bike, it simply flies.

I still noticed switching to my carbon tubulars from my alloy clinchers on the same old bike.

 

[Salsa_Lover]

low profile carbon tubular is the way to go.

 

[spade2you]

low profile carbon tubular is the way to go.

For the most part, but it's rare that a race lacks enough flat sections or descents to where a medium profile carbon tubular isn't still somewhat advantageous. I'm definitely planning on some low profile carbon tubulars, but still doing alright with medium profile carbons and climbing pretty well.

 

[foz]

There are very very few true 'climbing wheels', and they're almost all dedicated to going uphill and nothing else. Think about the lightweight 'alpe d'huez' wheels made for the TT a few years ago. They were only designed to go up - the lack of a brake track saved weight, but meant that anything other than stopping once over the finish line was out of the question. Most wheels that go up need to come down, so they need a minimum amount of strength, stiffness, braking performance, etc. That means that most normal wheels will serve just fine. The only disadvantage that deep rims may have is that in windy conditions on a twisty downhill where you are constantly changing direction, you may be caught out by the wind. Alu rims are generally considered to brake better than carbon rims, which might influence the choice of wheels for a stage with lots of descents. And carbon clinchers are probably not the best idea for large amounts of descending as they can't handle the heat like alu clinchers or carbon tubs can.
Unless you can climb with the very best, then your choice of wheels is not that important.