• It seems like most pro tour stage races are ridden on rims < 50mm in depth this year, with a lot of shallow rims even on flat or low mountain stages.

    Are pros losing the faith in aero wheels? Most of the teams running narrow campag wheels are using 25mm tyres... which would make most club level timetrialists shake their heads.

  • I have noticed that, that's why I have limited my observations to Zipp... teams on Zipp seem to use the 303 in the mountains, rather than the climbing 202. It could be the latter are crap... which they might well be... only Contador liked them in 2011.

    As rims got wider, 25 mm tyres make more sense, probably even aerodynamically. Terpsrta was using a rear 30 mm tub when he won Paris-Roubaix

    I used 32 mm tubeless for that, but didn't win... :-(

  • ...teams on Zipp seem to use the 303 in the mountains...

    That's true. Mid-depth seem more popular than ever.

    I've spotted Sky, Bardiani CSF, and Europcar riders on box-section rims in flat races this year – all Shimano or Campag teams come to think of it.

    There's probably the making of a drinking game in this.

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