DT Swiss has partnered with aero upstart SwissSide for a new line of aero endurance wheels, the first of which is called ERC1100 Dicut from its new Endurance range. Combining DT Swiss hub technology and manufacturing capabilities with the 50 years of Formula 1 aerodynamic experience held by Swiss Side’s engineers could be a recipe for potentially great things, and we went to DT Swiss’ headquarters in Biel, Switzerland to learn more.
Wheel manufacturers don’t usually cooperate in this way, and DT approached Swiss Side with a list of targets the company wanted the new wheel to hit.
The targets included an endurance disc brake wheelset with a 19mm internal width, optimum aerodynamic performance with 25mm and 28mm tyres, a strong focus on aero stability and predictability for real world performance, an aerodynamically optimised hub shape, and to find the best spokes for strength, comfort and aerodynamics.
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Siding with Swiss Side
Swiss Side’s JP Ballard spent 14 years working on aerodynamics for the Sauber F1 team. The carry-over technologies from F1 to cycling are principally CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)and wind tunnel testing, Ballard said, plus real world testing with bespoke aerodynamic sensing rigs fitted to bikes that can be ridden on the road. These instrumented bikes (of which there are several) are used to see if perceived improvements actually transfer from the wind tunnel to the road.
The quest for aerodynamic stability is important because if a rider feels stable on their bike, they’ll be more able to push harder, remain in an aero position for longer, and ultimately maintain greater speed, Ballard said. Wheels that are less stable in challenging conditions, such as narrower, sharper-profiled rims, can react suddenly to gusts, usually leading to the rider sitting up to regain control and therefore hugely increasing drag while often soft pedalling too, he said.
First ride impressions
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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