3) Aerodynamics and performance in windy conditions
3) Aerodynamics and performance in windy conditions
The Aeolus 3 D3 wheels fared no worse than the Ksyrium Elite S in the seafront crosswinds that characterised our back-to-back test; a testament to the shallow, rounded profile synonymous with aerodynamicist Simon Smart in his work with Enve Composites.
Crosswinds were the Achilles heel of the high-sided offerings that characterised their predecessors.
The box section profile of the Mavics (22mm front; 25mm rear) were, unsurprisingly, unaffected by the gusty conditions.
A short section of the circuit was conducted in direct headwind, where gusts were funneled by buildings either side of the road.
It’s probable that the Aeolus 3 D3 dealt more effectively with these conditions, but any superiority was rendered unnoticeable by the force of the wind.
Put simply, groveling into a block headwind on wheels optimised to deal with such is not discernibly different from doing so on a box section rim; not to this correspondent, anyway.
The reverse became true as we rounded the peninsula and began the ‘back’ section of our ‘out-and-back’ test loop.
With the wind behind us, and on a pan flat road, we flew along on both wheels, but the ease with which the Aeolus 3 D3 attained speed, and the relative lack of effort required to maintain it, made it a clear winner.
We reported in our review just how fast Bontrager’s wheel is in normal conditions, and with a tailwind they were phenomenal.