# Carbon Fairing Alloy Rims? No. Foam.



## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

https://youtu.be/ugVEL8Wcogo?t=4m35s

Mavic has an interesting new idea.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Too bad it had to be a Mavic wheel. Wonder why no one else has tried this before, seems like "oh duh" in retrospect.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

MMsRepBike said:


> https://youtu.be/ugVEL8Wcogo?t=4m35s
> 
> Mavic has an interesting new idea.


Very interesting, what's the weight?


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

I can't find any specs on them yet.

Agreed, seems like some others should have done this before. Might just catch on.


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## cobra_kai (Jul 22, 2014)

Interesting. Durability and weight seem like big question marks though.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

That's going to be fun cleaning off chain lube on the DS.


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## RL7836 (Jun 17, 2014)

Tough to see in the video, but it doesn't appear that there's access to the nipples.


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## craiger_ny (Jun 24, 2014)

RL7836 said:


> Tough to see in the video, but it doesn't appear that there's access to the nipples.


With a fairing of any kind this is true that you can't get to them with a conventional spoke wrench. You have to go from the other side of the rim.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

This seems like a good idea. They'll likely be a lot cheaper, quieter and perhaps even more durable. It's apparently closed cell and coated foam so I don't think anything with "soak into" it. Also, the wafer thin carbon fairings on some wheels are hardly durable... this could hardly be worse.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

RL7836 said:


> Tough to see in the video, but it doesn't appear that there's access to the nipples.


Dude, you have to buy her dinner first. Be patient, you'll get access


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

ziscwg said:


> Dude, you have to buy her dinner first. Be patient, you'll get access


Hahahaha! Classic!
Btw, Mavic isn't the first. I saw a set of fixed gear wheels about 3 years ago with the foam fairing. I laughed about it, but they were really light.


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## Judgment (Sep 5, 2016)

So, what is the purpose of the foam layer? Cushion?


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Judgment said:


> So, what is the purpose of the foam layer? Cushion?


The foam is a substitute for the carbon fiber. It goes on the inside of the rim towards the hub, not the outside.

It's for aerodynamics. It's a fairing that's glued onto an aluminum rim to make that rim work about as well as the fancy carbon fiber rims. Supposed to be cheap and effective. Durable? We'll see.


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## Judgment (Sep 5, 2016)

MMsRepBike said:


> The foam is a substitute for the carbon fiber. It goes on the inside of the rim towards the hub, not the outside.
> 
> It's for aerodynamics. It's a fairing that's glued onto an aluminum rim to make that rim work about as well as the fancy carbon fiber rims. Supposed to be cheap and effective. Durable? We'll see.


Ah. Thanks.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Well, plus side to it is that it's not hollow like the carbon ones. I had a set of Cosmic SLEs that used to catch water on rain rides. Happened twice. You're riding and you can hear rain in your wheels. No bueno. They would drain eventually but those little hose in the side of the fairing can only release so much at a time.


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## Tunnelrat81 (Mar 18, 2007)

I'm curious if this kind of thing will ever be addressed by USAC racing rules. It was my understanding that all aerodynamic parts on your bike needed to be "structural," which technically would exclude wheel fairings such as the clip on full disc wheel covers as well as designs such as this. I know they don't raise a fuss over the wheel covers for use in TT's, and justifiably so, when competitors in the same race with the mean$ are on full carbon disc wheels, but it may eventually raise some rule questions.

I do like the possibility of cheap performance though, and although they won't provide the combination of aero improvement AND weight savings as compared to aluminum box rims, at least you'll get the second half. Those Mavic Cosmic wheels were never in the same weight catagory as Zipps or Heds, so this will help, but when you can make a Zipp 303 lighter and stronger than an aluminum wheel, well glueing on a fairing of anything at all will just be increasing the difference.

I'm sure they'll split the difference in cost making it a difficult question of which to buy. It'll be costing them $10 per wheel to glue this foam fairing on, and they'll be $200 more than the same wheel without.

-Jeremy


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## Tunnelrat81 (Mar 18, 2007)

Then again, if they are half the cost of the Zipps, we're comparing apples to oranges. I'll never frown on having more good options out there.

-Jeremy


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Tunnelrat81 said:


> Then again, if they are half the cost of the Zipps, we're comparing apples to oranges. I'll never frown on having more good options out there.
> 
> -Jeremy


+1.....


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