# Reynolds Assault vs Strike?? Which one?



## littlepitboy (May 26, 2013)

Im choosing between the Reynolds Strike vs Assault. What really determines which depth shouls be used for aero wheelsets?
Use will be primarily for road biking and not triathlon use.
If im not mistaken the assault is 46mm deep while
the strike is 56mm. How do you choose which depth?


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## Wyville (Jun 19, 2013)

littlepitboy said:


> Im choosing between the Reynolds Strike vs Assault. What really determines which depth shouls be used for aero wheelsets?
> Use will be primarily for road biking and not triathlon use.
> If im not mistaken the assault is 46mm deep while
> the strike is 56mm. How do you choose which depth?


I would be interested to know that myself. I'm trying to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of aero wheels and can't really find good explanations.

I train multi-sports, mostly running and cycling, and don't do very long rides. Usually an hour or maybe two at most is enough for me and I like to do the rides as fast as I can. Aero wheels seem like a good choice, but which ones? The few things I have learned so far is that it depends on the terrain. For terrain with a lot of climbs, lower wheels seem more suitable. Flat fast rides appear to benefit more from higher wheels. Crosswinds can be an issue too. I ride on the Dutch ***** a lot and do get crosswinds that might give me trouble with really high wheels.

But like I said, I would like to learn a bit more as I don't quite understand it yet.


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

The deeper the wheel the heavier it will be and also the more it will be affected by cross winds. 46mm is a pretty common depth for road racers. Some use deeper wheels. You will notice the cross winds on a 46mm rim and of course even more on the 56mm. The speed advantage of aero wheels is not very significant until you get to the mid to high 20's (mph) which is not sustainable for many people on flat ground. 46mm is probably the best balance between aero advantage, stability in cross winds and weight.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

Aerodynamic effects don't kick in at a certain speed. In fact, slower riders gain more in terms of absolute time savings than faster riders for a given distance. 

The Strike is 66mm deep - pretty deep for an everyday wheel if you ride in windy conditions. 





mtbpete said:


> The deeper the wheel the heavier it will be and also the more it will be affected by cross winds. 46mm is a pretty common depth for road racers. Some use deeper wheels. You will notice the cross winds on a 46mm rim and of course even more on the 56mm. The speed advantage of aero wheels is not very significant until you get to the mid to high 20's (mph) which is not sustainable for many people on flat ground. 46mm is probably the best balance between aero advantage, stability in cross winds and weight.


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## Wyville (Jun 19, 2013)

stevesbike said:


> Aerodynamic effects don't kick in at a certain speed. In fact, slower riders gain more in terms of absolute time savings than faster riders for a given distance.


It's interesting because I hear both (quite a lot). Some say the wheels only work from a certain speed, while others say they always work. I would think the the latter, except that due to the weight they might take a bit longer to get up to speed.


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## carbonconvert (Apr 12, 2009)

I have 46mm Rolf Prima's. They use the exact same rim that's drilled to their spec.
On windy days, you do need to have a firm grip on the bars. Otherwise, the extra depth for everyday riding is fine. 
More depth, maybe impractical for all-around use.


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## littlepitboy (May 26, 2013)

thanks!!! leaning towards the assaults then..


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

It is true that there is wind resistance at all speeds, but the resistance increases exponential with speed so the effect of aerodynamics is greater at higher speeds. The numbers that wheel manufacturers report for time or watt savings is usually calculated at 25mph or higher. Those numbers would not be nearly as large even at 20 mph.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

Slow vs. Fast Riders - Cervélo




mtbpete said:


> It is true that there is wind resistance at all speeds, but the resistance increases exponential with speed so the effect of aerodynamics is greater at higher speeds. The numbers that wheel manufacturers report for time or watt savings is usually calculated at 25mph or higher. Those numbers would not be nearly as large even at 20 mph.


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

That makes sense. Thanks for pointing that out.


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## roadrun (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm thinking about either the assaults or shimano c50 9000. The assaults are much lighter, I weigh 85kg (so no light weight) - would they still be fine for everyday rides.
Also notice the assaults have round spokes, the c50 have bladed ones - does this make much aero difference. Thanks


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## artiemeister (Jul 23, 2006)

I use one of each. A Strike 66 rear and an Assault 46 front. Fast setup.
Can get a little chippy on windy days though. IMO looks killer.


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