Just made this discovery last night: It's not that you go faster (I didn't) - but that they corner SO much better! I switched from a wheelset with straight 14g spokes to one with DT Rev's (rims and hubs were the same), dropping about 200 grams in the process. It's just so easy to lean the bike in the corners. I felt much more confident coming down switchbacks. Well worth the change in my opinion.

IMHO lighter gauge spokes "ride" better and corner better. I prefer higher counts and lighter gauge spokes. IMHO, the lighter gauge spokes ride better because they are closer to their elastic limit and have a little more "spring" to them. That does more than the weight savings does. If you decreased the spoke count rather than the gauge of the spokes, I don't think you would have had the same results. All IMHO, no imperical numbers here.

-Eric

Could be - I figured it was the reduced gyroscope effect - but the springiness may also help. Whatever the case, I was loving it. The difference was not at all subtle.

Could be - I figured it was the reduced gyroscope effect - but the springiness may also help. Whatever the case, I was loving it. The difference was not at all subtle.

The vertical deflection of a wheel is microscopic... and I don't think the gyro effect of lighter spokes would be dramatic since most of that is in the rim/nipple/tire/tube.

Did you put different tires on the new wheels? Anything else different?

Now that you mention it - the tires were 700x21 vs. 700x23 on the previous wheels (same model though).

Could be - I figured it was the reduced gyroscope effect - but the springiness may also help. Whatever the case, I was loving it. The difference was not at all subtle.
Don't try telling that to Jobst Brandt! You'll get an earful of how wrong you are! DAMHIK

M

Don't try telling that to Jobst Brandt! You'll get an earful of how wrong you are! DAMHIK

Yeah, that's it! If you can't refute the message, refute the messenger!

Don't try telling that to Jobst Brandt! You'll get an earful of how wrong you are! DAMHIK

M

Why is that - care to elaborate? (Honestly - I don't know what you're talking about.)

Why is that - care to elaborate? (Honestly - I don't know what you're talking about.)
See:
The bicycle wheel book (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0960723668/sr=8-2/qid=1148289038/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4864408-7001551?%5Fencoding=UTF8)
rec.bicycles.tech FAQ (http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/index.html) or search the group (http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=wheel+stiffness&num=10&scoring=r&hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=rec.bicycles.tech&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=22&as_maxm=5&as_maxy=2006&safe=off) or report your post to newsgroup where mr Brandt occasionally comments on posts like this.

Short answer: it shouldn't be possible to detect differences in stiffness in well built wheels (ass-o-meter is not calibrated, tires will deflect way more than wheel or frame etc.) Then again, why listen to old grumpy guys, just go out and ride and enjoy your new wheels. :)