BenCousins wrote: ↑Wed Feb 14, 2024 10:08 am
Why not always wear a TT helmet or ride a TT bike?
You can extrapolate this argument to 'why don't you purchase the most aero version of everything?' - bike, components, wheels, tires, clothes. The fact is - if you optimise just for aero you compromise other things: cost (almost everything), comfort (normal socks are more comfortable than aero socks), weight (many things), warmth (winter clothing is not as aero), crosswinds (wheels), practicality (a race suit is more hassle than bibs and jersey), ease of maintenance (integrated bars), braking (rims vs discs) etc etc etc.
I have an aero helmet. I use it in competition where it makes sense to do so relative to other factors. But it's not my everyday because it's heavy and the straps less adjustable than my everyday.
Funnily enough, I'm really interested in the new POC aero helmet. If your aero helmet doesn't fit as well as your other helmets it means you've bought a wrong aero helmet. It's the same with shoes, don't blame the shoemaker for making a bad shoe if you buy a shoe that doesn't fit your foot.
Weight doesn't matter. It's an illusion, it doesn't actually matter when talking about the differences between aero clothing, wheels or frames for example.
I don't own wheels under 50 mm depth and I live on a coast where the average wind speeds are higher than in Kona. On the very tip of a narrow cape. It's windy every single day. It's literally a non issue. It was a slight problem over 15 years ago when deep wheels first came out. Hasn't been a problem in ages.
Personally I like 1 piece suits more and find them comfier than bibs + jersey. My problem is that I've yet to find a chamois that agrees with my saddle and ass other than Assos. So I'm kinda limited on that front.
Cost, most aero equipment of similar level is the same price as lighter equipment of the same level. Deep and shallow wheels are the same price, aero and lightweight bikes are the same price, aero and non aero helmets are the same price. Sure there are also some things that are better suited for race days only, like socks for example. And you save in cost if you're not buying double of everything. Sure it doesn't make much sense to upgrade stuff just to save a couple watts unless you're getting paid to do it. But when you're buying something new anyway it makes sense to buy the faster option.
With integrated bars if you run your cables underneath the stem instead of inside the stem there isn't much difference in maintenance. In fact AXS + hydraulic discs is a lot less maintenance required than rim brakes + mechanical shifting.