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I’m running road disc wheels at 50mm depth and around 1500g. I won’t mention brand for now although ur free to guess.
since I bought them I have been concerned that the climbing performance of the bike isn’t that great out the saddle. The bike doesn’t have the surge I was expecting from a 1500g wheelset. I had put this down to the depth but tonight I just so happened to check the hubs for play and I think the wheels actually do have a lack of lateral stiffness. I don’t have another set to try but two questions:
1.does this video look like a noodly wheel to you?
2.any recommendations of a 12mm axle road disk hub that builds a stiff wheel (centerlock prefered!)
i will get the spoke tension checked as first point of call obviously as it could be as simple as that
1. Maybe...? Very hard to tell from a video. How tight are the spokes compared to a wheel you don't find flexy? How many spokes in comparison? Build pattern (how many crosses)?
2. It's very unlikely that the flex is in the hub. Spokes almost certainly or less commonly a flexy rim.
Just had a quick play with my road bikes and at a rough guess I would say they look stiffer than yours but of course I don't know how hard you were flexing them.
Stiffness is down to the rim, number of spokes and tension, hubs make relatively little difference - this level of stiffness isn't unusual for some makes of low spoke carbon road wheels. If you want something stiffer, a deeper rim like 30mm+ 32 hole double butted spokes will be more than adequate. Things to avoid are 24 hole, shallow rims and super-skinny spokes like DT Revolutions
Sorry but spoke tension does not affect wheel stiffness unless the spoke is completely slack. Much more likely down to the parts used or design such as a poor bracing angle from the hub to the rim.
Also titusrider all wheels will have some flex. I'll leave you with the words of the great Jobst Brandt re wheel stiffness and his thoughts on 'stiffness'
“Stiffness, in its various forms, is a subject often discussed by bicyclists with a regard to components as well as frames. Stiff wheels are often mentioned with approval. However, it should be noted that a bicycle wheel is so rigid that its elasticity is not discernible because the tires, handlebar, stem, frame and saddle have a much greater combined elasticity. Therefore, the differences between well constructed wheels are imperceptible to a rider. The “liveliness” attributed to “stiff” wheels is an acoustic phenomenon caused largely by lightweight tires at high pressure and tight spokes with a high resonant frequency. This mechanical resonance can be heard, and possibly felt in the handlebars, but it is not related to the wheel stiffness.”
Maybe the lack of 'zip' from your wheels could be down to another factor and just how are you measuring the lack of performance from your wheels?
Could be Jobst comment about vertical stiffness? I agree on that, but lateral stiffness is definitely noticeable, specially when out of the saddle.
Higher profile wheels 'in theory' should be stiffer as spokes are shorter.
OP: From the video it feels there's too much flex.