Is upgrading one wheel of any benefit?

[139NI]

My bike has disk brake on front and rim brake on rear.

I am thinking of buying an EASTON EA70 XCT front wheel from Chainreaction cos they are reduced to £93 [from c.£235] and leaving my rear wheel as it is. Rear wheel is a relatively cheap RIGIDA wheel from Decathlon.

Will i experience any performance gain in upgrading the front and leaving the rear, or do i need to upgrade both as the performance gain will be limited to the 'cheapest' wheel on the bike.

[I find it hard to choose a 'high performance' wheel of the peg]

Thanks

w

 

[Dusty Bin]

You are unlikely to see a much of a 'performance gain' regardless, tbh.

 

[fossyant]

Can't be doing with 'odd' wheels myself.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

OK wheels but they don't come in anywhere near their claimed weight. I would not particularly suggest that EA70's are a performance wheel though.
A competent trail wheel for the price would be a better description

 

[02GF74]

yes, a lighter,stiffer and/or more aerodynamic wheel will increase performance, whcih will double fo both weels. whether you will notice it is debatable - you would need to have a set course that you have ridden many times in different conditions flat out to compte the beofre and after results - can't recall figures bandied about but it is in the order of 1 second or less per minute..... whcih it you are a top tt competitor, could make a big difference

 

[Dusty Bin]

yes, a lighter,stiffer and/or more aerodynamic wheel will increase performance, whcih will double fo both weels. whether you will notice it is debatable - you would need to have a set course that you have ridden many times in different conditions flat out to compte the beofre and after results - can't recall figures bandied about but it is in the order of 1 second or less per minute..... whcih it you are a top tt competitor, could make a big difference

Except this is for a mountain bike....

 

[02GF74]

don't the laws of physics apply to mountain bikes?

 

[Dusty Bin]

don't the laws of physics apply to mountain bikes?

you really think aerodynamics matter on a mountain bike?

 

[themosquitoking]

There's been more than a couple of times i've been coming down a mountain on a bike when i was under the firm belief physics should bite me.

 

[Somewhere]

It's about marginal gains!

I think it would make a difference. How much and how noticeable I've no idea, but a difference nonetheless ;-)