http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/wheels-tires/modp-0906-performance-wheel-test/
http://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/weight-vs-rigidity-factor-156537/
The images on the last one might be dead, but it's got the text and it does reflect what Option magazine wrote. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the RP-F1's aren't good, or that 15 lbs a corner isn't a massive improvement, just that it's not as simple as weight and size. Too bad there's no way to quantify stiffness without actually testing every wheel.
I always really liked that type of article when sport compact car did them. Weather it was cutting up sentras or foam filling z32s, they did some neat sI'd love to see more how to stuff and more myth busting type stuff. Just a suggestion.
sesto elemento wrote:
This should be definitively tested in a coming issue in a way that has quantifiable results. The fact that in a community like ours, this is up for debate is silly. A weight and how much difference it makes article could be a great ongoing feature. First unsprung, then sprung (high vs low?), then driveline, on and on.
This has me thinking. If you really want to demonstrate what reducing rotational mass on a car can do, then pick a completely stock car and do it from literally top to bottom. Perform fully instrumented tests to get accelleration, braking, skidpad G, and road course lap time. Then do all of the following mods. Start with the cylinder head and install lightweight racing valves (no, they don't rotate, but that reduces the dynamic load on the cam which does rotate), install lightweight pistons, rods, lighten the crank, 100% balance and blueprint everything, install lightweight pulleys and flywheel, lightweight wheels and tires, and then re-test the car. The increase in performance due to the total reduction in rotating mass will be astounding. I would love to see this test done and an article written.
sesto elemento wrote:
The fact that in a community like ours, this is up for debate is silly.
Everything is open to debate in this community...So why should something with too many variables for a singular answer to exist be any different?
RX8driver wrote:
http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/wheels-tires/modp-0906-performance-wheel-test/
http://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/weight-vs-rigidity-factor-156537/
The images on the last one might be dead, but it's got the text and it does reflect what Option magazine wrote. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the RP-F1's aren't good, or that 15 lbs a corner isn't a massive improvement, just that it's not as simple as weight and size. Too bad there's no way to quantify stiffness without actually testing every wheel.
I'd love to see an article with data and testing on that too 
It's also worth mentioning that the biggest gains due to reduction of unsprung weight will not be on smooth racetracks.
Losing 60 pounds anywhere in the car is going the right direction. My big question is whether the per-pound price is something I find reasonable in light of the circumstances, and my other options for power improvement or weight reduction. I can never really be sure the extent a wheel diet is helping me on track because, inevitably, the tires are different, and I'm a better driver than I was last summer, etc. I'm a cyclist and we have this same internet debate on wheel rim weights there. I've been through a ton of wheels in my career and my body knows they accelerate more easily. But that's with a 0.2 hp motor and a very large diameter wheel.
