Aero Wheels, Velocity Wheels. Does it really matter? Of course, they look pretty. But what I do not understand is: How will having taller rims or composite wheels improve a ride? Is the increase in efficiency drastic enough to make you think twice while changing rims? Or is it really not that necessary with the cash it demands, for a tiny bit of improvement? PS: I tried to find out about this on the internet, but I have found bulky articles about them, so frankly I didn't read them and decided to ask here.

Given graphs like the first one on this page, which show how steeply wind resistance increases with speed, I take it that small changes in shape can be relatively important/effective at high speeds (and not at relatively low speeds).

E.g. my top speed when commuting is about 30 kph; the tour de France speeds on the flat are more like 50 kph. The power required to overcome wind resistance at 50 kph is **more than triple** that required at 30 kph.

It's also relatively important/effective if and only if you've already improved/maximised everything else (e.g. the rider's position and clothing).