Getting old sucks, might as well have a nice bike
I can’t disagree with the assertion that it’s faster to put a deeper wheel in the front, because it’s right. But, as someone who’s a bit on the lighter side, the thought of putting an 88mm front wheel on the bike is WAY outside my risk tolerance. I’ve almost gotten swept on my 65mm wheels so often that I barely ride them; would just rather be that tiny bit slower (maybe) on…
Accepting that I’m not an expert in aerodynamics, it’s quite possible that I’m wrong here (please be gentle, aerodynamic experts). That said, based on my lay understanding of wheel aerodynamics, I cannot see how (except in very limited circumstances) one would benefit aerodynamically from an “aero” gravel wheel. That’s not to say that there aren’t other benefits to a deeper wheel, CX racers will know that it’s quite common for so much…
Of course you can climb on aero wheels, they just aren’t well suited to the task. It will be faster to use a lighter set (W/kg is king on the climbs); unless you’re fast. Then there’s a sweet spot (probably around 45-50mm). The real question should be “can you safely descend on aero wheels?”. Because when you’re screaming down the side of a mountain at 40-50mph, turn a corner, and get hit…