Short answer is no, over the course of an ironman they are likely going to be separated by seconds.

A couple of things to think about. From everything I've read, the NSW's brake very well for a carbon clincher however the Jet Black series is will be head and shoulders above them in terms of modulation and stopping power. Second, how big are you and how is your confidence handling your bike in crosswinds? And do you anticipat riding them in windy conditions very often? A 90 mm rim up front can be a lot to handle for some people. Switching to a Hed Jet 6 up front will likely only cost you a handful of seconds over an ironman but could make handling it easier.

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Matt

Thanks Matt. I'm 5'10" 170lbs. I've ridden rented 808s in several races this year with winds up to 20mph and had no issues with stability. Feel pretty comfortable with them. Will be riding primarily in TX so wind will always be a factor.

Are you getting $900 more speed with the NSWs? No, definitely not. Don’t get me wrong, the 808 NSWs are *really* nice wheels but the Jet 9 Blacks are also *really* nice wheels. The only thing I’ll give the Zipps over the HEDs is that they’re easier to install tires on.

You should be running a disc wheel on the back.

MyBikeShop.com has new Hed Jet 9 blacks for 1299 right now, go with those.

That’s a good point and one I’ve thought about. Idea behind a 808/9 rear wheel is to have a rear wheel for all races. Ultimately I was thinking rolling with a H3 plus disc for races where it makes sense.

I read and researched all I could find for this, and ditto everyone else's answers. There is likely no discernable difference between the two. In fact, it is possible the Zipps are slower. IIRC, the NSW shape is the same as the Firecrest, which has been the punching bag of "we're better" claims by competitors for several years. Zipp NSW wheels have big sex appeal, but the performance RoI is 0 to negative. Maybe the 858 wheels are faster, but maybe not.

IMHO, between these two choices at those prices, the HEDs are a no-brainer.

Edit: FYI, I have an IA16, and I chose the Flo 60/90 wheels for $1,150. I wish I bought a 90/disc combo, and I will be upgrading to a disc soon. I am considering jumping to the HED wheels with the aluminum brakes. I do not have any issues with my CC Flo braking, but I have only ridden in excellent conditions to date. The aluminum would make swapping to my road bike easier without messing with brake pads.

Get the Hed wheels and use the spare cash on a powermeter and or smart trainer

The only race that I know of that doesn't allow a disc wheel is Kona.

According to this you’ll get forward thrust at certain Yaw angles, of course tire choice come into play
https://docs.google.com/...ANzt8/htmlview#gid=0

This should drive your decision if that’s your budget.

I've been rolling on a Hed3 and Disc for a long time. I don't think anyone is beating me because of my wheels!

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Hed 3 + Disk has been my setup too. I also occasionally rode a double HED 3 setup. Didnt really notice much difference. Nice wheel choice.



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