Are you talking about rear tire only? If so, you won't notice anything. Maybe slightly faster, but if you're going to upgrade, get a disc.

I have a 1080 and plan on getting a disc. Maybe.

No - wondering more about the set as a whole, and how they ride. I have a disc as well.

Pretty sure the 1080 was discontinued when the Firecrest 808 came out. See this thread:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...um.cgi?post=3695215;

Just get 808 Firecrests, or an 808 and a disc.

Zipp discontinued the 1080's because I believe testing showed that in most all conditons the newer 808FC were equal and at medium to high yaw quite a bit faster and less impacted by cross winds.

I'm not sure why they would ride any different than 808's. Btu I will say that my all carbon 808 FC rides a LOT smoother than my non-FC 404 with the narrower aluminum rim.

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Thanks for that link, it didn't pop up in my search. Of course the other factor is that used 1080s can be had for far less than 808FC.

I run 808 front and 1080 rear keep your 808 and use a cover or your disc no difference.

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The 1080's look cool and at your size, you could probably control them fine; they could be fine to get used. You probably wouldn't notice too much difference between them and your 808's. But think about saving the $1,000+ for the used 1080's and put it towards saving for a set of cutting edge wider wheels -- or a new frame or a disc or something that might make more difference, assuming speed is what you're after.

Yeah, I guess I was thinking I could sell my 808s and the "cost" to buy would be very little (between the two) and the 1080s are 2 or 3 years newer.

I run a 1080 front and the only issue with that wheel is what I like to call "crosswind sensitivity." The 1080 is so sensitive to cross winds that the bike can become a real handful to handle when the wind hits it from the side. I rode the 1080 right by the coast and with the strong crosswinds, it was a white knuckle ride for sure. Other than that, it a great wheel and holds speed real well.
The biggest pro of the 1080 in my opinion is the looks.
Here I am with the 1080 the day before the full Vineman, a perfect course for the 1080.

For Christmas, I got a mixed set of Tubular wheels - Zipp 1080 rear and 808 FC front. Haven't been out on them yet, but should I sell the 1080 and put the money towards an 808 FC rear wheel, or will the fact that it's a rear wheel outweigh whatever gains I'd get from an FC?

I'm hoping I can just run it as is and not have to deal with selling a wheel, buying another, etc.

Any advice?

Thanks.

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"America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed." -Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

Hello JBell and All,

I have a 1080 rear, just redished for 10/11 speed by Wheelbuilder.com, for sale .... excellent condition .... Wheelbuilder made it for me originally.

I was going to use it but decided to get an Enve 95 instead.

PM me if interested.

Cheers,

Neal

+1 mph Faster

I had 1080 front now a firecrest 808. I'm sure that in a tail or cross tail the 1080 is faster. Direct headwind toss up. Head cross 808. I would have never swapped had I known.

I don't own a 1080, but I designed it. I also designed the 808 Firecrest with Michael Hall…who is truly an aero genius..but I don't own one of those either.
The data show that the 808 FC is faster 8 out of 10 times..equal 1 out of ten and possibly slower (though only by a percent or two) 1/10 times...primarily in a cross-tail wind…

However, the 808 has lower side force (25-40% lower) 100% of the time, has more neutral steering torque (as much as 90% lower) 100% of the time, and can contribute to more neutral full bike center of pressure. I spent a lot of time on the 1080 during development and then again during the 808FC development…it's not an easy wheel to handle, but it's doable and I'm 5'11"/160. One of the main issues getting athletes to switch is simply the 'feels fast' aspect of the 1080. We spent a lot of time with Kristen Armstrong (the MOST technical athlete I've worked with over my career) and she was a huge 1080 believer, even after riding the 808, she wanted the 1080 for the olympics. However, after testing, and more testing..the data showed that the 808 was simply faster..even though it didn't' necessarily feel faster, it WAS.

In the end, depends on what you are coming from..the 1080 is faster than 90% of the wheels you can buy today, but at the same time, there are options that are not only faster, but better handling.
J

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Hello,

I have a 808FC and a Bonti Aeolus 9 D3. I had a HED Jet 9 (older rim shape from 2008) and a 1080. All are front wheels and clincher.

I am 175cm and 64kg, though even I am small and skinny I am not afraid to use deep wheels for TT in almost any conditions.

From all wheels I owned the 1080 was the wildest beast. In strong gusty cross winds I would call a 1080 front wheel dangerous! It’s not the side force; the 1080 reacted unpredictable after a strong side blast. When the blast was coming I had to steer “against” it, when the wind pressure suddenly stopped the front wheel steered tremendously, so that I almost lost the handlebar (somehow like highsiders you see in motorcycle racing). After I had my first experience with such a “steering-sider” I was not using it again in gusty wind conditions and soon after I sold it.
The 808FC react much smoother and more predictable to wind blasts, i.e. you can use them in much heavier conditions.

Last year I did a 123km TT, mean wind speed was 9m/s or 5 Beaufort with blasts up to 15m/s or 7 Beaufort. 20% of the starters gave up. It was a fight with the 808FC and a rear disc but doable. No way would I have stayed in aero position with a 1080 front wheel.

However, the 808 has lower side force (25-40% lower) 100% of the time, has more neutral steering torque (as much as 90% lower) 100% of the time, and can contribute to more neutral full bike center of pressure. I spent a lot of time on the 1080 during development and then again during the 808FC development…it's not an easy wheel to handle, but it's doable and I'm 5'11"/160. One of the main issues getting athletes to switch is simply the 'feels fast' aspect of the 1080. We spent a lot of time with Kristen Armstrong (the MOST technical athlete I've worked with over my career) and she was a huge 1080 believer, even after riding the 808, she wanted the 1080 for the olympics. However, after testing, and more testing..the data showed that the 808 was simply faster..even though it didn't' necessarily feel faster, it WAS.


This is incredibly good info, thank you. Can you speak to how much of it applies to both wheels, or is this more applicable to front wheels?

Thanks again.

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"America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed." -Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

The torque benefits really apply only to the front wheel, but the side force applies to both. Like I said, I loved the 1080, but front of rear, the 808FC is faster at lower side force and lower weight. Firecrest wheels also offer less tire sensitivity, so they work better over a wider range of tire sizes, shapes and inflation pressures…which is important as I can't count how many people I've seen over the years spending tons of money on this stuff only to undo it with various choices related to rubber. At the end of the day, an 808FC carbon clincher with fast tire and latex tubes is nearly impossible to beat from the standpoint of aero/weight/handling/balance.
Best of luck
Josh

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Check out my podcast, inside stories from more than 20 years of product and tech innovation from inside the Pro Peloton and Pro Triathlon worlds!
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Buy a cover for the 1080 rear from Wheelbuilder. That way you can run a disc when it's legal and run the 1080 rear when a disc is not.