ITU Legal Wheels?

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi, I’m in a decision-making process regarding what racing wheels I should get. I’m mainly a non-draft sprint/oly racer, however, I will be doing some ITU races in the coming season(s), as well as some open time-trials and road races. Here are some of the main options I’ve considered:
-Hed 3c wheelset and a zipp disc
-Zipp 808s
-Zipp 404s

So, which ones, if any, would be road- and itu-legal? I know the disc isn’t, but I’d be using that with an H3c front for time-trials and non-draft events, with the H3cs for road/itu races, if they’re legal. And I know the 808’s are too deep for road racing, but what about ITU? Thanks for everyone’s help!

2

808, 404 would be legal for road races - no discs or ‘spoked’ wheels like the HED3
I use an 808 rear and 404 front for road racing - also ideal for draft-legal triathlons
.

3

Barry,
HED 3’s are not road legal.

Go for either a 404 or a 606 + disc cover for TT’s

4

i dont reccomend the h3c zipp 1080’s are much more aero and they’re bulged shape makes them easier to handle. for draft legal tris i reccomend a 404 front 808 rear

5

The 2008 ITU competition rules state that:
** E.3.2 Wheels ** UCI rules will apply same as indicated above. For draft legal competitions, wheels must have the following characteristics: a) A diameter between 70 cm maximum and 55 cm minimum, including the tire; b) Both wheels should be either 26" or 28"; c) Wheels shall have at least 12 spokes; d) Spokes can be round, flattened or oval, provided their width does not exceed 10 mm;
e) Only wheel designs approved by UCI may be used;

Found on p.24 at http://www.triathlon.org/docs/competition-rules-20080601-vf.pdf?ts=1225680030

6

404’s are going to be your most versitile wheel. Buy a disc cover for the solo trips and you should be set.

7

if i’m not mistaken, disc covers are illegal under uci rules because they constitute a fairing, rather than providing structural support.

this is a question some have had regarding hed’s jet disc.

also, 404 front/808 rear would probably be my personal suggestion for wheel selection.

get a renn disc for the time trials.

you aren’t sponsored by zipp, so why limit yourself to riding one (unless you have lots of money)?

8

Per the ITU rules for Age Group Worlds Long course tri - disc COVERS are the specifically allowed under an exception stated in the rules for non draft legal races. They do not, however, ever say a solid disc wheel (non spoked) is allowed nor a HED. We tried to get some clarification on this point directly from ITU (whose rules are clearly geared for draft legal races) but ended up leaving the discs at home incase the local ITU official deemed Almere too windy for them anyway. The ‘general’ consensus was that HEDs and solid discs were allowed - but again, nothing in writing came forth from ITU to get an official ruling. I emailed the ITU head official and got the same nebulous answer USAT did.

9

At the European Championship (Oly distance) we werer allowed to race discs and Hed3. And in some two other occasions (Oly distance) I have seen discs at Worlds.