I would definitely go for a set of Zipp 808’s for an Ironman 70.3!!!
For a normal 70.3 half-iron race, I’d look at the course (hilly, technical, windy, etc…?) and find wheels that complimented the course.
That’s just me though.
Honest question. Do we know what tubes Race Day wheels uses? I doubt it is latex but I don’t know. Also they aren’t using the fastest tires out there. Going with rental wheels could very wheel be slower than using your own wheels with the right tires and tubes.
From their website (emphasis mine): Wheel rental includes:
2016 ZIPP Firecrest® carbon clincher wheels. Continental GP 4000s clincher tires or ZIPP Tangente Speed tires, tubes and skewers. *
Your rental fee off the sale price if you decide to buy.
I do the vast majority of my training inside on a wheel-on trainer. But, I will try to ride outside on nicer weekends, when I can, especially as I near race weekend. I will probably do a couple HIM races per year, maybe an IM in the future, with occasional sprints and olympics thrown in for fun. I bought a set of carbon wheels to be my everyday wheels. I want to enjoy the awesome every time I ride my bike outside, not just on some special day. I freakin’ love my wheels when I am on a 80 to 100 mile ride, even though time does not matter. I have the psychological reinforcement of seeing my speed develop on the top tier equipment. And, when I do a sprint just for giggles, it feels great going max speed, because I own my everyday carbon wheels.
I would definitely go for a set of Zipp 808’s for an Ironman 70.3!!!
For a normal 70.3 half-iron race, I’d look at the course (hilly, technical, windy, etc…?) and find wheels that complimented the course.
That’s just me though.
Honest question. Do we know what tubes Race Day wheels uses? I doubt it is latex but I don’t know. Also they aren’t using the fastest tires out there. Going with rental wheels could very wheel be slower than using your own wheels with the right tires and tubes.
From their website (emphasis mine): Wheel rental includes:
2016 ZIPP Firecrest® carbon clincher wheels. Continental GP 4000s clincher tires or ZIPP Tangente Speed tires, tubes and skewers. *
Your rental fee off the sale price if you decide to buy.
Right and there are faster tires and certainly tubes than a GP4000s paired with a butyl tube.
Right and there are faster tires and certainly tubes than a GP4000s paired with a butyl tube.
I’m thinking going from a training wheel with “fast race tires & latex” to a race wheel like Zipps with “maybe not the fastest race tires and normal tubes” would still favor the race wheels normally.
That said, I love my race wheels/tires and latex tubes. Rentals never have panned out well for me.
I spent $80 on a wheel cover and $350 on a used HED3 front. I have a powertap rear wheel, so the cover allows me to race with the same power setup I use in training.
Over the course of 7 years, I estimate I used them on about 50 training rides/races. At the end of the 7 years, I sold the HED3 for $300. Even if I went with your 1 race/year schedule, my total investment of $130 would compare to your $1050 outlay. In addition to the money saved, the advantages are:
Latex Tubes/Good tires
Know exactly how the wheels handle in rain/wind/etc due to training on them when those conditions occurred.
Don’t have to make last minute adjustments to shifting/brakes.
The only downside is that you have to make the initial investment. If you can’t afford to do that, than imo you can’t afford to rent race wheels anyways.