Would you use Zipp 404's in the rain?

Triathlon Forum
1

Greetings-

I’ve got a short (18 miles) race tomorrow and it’s supposed to rain. I’m a MOPer and have no intentions of ending up on the podium…

Would you outfit your bike with your race wheels? Or would you use your training wheels? Is there any long term harm in using my 404’s in wet weather? I’m on a budget (and this is a “C” race for me), so I can’t afford to use them if they’ll get damaged.

Thanks!

R.D.

2

Use 'em…

just don’t crash

3

Would depend on if I had tubulars or clinchers. Another reason to have clinchers :stuck_out_tongue:

But if the roads are clean and it is a short race (Tubulars can get chewed up quite a bit by the brake pads with all the grit and sand on the roads around where I live), and most important (for your own safety and those of others), you are used to riding carbon rims in the rain

—why not?

Just did see this interview with Steve Head on cyclingnews:

CN: I see you still have the trademark HED tri-spoke on the front?

SH: Yeah, I think this version is about five years old. Today we have this wheel with a carbon rim which is a lot lighter. But it’s starting to rain and braking performance on a front wheel… a little bit of weight versus not being able to control your bike… The feeling is you are going to go faster having good braking than you are with a little bit lighter weight. The carbon braking surfaces aren’t quite there yet, especially when it’s raining.

4

It is a race…USE THE RACE WHEELS!..what are you worried about??..when it rains most folks are WAY TOO cautious…not saying that you should ride like it is dry…but you can really smoke some of the fraidy cats on the bike leg…Just dial down the pressure just a bit…

5

you’ve got em.

use the damn things.

i almost ran a disc in the snow before…cept they cancelled the bike…bastards.

worst case is you might have to do some hub work down the road, but unlikely.

6

How technical is the course? Are there mountainouse descents? Generally speaking, most tri bike courese are fairly tame affairs. I would use the ZIPP’s, unless the course is extreme. Just be sure to get on the breaks earlly to dry off the contact points.

Fleck

7

Yah, I’d use 'em too as long as there are no serious hills that you must go down. Assuming you have the all carbon tubulars (like me), there is almost ZERO braking when wet.