$1600 list for the 2005 Zipp 404’s! Damn! All for the dimples? If I recall they were $1350 last season…
This is sad.
I guess we’re going to buy the HED Alps after all…
We see Zipp price increases- along with many other vendors- each and every year. To a degree, I have little sympathy for consumers. I’m pretty dilligent and vigorous about screaming “BUY NOW before the price goes up!”
Either no one believes me, or no one listens. If people were open to some good buying advice, they could save hundreds.
That said, the technology that goes into Zipp wheels transcends or goes beyond just one set of wheels. They also have finance development and manufacture of their new wheel models such as the 606, and that does require some outlay of cash.
Another thing Zipp has improved in the past few years is lead times. Three years ago the wheels were very tough to come by. Lead times have really shrunk dramatically for Zipp in the past two seasons as their production capacity has increased somewhat due to an influx of cash from price increases to help fund it.
From my experinece, during the height of the racing season customers stop asking, “How much can I get this for?” and start asking, “How soon can I get this?” They wait until the last minute to make their purchases.
Smart shoppers are in the store now asking the local retailer for a good price on Zipps so he can build his preseason order to Zipp to the next higher level so he can get better pricing all year. Smart dealers should be open to this idea right now- but it expires on December 24th (the deadline for Zipp preseasons for dealers).
So, it is a question of being in the right place at the right time with the cash. If you visit a good Zipp dealer now and say, “I’ll buy a set of wheels from you now if you extend me somewhat of a discount for buying out of season.” The dealer will likely say, “Yes Sir, here is our best price…” But if you go inon a Wednesday before a big race in June it is more like, “Sir, this is our rpice and we have customers waiting for these wheels- they are sold out for three weeks. I apologize, but we aren’t in a position to offer any discounts on this product right now.”
Anyway, you’re right that HED wheels and REnn are a reasonable, less costly alternative- but not replacement- for Zipps. Zipps are pretty darn nice wheels.
I can understand the reason Josh gave for the rise, but I do wonder hosw this will effect there sales. I was hoping to get a set of 404’s for next season, but unless I can find a set of 2004 - I will now have to look at some of my other options.
I’ve wondered that too. There have been price increases every year. But our Zipp sales have grown every year also. Interesting.
Having said that: I know I will sell more Renn and Hed wheels this year than any previous year also paritally due to the price increase.
Tom,
I would be interessted in hearing your opinion on say the top of the line Renn disc which retails for $650 and a zipp disc which is such more expensive. The Zipp is not that much lighter so the only think I can think of is quality od craftmenship, which I understand is good on both wheels, and the dimples on the Zipp.
Any thoughts?
Thnx Dan
That is a fari question but I can’t give you an informed decision snce I haven’t seen the new Renn disk yet- or at least, have only seen it at Interbike but haven’t ridden it.
Rotor Cranks prices just went up 10% to adjust for the euro (as they are manufactured in Spain).
MSRP for a Ti RS4X will set you back about $1000 (but our prices are about %10 lower than regular MSRP, off the web site).
I have a suspicion that Campy prices will also raise quite a bit.
However this is not the case with Zipp as they are US based. I think that the price increase is likely associated with the testing costs for the new 808 and dimple technology, as well as tooling.
If you are European, right now is a great time to buy Zipp wheels.
Well that is a fair reply to a fair question. Will you let us know what you think when you see one? I am quite interessted as it seems to be a high quality disc that I can perhaps afford.
BTW are you taking orders for them yet?
dan
Search, search, search all over the net. There are deals out there. You have to go looking, check all the triathlon dealers, ebay, rec.sport.triathlon. Deals can be found. I bought my 404's new for half the list price from a pro who was selling off sponsorship wheels. Look around. You'll find a deal. I did. I'm a New Yorker, I know that you shouldn't pay list price for anything.
I would have to agree with you and Tom. People DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! Deals are out there right now. Take some time to search around on the internet and you will save yourself a ton of money. I paid a lot less last month for my 2004 set of 909’s then had I waited to buy them next month. The same could be said last year when I was building my custom trek tt through a good lbs, one of the few in this area. I took it in right after Thanksgiving and got it just before Christmas. It was right afterward that Shimano jumped the price of DA10spd about $250. I had contacted them in mid October about ordering da10 when I saw it in Triathlete Mag. He was surprised that Quality Bike already had it and placed an order, but it took some time because he was missing one piece. Well anyways, the morale of this story is not to wait and dream about new stuff until like March and April. You need to search and order it now before prices go up. I know that myself and 2 other buddies sat in the car on the way back from our last race and discussed areas where we wanted an equipment change and what the viable options were and kept a tally of what products we were looking for. Thus far, I think we are only short about 3 out of the 13 items we wanted.
I had a pair of Zipp 440’s I sold for more than I paid for them. That was a year ago. So, I figure the $600 I just spent to buy Pete Honsell’s Zipp wheels from the ST Classifieds is an investment as long as I don’t have any accidents. In 2 years they will still be worth $600, probably. Maybe more.
Nonetheless, that’s a lot of money for 3.5 lbs of carbon fiber and titanium/aluminum. You wouldn’t want to make many rookie moves on those puppies. 
-Robert
The Value Equation = (Keeping Up with the Joneses)^(That Warm and Fuzzy Feeling of Owning the Newest Stuff) x Perceived Performance Boost + Annual Price Increase.
If it costs a whole bunch, it must be worth it, right?
$1600 list for the 2005 Zipp 404’s! Damn! All for the dimples? If I recall they were $1350 last season…
The 2005 stickers are also “baked” onto the wheel. Pretty darn sweet if you ask me. I sure would like to have a disc on my bike that i know is the absolute fastest, most technologically sound and developed wheel currently in the market.
Ciao,
Anyone know what Zipp spends to put their wheels under the europros? Is it a cost driver or not.
This is not like we’re talking about the price of milk or bread or any other basic product. As long as people buy the most expensive stuff because they think it’s better, Zipp prices will keep going up.
“As long as people buy the most expensive stuff because they think it’s better, Zipp prices will keep going up.”
I think there is a threshold of what people are willing to pay for Zipp flash/image/technology…even if the wheels do shave a few seconds off a bike spilt. I think even the most dedicated AG tri-geek won’t want to spend more than $1200 (TOPS) for a bitchin set of race wheels and there are plenty of better choices out there for a lot less.
Most of us have a set of race wheels now that we ‘think’ we have outgrown. I have an old set of Spinergy Rev X’s. Had them since 1998 and they’re better than my Nimble Crosswinds and better than my Zipps. Wheels have not evolved that much in the last 7-8 years to the point where the performance between any set of wheels no matter what the cost is anything better than negligible.
There is a ‘mystique’ about the aerodynamics of wheels and bike frames that is weird, foreign and fascinating. Many of us are intoxicated with the thought of having the latest, most advanced bike technology. When you’re intoxicated, you lose your inhibitions. Zipp (and other manufacturers) know this and market their products accordingly.
I’m glad Zipp doesn’t make running shoes.
Good post. You’re right in my case. I can afford new Zipps, and am thinking about what I’ll build around a Powertap for my race wheels. It WAS going to be 404s, but this new price just eliminated that. Now way… way too much money for wheels. I’ll either grab an '04 set off eBay and swap the hub, or use something else cheaper. It just isn’t worth it (to me).
"…even if the wheels do shave a few seconds off a bike spilt. I think even the most dedicated AG tri-geek won’t want to spend more than $1200 (TOPS) for a bitchin set of race wheels
What an interesting thread to me. So Tom sez everytime Zip raises its prices sales go up and mojozen thinks it is ok to spend up to $1,200 to shave a few seconds when purchasing wheels. But look at the PC threads. Everyone bitches about the cost of PC’s, which are a lot less and usually shave a lot more than a few minutes off of most peoples IM times.
I guess most people prefer to buy sexy (as long as it isn’t TOO much) than to do the work to be fast. But, then, isn’t that the American way?
BTW, the cost of PC’s just went up 10% but that was because our cost of aluminum went up about 100%. Of course, with the drop in the dollar, the cost of PC’s (and perhaps Zips) are going down in Europe.
Frank
Aztec,
If you are looking to build around a Powertap, you can still go with Zipp. Ironically, the price of the raw rim only went up by $50 to $400, and you can still find '04’s for $350. If you are getting rid of the hubs, then you may as well just buy the raw rim, right? www.branfordbike.com has them in stock.
I think www.wheelbuilder.com can make you some around a powertap, based on the old rims if you want.
JA