I have an old pair of Flashpoint clinchers (2005) - when I bought them they said they were the equivalent of old Zipp 404’s. What is the real difference between a wheelset like this and the new Firecrest 404 clinchers? Are we talking 10 seconds over 40K or will the new wheels feel much faster?
The biggest difference will be the switch from an aluminium clincher to a carbon clincher and the tire bed width change wrapped up in that. A smaller difference is the lack of dimples on the flashpoints. And I don’t know the numbers for seconds saved… maybe it can be deduced from some of our publications on our website though I am not sure what wheels we compare to each other in the literature… so maybe flashpoint isn’t in the lineup.
I have an old pair of Flashpoint clinchers (2005) - when I bought them they said they were the equivalent of old Zipp 404’s. What is the real difference between a wheelset like this and the new Firecrest 404 clinchers? Are we talking 10 seconds over 40K or will the new wheels feel much faster?
That’s like asking what’s the difference between a race horse and pack mule…
as a wild guess 10 seconds over 40k sounds about like the right order of magnitude.
I have an old pair of Flashpoint clinchers (2005) - when I bought them they said they were the equivalent of old Zipp 404’s. What is the real difference between a wheelset like this and the new Firecrest 404 clinchers? Are we talking 10 seconds over 40K or will the new wheels feel much faster?
Depending on the width of the tire…
as a wild guess 10 seconds over 40k sounds about like the right order of magnitude.
I have an old pair of Flashpoint clinchers (2005) - when I bought them they said they were the equivalent of old Zipp 404’s. What is the real difference between a wheelset like this and the new Firecrest 404 clinchers? Are we talking 10 seconds over 40K or will the new wheels feel much faster?
I would say that comparison is a bit extreme! They’re both race horses, the Firecrests are just a bit more exotic and a whole lot more expensive… Buying the Firecrest would be like buying a pure bred Arabian race horse, if you have the money go for it, but not totally necessary as cheaper horses sometimes win the race, but pack mules aren’t even racing… I just picked up a pair of Flashpoint 60s this season for $400. That 2k+ I saved will pay for a lot of racing…
Keep the cheap wheels and with the money you save eat healthier foods, maybe even higher a nutritionist. Many if not most AG triathletes could afford to lose 10 to 20 lbs of weight before they start stressing about 400g difference in race wheels… If this isn’t you, you are consistently at race weight, and you have the extra money to spend, go for it!
Here’s a nice review of SRAM S80 wheels which are basically Flashpoint wheels: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2009/06/features/on-test-sram-s80-wheelset_2272
I’m assuming you have the FP60s which is what I have…
Thanks for the replies. Here was part of my thinking - The flashpoints are my wife’s race wheels. She does not want to mess with tubulars. I have tubular Zipp 606s. I have sometimes used my wife’s wheels. I feel like there is a night and day difference between the my tubulars and my wife’s Flashpoints. Don’t know what the windtunnel would say, but the tubular 606’s feel really, really fast and the flashpoints do not. The reviews on the new Firecrests make them sound like they feel like the tubulars. If I got Firecrests, I would use them for a bike race and time trial in Belgium in September and then they would be my wife’s race wheels for an Ironman next year (when I would go back to my tubulars). So just trying to see if they are that different from what we already have (i.e. - just like the 606 tubulars) and worth the money.
I have an old pair of Flashpoint clinchers (2005) - when I bought them they said they were the equivalent of old Zipp 404’s. What is the real difference between a wheelset like this and the new Firecrest 404 clinchers? Are we talking 10 seconds over 40K or will the new wheels feel much faster?
Definitively, you will feel $2500 poorer!
what tires do you have on the tubulars?
what tires do you have on the flashpoints, and what tubes?
$5 says your answers will explain the difference you are feeling
Thanks for the replies. Here was part of my thinking - The flashpoints are my wife’s race wheels. She does not want to mess with tubulars. I have tubular Zipp 606s. I have sometimes used my wife’s wheels. I feel like there is a night and day difference between the my tubulars and my wife’s Flashpoints. Don’t know what the windtunnel would say, but the tubular 606’s feel really, really fast and the flashpoints do not. The reviews on the new Firecrests make them sound like they feel like the tubulars. If I got Firecrests, I would use them for a bike race and time trial in Belgium in September and then they would be my wife’s race wheels for an Ironman next year (when I would go back to my tubulars). So just trying to see if they are that different from what we already have (i.e. - just like the 606 tubulars) and worth the money.
I raced on tubulars for 5 or six years, most recently had a Zipp 900 disc and all carbon Hed Tri spoke. I got tired of messing with the gluing and personally feel that there isn’t that much difference between the two as far as ride quality is concerned. Plus I wanted to pay off some debts…
Hmm, I just watched this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnq12bV3fd8 sure does make it sound like the Firecrests are pretty sweet! I’ll be finishing this year out on the FP60s, just ordered a wheelbuilder cover for a budget disc wheel, but maybe in a year or two when the Firecrests are cheaper I’ll upgrade!
I just picked up a pair of Flashpoint 60s this season for $400. That 2k+ I saved will pay for a lot of racing…
Where did you score that? I’m looking for a set of FP40’s or 60’s around that price as well. Anyone looking to part with their set - fell free to PM me.
Michael
Thanks for the replies. Here was part of my thinking - The flashpoints are my wife’s race wheels. She does not want to mess with tubulars. I have tubular Zipp 606s. I have sometimes used my wife’s wheels. I feel like there is a night and day difference between the my tubulars and my wife’s Flashpoints. Don’t know what the windtunnel would say, but the tubular 606’s feel really, really fast and the flashpoints do not. The reviews on the new Firecrests make them sound like they feel like the tubulars. If I got Firecrests, I would use them for a bike race and time trial in Belgium in September and then they would be my wife’s race wheels for an Ironman next year (when I would go back to my tubulars). So just trying to see if they are that different from what we already have (i.e. - just like the 606 tubulars) and worth the money.
I have the FP60s and also a Made in Taiwan deep dish tubular carbon wheelset and I agree the tubulars are noticeably faster for accelerating and on the hills; but I think the real difference is weight.
On the flats, the 2 perform similarily
No, the difference is you have the slowest tire in the market on one, and a decent tire on the other.
put an evo cx 320tpi and a latex tube on your fp 60 and get back to us
I have the FP60s and also a Made in Taiwan deep dish tubular carbon wheelset and I agree the tubulars are noticeably faster for accelerating and on the hills; but I think the real difference is weight.
On the flats, the 2 perform similarily