Ok, I am buying new race wheels this off season (to replace my spinergy’s) and I have decided on Zipps as I feel the company has a good reputation, I see many good results from people with these wheels, and they seem to have the data to back up their claims…plus I just like them. Also, I am sticking with clincher as it is what I am use to and hey…if it’s good enough for Jonnyo it’s good enough for me.
Now…how the hell do I decide which ones. They have so many different models I don’t know which would serve me the best. I am racing IMC 08’ (hopefully qualifying for Hawaii), I am 178lbs right now (race weight will be 160 to 165). Do I get the standard (404)? Do I get a wheel that is aero but can climb (303). The 606 set looks cool. Should I get a disc?
What to do?
I am not too concerned about costs. What would you get?
Zipp 606. It’s 31 grams heavier than the 404 but you get 81mm in the rear rather than 58. Plus you get a super stable front in the 404. The 808’s are 63 grams heavier than the 404, just not as stable as the 404 in the front (at 165 lbs+ you should be fine though, I ride Blackwell 100s and I weigh a little less at 6’2’').
How many pros were riding a wheelset without a disc at Canada? Does anyone know?
Dave’s suggestion is a good one but the thing is the Zipp clincher disc weighs in at 1191g versus its tubular contourpart at 960g. So the Zipp 999 is over 200 grams heavier than the 808 clincher setup, but it would be the fastest “overall” wheelset. Of course, if you changed your mind to tubular then the Zipp 999 weighs in at 1580g, which is 132g lighter than the 404 clincher wheelset (win-win situation)!
I’m not an expert, but I would go with at least a 606 wheelset at a minimum. I would personally go with an 808 wheelset, but I’m a heavier rider so I can keep the bike under control and not get blown around so much with a deep front rim.
FWIW it looked like alot of riders in the tour were on 606’s this year(of course they were tubbies). i rode some BR100’s this season and they are a litte spooky in the wind and I’m a pretty big @ 180. I think that you can’t go wrong with the 404’s from a versitility/weight/performance stand point, but for pure racing I think that the deeper rim the better in the back, or go with a disk as a third wheel if price is no object.
Then again, if price is really not an object and you want clincher I would think that the new lightweight clinchers with lightweight clincher disk (if available) is the ultimate setup for weight and aero at about $10,000.
All that being said, there are a large number of anicdotal stories about the Rev X being one of the fastest wheels ever made.
You should give our customer service line a call. Everyone on staff is either a serious roadie or triathlete…and I can’t think of any of our triathletes who haven’t done multiple IM’s…they also travel to all the major IM and half IM events around the country to run neutral support which generally includes driving the courses numerous times during the events…so they all know the different major races very, very well.
Call 1.800.472.3972 and ask for somebody to help you pick wheels…they love doing it!
Josh, when is the website going to be updated with the new announcements from Eurobike and how about the podcasts, which has only one update in the last month.
If I were not concerned about costs I would get( make sure you get the ceramic bearings):
ZedTech 99
This is the Zipp ZEDTECH 99 wheel set that goes above and beyond all of your previous speed barriers. The Zipp ZEDTECH 99 is the world’s fastest, most advanced time trial and triathlon wheel set. So fast, in fact, that it won a rainbow jersey as a prototype – (Fabian Cancellara rode the prototype ZEDTECH 99s at the 2006 Worlds TT) Zipp’s stiff, insanely light, 892-gram (1191-gram in clincher) dimpled disc now has a dimpled hub for that last bit of aerodynamic speed. Up front the air is sliced with our 82mm, toroidal shaped rim. Of course, the front hub is dimpled too! The ZEDTECH 99’s have already won Worlds, now which Triathlons will they win for you? NOTE: ZEDTECH discs are NOT track compatible
You can determine if you want to go high end with Ceramic bearing, etc.
IMHO the 606 offers a stable front wheel for all situations.
I use a wheelcover for my 404’s and it’s great. Jonnyo used a wheelcover at IMC and liked it.
If you go with clincher spend the money on good tires and tube and you’ll be set. I have tubular at the moment and I’m sticking with them for now, but if I did it again, I’d take a serious look at clinchers.
Get a good wheelset, with good tires, etc. and you are set, the rest is training!
I bought the 606’s and couldnt be happier. I went with tubulars BTW.
I rode my wifes 343’s at Worlds, and they are noticably lighter, but slower. The 606’s just cut though the wind, climb well, and are the best bang for the buck, IMHO. I think they are a “cant lose” wheelset.
Now the thread is going to become clincher vs. tubular and discs vs. wheel covers (lol)