Anything Better Than Zipp's!!??!!??

[steve23]

im after some new wheels, and the Zipp 404's look awesome. they are a little more than what i would like to spend, BUT, are they really worth it?

i was looking to spend around 800quid, and need a wheel for Road Racing and Time Trialling. the 404 seems to fit the bill.

is there anything better? any thoughts?

thanks!

 

[spandex]

nope at that level you know what you need and you get what you need. sorry mate

 

[Will1985]

HEDs? HED created the patent of the toroidal rim that Zipp use, and feature in HED's 60 and 90 rims. In terms of rim shape, there is supposedly little difference although Zipps have the dimples to create a pre-turbulate effect (I'm reading about this in a Mike Burrows book)....this is supposed to lower the drag like a golf ball.

Cheaper alternatives to a Zipp 404 are HED Jet 60s or Stinger 60s - both of which can be purchased for just over £600 for the pair. Stingers are a structural carbon rim (you need carbon brake pads) while the Jets are an alloy rim with a carbon fairing. Steve Hed rates the Jets himself for durability.

As spandex says, do you need them? I've heard don't bother until you can do 24/25 minute 10 mile TTs as they aren't effective.

The Mavic Cosmic Carbones are another option at a similar price, built like Jets.

EDIT: You could buy a wheel, pull the stickers off then buy the Zipp rim stickers on ebay - not quite the same but they will look the same unless up close.

 

[steve23]

i can do a sub 24min 10!!! just! but i can, well did last season.

i just want a faster wheel to use for road races too.

what about the mavic cosmic carbone sl premium?

 

[Will1985]

AFAIK it is more like a Jet 50 with a 52mm deep V shape rim. 404s are a tiny bit deeper.

From my google research, I don't think there is too much difference in the non structural carbon wheels at all - they will just have a fairing which won't be as strong as a structural wheel, but overall the wheel should be slightly more bomb-proof with the same "aero benefit"
.
Mavics are about £750 at wiggle last time I checked but you can also get a 3 year replacement warranty for £60, which is a good thing if you want to use them for everything don't you think?

Personally, I'm going for the Jet 60s simply because they are more affordable than the Mavics.

 

[steve23]

thanks for your advice.

are all of the mentioned wheels also legal to use in road races? or are they too deep?

 

[Will1985]

Oops!!! I hadn't thought of that for road racing...I use Zondas for that at the moment.

BC says wheels have to conform to UCI rule 1.3.018 (google that with "non standard" and you will find the list). It isn't that up to date (2003), but Cosmic Carbones are on there. I'm going to contact HED out of interest...

While it shouldn't affect me too much, I see your point!

 

[Will1985]

steve - I got my email from Hed UK (ciclismo.co.uk) who say that the current Jets are legal for TT-ing and road racing. The construction is like Cosmic Carbone but with a far stiffer fairing (not difficult IMO).
Rim shape is just like Zipps on all Jets, with a 404 being most similar to a Jet 60.

That is me convinced now

 

[andy_wrx]

Planet-X 50's ? They ran an offer last year IIRC of £500 the pair, inc tubs & carbon brakepads.

They're popular and I've never heard a bad word about them.

<edit>
- yes, offer still on : see here and then follow links to other pages (I find Planet-X website bloody confusing...)
http://www.planet-x-bikes.com/tt/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=260
Planet-X 50's : £499 Shimano tubs, £599 Shimano or Campag clinchers, inc tyres, brakepads, etc
80's, 100's, disc : more prices again

 

[fossyant]

Had some Hed Jet's for years running on Hope Titanium hubs....lurvely, but being a tubbed wheel, they ain't any use for training..... anyone want some nice Hed Jets for tubular tyres... (I don't have the time to race anymore) ......sob...sob....

 

[Tynan]

thank-you for this

I have almost no idea whatsoever what you're all on about but I fell a better cyclist for reading this thread

£800 for two wheels, yeah?