Zipp 404 firecrest carbon clincher wheelset

Zipp's new 58mm-deep Firecrest rim profile admittedly takes a while to get used to, what with its unusually fat width, nearly board-flat sides, and decidedly blunt nose but when out on the open road the only thing you're likely to think about is, 'holy crap, I'm flying! During one memorable instance on a familiar, fast and slightly negative grade, we actually had to sit bolt upright zipp 404 firecrest carbon clincher wheelset feather the brakes to avoid overtaking a similarly-sized rider that was well up the road and clearly pedaling like mad.

Here's how you can win it. Zipp released the new Firecrest wheels in the middle of last year. The biggest difference over their previous models is rim shape. These are not just a revamped version of the tubulars. Zipp widened the sidewalls on the Firecrest. As you can see in the illustration below, they are very wide at the tyre The large-radius profile is claimed to produce lower drag figures at a wider range of yaw angles thus improving handling in crosswinds , better overall ride quality, and improved wheel strength.

Zipp 404 firecrest carbon clincher wheelset

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Zipp have been excellent in trying to rectify the problems, however spokes keep coming loose as well as the cones. As you can see in the illustration below, they are very wide at the tyre The rear hub features tall flanges to help transmit power to the rim.

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The is a classic in Zipp's arsenal that dates back to the early s. Originally designed as a TT and race day specialist, the has evolved to it's current Firecrest shape making it well suited for all-around race-day and training use on any terrain. The latest iteration of the Firecrest Carbon Clincher is infused with technologies refined in Zipp's Indianapolis advanced development lab. The results mean better performance out on the road: More speed, better control, and greater stopping power than its predecessor:. This technology helps to achieve the optimization of low aerodynamic drag and crosswind stability, which Zipp calls AeroBalance.

Zipp 404 firecrest carbon clincher wheelset

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Jon cozart

Even so, we experienced faster-than-anticipated heat build-up on our test set during long descents and panic stops plus ear-piercing brake howling once things got hot. Zipp is also keen to point out the higher heat capacity of its new composite system - a critical feature as tire bead softening is a known Achilles' heel for carbon clinchers, especially for riders that live in mountainous regions. It took a little bit of getting used to when looking down at the wider rim profile. But despite Zipp's claims, the rims still don't dissipate heat as well as we'd like, and certainly still not as well as an aluminum hoop. Zipp includes its own cork-based Tangente brake blocks with each set of Carbon Clinchers. In short, unfortunately I cannot recommend these wheels after experiencing the problems myself and my team have had. According to Zipp, the Carbon Clincher's new composite system was specifically designed to withstand high heat - the most common mode of failure for full carbon clincher rim beads. The hubs roll along as smooth as glass and I notice it every time I take them out. So much that the tyre has rubbed right through the paint on my rear chainstay 4. Straight after both of the tyres blew off the rim at exactly the same time. We had the same experience while bombing in a full tuck down one of the local canyons in unpredictably swirling winds, too. Zipp's new 58mm-deep Firecrest rim profile admittedly takes a while to get used to, what with its unusually fat width, nearly board-flat sides, and decidedly blunt nose but when out on the open road the only thing you're likely to think about is, 'holy crap, I'm flying! Sapim CX-Ray stainless steel spokes. Zipp's new Carbon Clinchers are ultra-fast at speed and remarkably easy to handle in strong crosswinds. Braking performance coming down from those speeds is good with the included Zipp blocks.

Here's how you can win it. Zipp released the new Firecrest wheels in the middle of last year.

UPDATE: Zipp have confirmed a number of enhancements to the hubs and the rim construction to rectify these problems which they acknowledge. Say what you will about the debated effects of wheel weight on overall acceleration - we know it's a small percentage of the total bike-plus-rider mass - but it's still a noticeable difference nonetheless. But you won't see these wheels under a ProTour rider anytime soon; drawbacks such as the stiff ride, so-so weight and high inertia for a pure race wheel , screaming brakes, and high price tag for the rest of us are tough to ignore. Weight - or more specifically, inertia - seems to be the culprit here. The picture below shows how evenly the temperature distribution is, as well as the ability of the rim to shed heat - notice the difference between the portion of the brake track leaving the pad vs. Was it anything to do with the rims heating up? But despite Zipp's claims, the rims still don't dissipate heat as well as we'd like, and certainly still not as well as an aluminum hoop. Poertner also insists that in-house testing has shown wider tire beds in general to require lower inflation pressures to achieve comparable compliance numbers. Initial bite is suitably strong and confident - especially for a carbon rim - and that power is easy to modulate with no unsettling grabbiness or pulsing. Straight-line speed in calm conditions is one thing but the 's remarkably composed personality in crosswinds flat-out shocked us. I had this misconception stuck in my head that a thicker wheel would be slower. Zipp says this infrared image shows the superior heat capacity and dissipation capabilities of its new Carbon Clincher rim. So, if your ultimate goal is flat-out speed and you're not interested in tubulars, there's a lot to like with Zipp's new Carbon Clincher - they're fast with a big, fat, capital 'F' and offer handling stability in crosswinds unmatched by other aero wheels we've used. Here's how you can win it.