Zipp 808 Carbon Clincher Wheels Shimano
If speed is your main focus, you are going to be thrilled with what the Zipp 808 has to offer you. Not only is it an excellent racing wheelset, it is just as good for everyday use. It is easy to set up and maintain, is fast, and most of all can handle itself in tough situations. Read full review
Zipp 808 Review
The reputation of the Zipp 808 really did precede it. This is a wheelset that has been used time and time again in major events with great success. This is because Zipp has poured a lot into ensuring that every aspect of 808 is about milking as much speed and aerodynamics out of the wheelset as possible. So, how did it hold up?
The 808 really is a joy to ride, this much is clear from the very beginning. If you are looking to pick up some major speed, the flat ground is your best bet. Once you get up to a certain speed, you really don’t feel like you need to be doing much work at all. This is good as you are not quickly exhausted riding on the wheelset for a long time.
The 808 is just light enough to be decent climbers. That being said, you will be better off on shorter slopes. However, the stiffness really does help to push the bike up with little to no flex or give. The descents are just incredibly fun.
This wheelset really comes into its own when you are hit with bad weather, or at least, this is what I felt. The aerodynamic features came into play, and the wheelset gave no inclination that it was battling crosswinds. With barely a murmur, I was able to continue. To that effect, the braking capabilities of the 808 were surprisingly good. Clearly, Zipp has been working some of the kinks out and it really shows.
+Pros:
- Aerodynamic
- Handles great in crosswind
- Good braking
- Fast
-Cons:
- Expensive
The Verdict
Overall, the Zipp 808 offers one of the best racing experiences you can imagine.
It may leave you feeling light in the pocket but will be worth the investment.
Zipp 808 Carbon Clincher Black Road WheelsThis Zipp 808 clincher wheelset has been built to offer superior aerodynamics and top-level performance. Designed around the all-carbon Firecrest rim technology for incredible speed, its unique 82mm deep ABLC SawTooth dimpled surface ensures incredible crosswind stability.Durable, Hassle-Free HubsetThe Firecrest is a standard to which all other wheels are measured and has been a favourite of professionals for nearly three decades. Behind each latest success is the Zipp 77/177 hubset, prided for its exceptional durability, rolling efficiency and bearing life. With no pre-adjustment needed, these hubs make every ride a hassle-free experience so you can keep your focus on the road ahead.Features: Rim Material: Carbon Rim Type: Clincher Rim Depth: 82mm Rim Width: External: 26mm; Internal: 17mm Dimple Surface: ABLC SawTooth Hub: Zipp 77/177 Spoke Count: 18 Spoke Lacing Pattern: Radial Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray Decal Colour: Black Bearings: Cartridge, stainless steel Max Tyre Pressure: 125 psi Weight: 830g (front). 1kg (rear)Technology: Showstopper: Showstopper is a complimenting pairing of a directional, moulded-in, texture with silicon carbide particles suspended in the surface resin. The current media blast process applied to all Zipp rims increases the surface roughness of the brake track providing the rider with consistent and responsive braking. In order to improve this for the wettest of rides, Zipp has introduced a moulded-in groove specifically tuned for the Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro EVO Brake Pad. The grooves have been optimized to interact with the leading edge (relative to the rotation of the wheel) of the brake pad and the four cooling channels. The leading edge of the pad and first two channels efficiently wipe water and debris outward, cleaning and drying the braking surface, while the second two cooling channels have maximum interference with the grooves allowing greater braking force than a smooth rim. The cleaning effects of the groove and pad interaction improve brake feel and consistency even in dry conditions. Hexfin Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control (ABLC): The Sawtooth dimple design consists of 12 nodes that are specifically clocked to start aerodynamic shearing at a rate of 50hz at a rider speed of 20mph. Sawtooth accomplishes this by inducing small sheet vortices that shed at a low magnitude, but at a higher natural frequency, thus decreasing the laminar bubble effect on the aerodynamically shielded side of the rim’s profile to further reduce high yaw drag and improve crosswind stability. Firecrest: A unique to Zipp rim profile that provides more aerodynamic finesse than any other rim design. It also improves handling in crosswinds significantly and increases the ride quality enormously. Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control (VCLC): Using a vibration absorbing material that is compressed between layers of solid carbon laminate on the rim surface. This technology means that when the rim receive an impact from the road, a lot of the shock is absorbed by the VCLC system, resulting in a 10% reduction in road vibration. Wire EDM: Electron Discharge Machining allows Zipp to precisely remove internal material from the rear hub after they have been heat treated. This removes any abnormality that can sometimes occur during the heat-treating process, resulting in a perfectly finished hub shell. SawTooth: The name given to the Zipp NSW variable depth 53/58mm rim profile. This design is the result of rigorous wind tunnel and real-world testing. The rim shape takes natures elegant design solutions and combines their precise engineering finesse to deliver a wheel that performs like nothing else before.Buy Zipp Wheels & Tyres from Chain Reaction Cycles, the World’s Largest Online Bike Store.
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