zipp 202 firecrest

Grifteruk

Am thinking about treating myself with a pair of these but am looking for views from anyone who has experience of these braking.

I appreciate braking will be different to my aluminum wheels, more so in the wet. Anyone have direct experience of these wheels to share so I can get some first hand views on how they compare to alu rim in the wet and how much difference there is?

have seen previous thread on 202s which seemed to focus more on other issues.
Thanks

ugo.santalucia

Make sure you get the 2014 ones, as the previous 188 hub had plenty of scary issues. With the right pads they will brake fine. Obviously the clinchers will have overheating/blowing up issues if you brake too hard for too long over long steep descents. However, Zipp is among the safest rims out there in this respect and if you are an experienced mountain goat, you will be fine (avoid latex inner tubes and pressure in excess of 100 PSI). If in doubt, get the tubular version, lighter, cheaper, better.

Mccaria

I have the 2014 202 in clincher with the reworked rear hub. Limited use so far, but really don't think there will be a problem with braking in UK conditions. Most of my riding is Kent/Surrey so short sharp descents rather than long descents. Work very well with 9000 brakes and Zipp pads. Main hazard is road surface quality !

piersj01

Anyone had any problems with Zipp 202 Firecrest clinchers delaminating or failing on descents as am thinking of buying and using them for Maratona and Marmotte?

964cup

Not sure I see the point of 202s. There is no shortage of lighter carbon-rimmed wheels with better hubs, and the 202s don't really have the aero benefit that (theoretically) justifies Zipp pricing. *Really* don't see the point of 202 clinchers - they're not even that light.

ianSWBB

The Zipp 202 is a good wheelset - we have the latest 2016 version at the moment with the new 77/177 hubs!

But the poster above is right - there are other options cheaper and better/same in performance - e.g. Fulcrum Racing Zero Carbon wheels - 100gms lighter and several hundred pounds cheaper!!!

964cup

More to the point, Racing Zero aluminium rim wheels are 10g lighter and just over a third of the price; they are also less likely to fail on Alpine descents. Mavic R-SYS SLRs are 150g lighter, about £300 less and have the best braking surface available.

Besides which, for £600 or so, any competent wheelbuilder could build a set of alloy-rimmed clinchers that weighed the same or less, rolled just as well, and could be serviced properly. In fact, you can build a sub-1400g wheelset running tubeless for about £450 - see threads passim ad nauseam about Stans ZTR340 on Novatec SB-SL, for instance.