Aero wheels and value for money - help me decide!

duncan-m-w

I just can not make my mind up - I want to buy some aero wheels. To be used for flat triathlon and Ironman events. I am not super fast, but typically come in the top 10-30% on the bike leg, depending on how competitive the event is!

So my wheel choices are:
Used (lightly) 2012 Zipp 808 - c£1100
Used (lightly - shop demo) 2013 Zipp 404 - £800
New 2014 Zipp 60 - c£630
New 2014 Hed Jet 9+/6+ - £1350
New 2014 Zipp 808/404 - £1550

I just can not decide!! £1550 for the 808's is a mind boggling amount of money for some wheels, but if I am keeping these forever, and they really are that much faster than the 60's (struggled to find comparative data), then maybe it is worth it? The 60's are obviously the cheapest and offer a an aluminium brake surface which makes me feel safer, but will they really give me a meaningful advantage over the Fulcrum racing Zeros they will replace? Are the 404's therefore the best option (up to date aero, at a reasonable(!) price)? Or as arguably the most robust wheels, are the Heds worth the extra money? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance everyone!

ugo.santalucia

Don't bother with Zipp pre-2014.. .they have a faulty hub design which might result in a busted wheel and a new set of teeth for you. There is a sticky thread in the workshop section if you want to know more.
For Iron Man, it really depends on the course, some are extremely hilly and you might be better off with normal shallow wheels, others pan flat, while generally triathlons are flatter.
Have a look at Planet X carbon wheels... they are used by some guys at Kona, so they can't be bad and typically come at 4-500 pounds.
Alternatively, FLO wheels are highly rated among the TRI crowd, but you have to preorder, so realistically you won't have them before 2015

duncan-m-w

Thanks Ugo. Definitely flat course stuff.

I really want clinchers, which I think mostly puts Planet X stuff out - apart from the CT45 which I am not sure are 'as Aero' as I was hoping for. Also had some bad experience with a previous PX wheelset which has put me off them. Flo is a definite no no, given timelines.

Thanks for the pointer on pre-2014 Zipp hubs. I have read a lot of your personal website, but had not stumbled across the Zipp sticky thread or the article on your website. So that takes two of the options out!

Which leaves me with:
New 2014 Zipp 60 - c£630
New 2014 Hed Jet 9+/6+ - £1350
New 2014 Zipp 808/404 - £1550

The Zipp 60's look compelling on price then, but I just do not know how much of an actual advantage they will give me..... Even being the cheapest, are they worth it?
Hmmmm......... Any other other thoughts, suggestions or experiences anyone. Thanks again

styxd

http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/aero-50-clincher

http://www.wheelsfar.com/road-wheels/clincher.html

duncan-m-w

Thanks styxd

Unfortunatly, at 87-89kg, I blow the Wheelsmith weight limit out the water. And would really like to make my purchase in the next week or so (I have been procrastinating for some time now!)

Thanks for the suggestions though.

ugo.santalucia

duncan-m-w wrote:

Thanks styxd

Unfortunatly, at 87-89kg, I blow the Wheelsmith weight limit out the water. And would really like to make my purchase in the next week or so (I have been procrastinating for some time now!)

Thanks for the suggestions though.

Why? Is the season of open air swimming not drawing to a close? Do they run triathlons over winter?

duncan-m-w

Yeah. Openwater swimming is pretty much done here, but I got round the problem of delaying my first IM distance event till as late in the year as possible by heading overseas to do it! Due to do it in two weeks and the weather is currently 25C and sunny there! I forgot however that the last few weeks of training are therefore done in the cold and wet and dark. But that gave me an excuse to buy some expensive new lights for riding round Surrey and Sussex lanes!!

ugo.santalucia

We had this conversation via email already, didn't we? :roll:

duncan-m-w

Yeah... asked if you could make me anything (as my preferred option) a few weeks ago, to which you said not in the timeframe. So at that point I was looking at just the Heds. But I got concerned about price so started exploring other options.

So having just reminded myself of the cost point...... I guess the sensible decision is to take the new 808/404 option out of the equation..... Even though they are very pretty and apparently the fastest.

Which would leave it as Hed vs Zipp 60 (at half the price).....

ugo.santalucia

Had a look at the classifieds? There is always some bargain on deep sections... people buy them and then don't use them...

duncan-m-w

Yeah - Kept an eye but not come across anything, other than the used items I originally stated. Used Hed Jets seem to be rarer than hens' teeth!

me-109

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Had a look at the classifieds? There is always some bargain on deep sections... people buy them and then don't use them...

.... which says a lot in itself. :idea:

duncan-m-w

Me-109 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Had a look at the classifieds? There is always some bargain on deep sections... people buy them and then don't use them...

.... which says a lot in itself. :idea:

Yeah - super aware of that... which is why cost is a consideration - just in case! But as I tend to do more triathlons than sportives (apart from the odd Etape etc), I figure I will have plenty of opportunity to use them. And I have really enjoyed doing the training for this IM distance event, so as a minimum, I am thinking I would like to do more HIM events, if not more IMs.

ChrisB200SX

Shimano RS81 C50 ?

Not quite as deep perhaps but cheaper, future-proof and fairly sturdy without being too heavy?

That are also quite wide, which should improve aerodynamics at the point the air goes over the rim/tyre connection

ugo.santalucia

ChrisB200SX wrote:

Shimano RS81 C50 ?

Not quite as deep perhaps but cheaper, future-proof and fairly sturdy without being too heavy?

That are also quite wide, which should improve aerodynamics at the point the air goes over the rim/tyre connection

They are more show off wheels than iron man wheels... I think for these events you either go shallow because the course is technical or extremely windy or you go big because it's flat... 50 mm rims are neither

fleshtuxedo

If it has to be clinchers then can't see past the zipp 60s. You could get a corima disc and 808 front second hand for similar money second hand if you got your head round tubs, but obviously tubs feel more of a DNF risk.

pippi_langsamer-2

Have a look at Buyabike. They have some Club Roost wheels on sale (10speed).

Alu aero clinchers (similar I guess to Cosmics), for £499

Or the full carbon version for £525

Might be an option....

cycleclinic

With tubs get out a can of pitstop and away you go. If it a slash that poitstop cannot fix. In five minutes you could have a new tub on and be on your way. Just a quick as fixing a tube but with the advantage you do not risk leaving something in the tyre meaning you are doing it again 2 minutes later.

duncan-m-w

Thanks all for the comments.

This would be my first foray into tubs, and I just do not know it is the right time, especially when there appear to be pretty decent options at whatever price bracket.

Thanks for the suggestion Pippi.... as someone said earlier, not sure that they would be aero enough, and for the money, it would probably better with the Zipps given the resale price would probably be better too.

Guess I just have to decide how much money to spend..... I think I am leaning towards the Zipps for value for money.... but then again are they aero enough?! I just can not decide!!

gazeds

What about the new racing zero carbon clincher

pippi_langsamer-2

duncan-m-w wrote:

Thanks all for the comments.

This would be my first foray into tubs, and I just do not know it is the right time, especially when there appear to be pretty decent options at whatever price bracket.

Thanks for the suggestion Pippi.... as someone said earlier, not sure that they would be aero enough, and for the money, it would probably better with the Zipps given the resale price would probably be better too.

Guess I just have to decide how much money to spend..... I think I am leaning towards the Zipps for value for money.... but then again are they aero enough?! I just can not decide!!

If you're only having one wheelset, Im not sure Id go bigger than 50mm anyway as it's generally fairly windy 'ere.

I'd concentrate on how aero you can get yourself- we see far too many pictures of riders with aero frames, aero wheels etc and then go and undo all that windtunnel testing time by having 5cm+ of spacers the stem :roll:

duncan-m-w

Thanks Pippi

They will not be my only wheels. I will have my Fulcrums if it is pretty windy. And not thinking mad deep, but I think I can get away with 80 front and rear and definitely a 80/90 rear with a say 60 front, given my weight and "emergency" Racing Zeros if it is wild out.

You will be glad to know that my stem is slammed. Could I get more aero, probably, but given this will be my main aero wheels used only for tris, I think I can go a bit more aggressive than 50's. Thanks for the continued input. Appreciate all the comments and suggestions!

rolf_f

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

I'd concentrate on how aero you can get yourself- we see far too many pictures of riders with aero frames, aero wheels etc and then go and undo all that windtunnel testing time by having 5cm+ of spacers the stem :roll:

If the frame fits the rider, then there isn't really any aero advantage in having no spacers and a head tube that's 5cm taller to compensate.........