Zipp hubs: explosions and recalls

I had mine spoilt over the weekend.
So can I said that the new 2014 11 speed hub is good and better as they have correct their mistake and I can change to the newer model?
I

I've just bought a 2013 808 Front Beyond Black - 88 Black Hubs - are these hubs updated since the problems with the silver 88 ones?

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Percy Vera wrote:

I've just bought a 2013 808 Front Beyond Black - 88 Black Hubs - are these hubs updated since the problems with the silver 88 ones?

AFAIK the fanfare about the new hubs came out in autumn, so it was meant to go on the 2014 model...

Ask this guy, he's quick at replying denham@zipp.com

Cheers.. Just sent an email

Percy Vera wrote:

WOW!!!

He was fast, he's already got back to me with the news there's a 0.02% chance of me smashing my face on the tarmac due to hub failure, caused my metal fatigue.

So that means it happens in 1 every 5000 hubs... strangely is has happened to 3 people on this forum... I struggle to believe we have 15,000 users on Zipp wheels...

A Mate of mine had exactly the same thing happen on an Ironman last year, hubs made of putty comes to mind!

The 303 are actually a great set of high end race wheels, now that the issue has been resolved.

My thoughts on the 188 hub here, if anyone is interested in the subject... as always it is my view and not the truth cast in stone

http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/con ... st-rebuild

OK, it's a month to the day since my wheel flange snapped off like a row of chocolate off my V8 188 rear hub.

LBS said it would take about a week, wheel just came back.
Not too fussed on turn around time, LBS is busy and do a good job so no concerns about the one month warranty replacement.

However, I am pretty dissappointed by Zipp and the importer who will remain nameless.
I was advised that they would be replacing the wheel with a V9 hub as the V8 is a flawed design, and hence why they had to re-engineer it from gound up and change the spoke lacing pattern.

When I opened up the box, to my dissapointment I noticed that not only was it replaced with the old design V8 hub (Zipp said 'We decided to do a 'like for like' replacement instead' even though they informed me three weeks ago that they would put a V9 in it for me because the V8's were discontinued) but the rim stickers were all chipped and flaking off. Literally flaking off. I don't know how this can even happen? An old unused rim that had been kicking around the warehouse for a few years mayhap? Not sure, but imagine taking a paint scraper to the stickers and giving them all a few good scrapes. And just to top it off, Zipp didn't even throw in a rim strip. Poor form.

Now, I could have purchased these online for RRP almost half the price you pay through an LBS.
My reasoning for paying full retail (almost $700 more than I needed to on the set) was because I was sold on 'Followup service and warranty'. The good ol "If you buy from a shop, you know you will get looked after".

Well, even though the LBS has been very helpful, and one saleperson in particular is very patient and accommodating when it comes to my continuous "Are they in yet"? calls, I must say that I have not been sold on the value of purchasing these through a bike store as the distributor isn't willing to look after the problem. It seems that it doesn't actually matter how good your LBS is if the distribotors aren't willing to help.
I told the LBS that even though they techinically did 'honour the warranty', they did a backflip on the hub replacement, then gave me a rim which was in worse condition than the one I left them with and the fact that they couldn't even supply a rims strip was just not up to the standard of followup service that anyone should expect.
The LBS contacted the distributor who advised them that they would honour the rim strip for me, and if I really wanted they could give me some more stickers which I could put on myself. But that's 'All that they could do'.
Wow.
I wonder if that's what they would say to Cavendish if his hub failed 50 meters out from the finish line "Some stickers Cav"?

My concern is that every time I get on my bike I trust my life with the components I ride. We all do.
Zipp have given me no choice but to have them happily risk my life using a product that they have admitted is inferior in design, and it seems that that they are happy to take that risk and place no value whatsoever on customer service or my safety.

I am not intending on accepting the wheel or selling it on as I would not like to haphazardly devalue someone elses life as dismissively and irresponsibly as Zipp has by selling it to them.
If this product failure happened when I was doing a big descent, or travelleing on the road with a bus behind me I have no doubt that it could result in serious injury or even death.

It's a fault that has been documented time and time again all over the world on many forums and product reviews, it's a flawed design, and the fact thaty Zipp is happy to risk my life rather than replace my warrantied wheel with a V9 hub (like they actually said that they would before they did a backflip) I think is simply disgraceful.
They know that this is an unsafe product. I just cannot fathom how irresponsible they are.

I have given my LBS an opportunity to contact the distrubtor and replace the wheel with another option from Zipp within the same price range that has a different hub than the V8 and I am awaiting their reply.

I would also like to note that I always stand by the team at my LBS as a professional, courteous and experienced team and I wish that this post does not reflect badly on them as they have done everything they can to help.
This is simply an observation of the lack of service quality and moral ethics that Zipp are happy to provide for no other reason than I can see than they just cannot be bothered.
If they replaced my wheel with a V9 hub, they would not be losing any money.
It's just a way for them to simply palm off their old stock which they know they cannot sell. Simple as that.

So come on Zipp, now it's your turn to convince me that I did the right thing by spending $1600 on a set of your wheels.
You boast the products capabilities and you boast that you are the best in the world at what you do.

Here's your chance to prove it by bbacking up your claims.
And maybe, just maybe you could throw in that precious rim strip this time. I'll even put it on myself.

Well I for one have been put off ever buying Zipps! At least with cheap Chinese wheels its 50-50 whether they will fail. With Zipp it's guaranteed

You'd expect good customer service from such a high end product surely?

philbar72 wrote:

the latest models (the v9's) are much improved, but they are still zipp hubs (which in my view are not good). if you have the budget get a decent 24 hole rear hub and a hope 18 hole front hub. get the wheels rebuilt by a professional. appreciate this isn't cheap, but you will get a set of wheels that will be phenomenal, rather than just good.

As has been echoed on this site numerous times, the carbon section and the spokes are fine. Everything else is just not very good.

I had a good look at your hub and there is only one thing wrong with it, which is the way the drive side flange is designed. Everything else is very good... even the alleged "hub play" seems an internet legend... there is no play and even if there was play, this could be eliminated by tightening the preload cap. It's got some rather nice seals... to be honest I don't see anything inferior to what Chris King sells, except for the stupid flange design.
A very minor issue, the non drive side spokes retainer is a royal PITA to fit once it's been removed, but it's not a major issue once you realise where and how it needs to be pressed to pop back in place.
I would expect the V9 to be of a quality thart reflects the price

I'm confused as to what rear hub I have.

I bought a 404 Firecest all-black rear wheel early 2013, but they do not have the 11speed etched in white on the freehub. The freehub is red, I cannot recall if the axle caps are black or red.

Does that mean I might even have a version 7? Are they as issue prone as the V8?

Cheers for any guidance...

thegreatdivide wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

even the alleged "hub play" seems an internet legend... there is no play and even if there was play, this could be eliminated by tightening the preload cap.

The hub play is not an internet rumour invented by some random. This is from the Zipp website:

Bearing pre-load adjustment
Pre-loading bearings reduces the amount of play felt in wheel. Play is simply the clearance between bearing balls and bearing races. With most bearings, including Zipp’s, you want to feel some play because it means that the ball is free to move into the optimal location of the races once rider weight is applied. However, excessive play can lead to premature bearing wear. One feature of the 88 and 188 model hubs is that the user can adjust the bearing preload to attain the amount of play desired.
Clinch nuts are set at the factory so that there will be a small amount of pre-load and a minimal amount of play in the wheel when installed in the frame with quick release load applied.

OK, so basically up to the user to decide if he wants some play or not... it's different from the rumours of un-removable play in the hub... something you have to live with
Basically it is a very normal hub, just someone has not realised what the 2 mm Allen slot is there for...

There was no sweet spot with my 188 rear hub,it was a choice between a bit of play or drag.

This exact problem happened to me just after descending from the col du Glandon in France. Seconds after i was travelling at about 40km/h. Immediately after the drive-side hub failed, the wheel turned into a taco and stopped instantly in against the brake pads. I was very, very lucky it didn't happen while descending.

The wheels are Zipp 303 2013 model. Probably about 5,000km of riding on them.

The V7 hub is quite dangerous. Its a trend