ZIPP WHEELS


2012 Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Wheelset

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Back in the early days – four or five years ago – of carbon clinchers, it wasn’t unusual to feel like we were getting all of the drawbacks and none of the benefits of each. They were heavy, and in very bad situations, the carbon braking surfaces could not withstand the braking forces required for mountain descending. With the Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Wheelset, not only do we emerge from the Dark Ages of carbon clinchers, we warp ahead to what is surely a cycling Utopia.

In order to offer the best of carbon and clincher properties, Zipp focused much of their R&D efforts in creating their 404 Firecrest Carbon Clinchers. Making a clincher out of carbon was really an effort in reinventing the wheel. As far back as 2004 and 2005, Zipp was running tests to see just how much energy – caused not only by the heat of the breaking but also the pressure of the inner tube pushing against the rim wall – a carbon clincher rim could withstand. If the wheels were built based on aluminum designs, it wasn’t able to withstand much energy at all. Zipp’s engineers started exploring alternate resin suppliers. They needed new suppliers for a product that didn’t quite exist; a resin that could take the heat while still being tough enough to withstand the road impact. Upon finding a manufacturer that could conjure this magic, Zipp was able to create a rim that has a resin with a glass transition temperature 100 degrees Fahrenheit higher than any other wheelset. The 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher rims can withstand more energy and greater temperatures than the best tubes and tires. That means you can push these rims as far, or further, than your old aluminum clincher rims.

But the innovations don’t end there. These 404s have been completely redesigned by Zipp using their groundbreaking Firecrest rim shape. The new design comes from Zipp’s belief that focusing on how the shape of the back half of the rim can become a second leading edge improves aerodynamics. Zipp being Zipp, this meant that they went through many iterations before finalizing the Firecrest. Though its profile may appear a little bland, it is anything but. The complexity of the rim shape performed so well in the wind tunnel that the Firecrest 404s returned better numbers than the 808s used in the 2010 Tour de France. And they performed well across the board regardless of tire width or wind direction.

Not only were the aero benefits off the chart, it became clear that at critical yaw angles the handling became more stable than any Zipp wheel or any competitor’s wheel. The 404s are now easier to handle in cross winds than the 303s, for instance. By optimizing the back half of the rim, the center of pressure caused by the wind is pulled back behind the hub so that the crosswind becomes much more predictable. The wind essentially hits the wheel on the steering axis, taking away the lever effect that typically happens when the wind catches the front half of the rim. This makes the wheel feel like it self-corrects with little need for input from the rider. Saxo Bank’s Baden Cooke said it felt like the wheel rode within the wind and not against it.

Aside from these advancements, the Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Tubular Wheelset also offers the VCLC vibration-dampening properties unique toZipp products to help give you as soft a ride as possible. Combined with the aero dimpling, you will be saving so much energy that by the end of a five hour ride over rough roads, you’ll still have enough snap in your legs to take the final sprint.

The Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Wheelset comes in Falcon Grey and Beyond Black in either Shimano or Campagnolo compatible freewheels. The front wheel weighing in at 730 grams and the rear tips the scales at just 100 grams more, so these Carbon Clinchers will still give you a substantial ride with a light touch. The radially-laced, 16-spoke front wheel, and 20-spoke, two-cross rear are strong, but feathery light.

Please Note: Zipp's Tangente Platinum Pro and cork brake pads are designed specifically for use with their carbon clinchers. Use of brake pads other than these is highly recommended against and will void the wheel warranty.