Zipp

3ZERO MOTO 27.5in Carbon Boost Wheel

When you hear the name Zipp, you probably think of lightweight carbon drop bars and aerodynamic road wheels. The company's entire mission is to help riders go faster, and until recently that focus remained firmly planted on the road side of things. But that's all changed with the introduction of the 3ZERO MOTO 27.5in Carbon Boost Wheel, a mountain bike wheel that's intended to provide aggressive trail riders and enduro racers newfound levels of speed and control thanks to a single-wall rim design inspired by the motocross industry. Zipp calls it Moto Technology, and in a nutshell it allows the wheel to be more compliant in rough terrain, providing a level of traction unlike anything currently on the market, without any compromises to lateral rigidity. Furthermore, Zipp claims the wheel can sustain impacts that would destroy competitor's alloy wheels, and that the risk of pinch flats is decreased—all good things for the discerning rider and racer.

There's a good chance you're wondering what makes these wheels any better than existing designs, and why Zipp would spend over three years developing and testing with some of the fastest riders in the world to bring us a non-conventional rim shape. Well, the vast majority of carbon mountain bike rims use a box-section design with a hollow D-shaped cross section. It's an effective way to make a stiff and strong rim, but with carbon fiber it often results in a rim that's too stiff, which can feel harsh on the trail and potentially increase your risk of pinch flats. Aluminum rims add some compliance, but the softer material is more susceptible to dents or even flat spots that can eventually render it unrideable.

Zipp's Moto Technology addresses these concerns with a single-wall rim profile that allows for more radial compression, resulting in a more compliant and comfortable ride that Zipp feels makes you faster on the trail. Additionally, like motocross wheels, the 3ZERO MOTO rim can pivot from either side of the spoke bed while traversing rough terrain. Zipp calls it "ankle compliance" because the rim behaves like a human ankle, allowing a bit of local flex so the rim can stay more parallel to the ground in corners to improve traction, and also deflect in the right direction during single-bead impacts to prevent the rider from getting bounced off line. On the trail, Moto Technology feels a bit like extra suspension travel, making it easier to hold a line over chundery rocks and roots while improving your overall traction. As for pinch flats and rim damage, Zipp claims that Moto Technology decreases the likelihood of both, due to the subtle flex that spreads impact energy over a larger area. Zipp also claims that Moto Technology lets you run lower tire pressure for better grip, and that it reduces rider fatigue by absorbing vibration and trail chatter. And thanks to a 32-spoke design, the wheel remains laterally stiff during hard cornering and provides efficient power transfer when accelerating.

As an added bonus, the 3ZERO MOTO Carbon Boost Wheels come with TyreWiz pre-installed to the valve stem area. TyreWiz allows you to set your preferred tire pressure on the TyreWiz smartphone app, and then a light on the device blinks red or green to show you if the pressure is correct, even if you don't have your phone with you. It's especially useful for enduro racing situations, when a couple of psi can make a huge difference with traction, speed, and performance. If your tire pressure is off or you have a slow leak, TyreWiz lets you know right away so you can fix it before your next stage.