If you like all things fast there’s nothing quite like a pair of deep, aero, light, carbon wheels. They’re like putting high octane fuel into a sports car. Plus, they look bad ass! Thinking about buying a pair for the race season next year or just for fun? Here are some of the pros and cons of the black gold revolution in bike wheels:

PROS:

• Other than the position of your body, carbon wheels increase your speed more than any other equipment change. This alone can mean minutes of a 25 miles TT time
• They’re usually lighter than the wheels you have on your bike right now. While Aero trumps Light any day the reduction in rotating mass is great in accelerations or when the road gets really steep.
• Carbon dampens road vibration and impacts better than metal. This means a more comfortable ride

CONS:

• The Price. You’re looking at $949-$2499 for a pair of wheels.
• Handling. Some smaller riders claim that really deep dish wheels (where the rim in 60-80mm deep) are hard to handle in cross winds. Others don’t seem to have a problem. If you’re worried, its probably wise to demo a pair we have in the shop.

Manufacturers:

We carry three brands of carbon wheels in the shop: ZIPP, HED, and Torelli. Each has their own strong points. We’ll highlight each company over the next few days.

ZIPP:

Founded in 1988, ZIPP is the only carbon wheel (and crank, handlebar, stem, and tire) manufacturer to have its production facilities entirely in the United States. This is one of the reasons they are more expensive than the other brands- their attention to detail (dimpled wheels, ceramic bearings, and amazingly strong rims) puts them over the top and they produce a product that is second to none. World Championships, Ironmans, Tour de France Stages, you name it and its been won on a pair of ZIPPs. If having the absolute best and greatest is important to you than this is the way to go. Here’s the breakdown of their wheels:

202: Light (1070g) and surprisingly aero (more so than a lot of other companies 40-50mm deep wheels). If the Little Cottonwood hill climb makes you salivate these are the wheels for you. 32mm deep rim.  $2100.

303: A great wheel set that balances light weight (1110g) and aerodynamics, this is a great choice for technical criteriums or long road races. 38mm deep rim. $2100.

404: The perfect all around wheel. Very aero and reasonably light (1250g); choose these wheels for just about anything: Road races, Crits, Time Trials, Triathlons, Cyclocross, etc. 58mm deep rim. $2100.

808: One of the most aerodynamic spoked wheels ever tested (and pictured above). A great choice for Road Races and the perfect Triathlon and Time Trial wheel still light at 1435g. 82mm deep rim. $2300.

1080: This is one deeeep rim. Designed exclusively for Time Trial and Triathlon specialists, the 1080 is faster than some disks and will be easier to handle in cross winds. Also great for courses where a disk is illegal (cough, KONA, cough). 108mm deep rim and 1668g. $2450.

WE HAVE ZIPP DEMO WHEELS!!!

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