After updating the Firecrest series and adding the 303-S last year, ZIPP is set to release new wheels during a webinar within the next 48hours.
The NSW range is due for an update, so there is very likely to be news here.
Especially after 353 NSW have been spotted during Amstel Gold women’s race on the weekend:
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Always loved the NSW shape, lovely wheels. But unless they get the weight and price down to compete with Rovals range, is there any point any more unless you’re really into Zipps.
Loved my 404s but they seem so dated now.
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Just my two cents on the value proposition of these vs Rovals (which I own and love).
- tubeless compatible
- hookless and wider inner for more comfort and lower risk of punctures
- wider appeal as oem parts and to owners of non-Spesh bikes.
- probably sub 1,400g weight, which will make them more appealing to people who don’t know physics
- crazy looks and proprietary hubs, which they will sell as a good thing!
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Looks get me for sure, just stunning. I would give my right arm for Rapide CLX depth, stability, weight and price with NSW looks.
That’s the dream wheel set. We will get there!
Hookless, especially the way Zipp have done it, is an absolute no go for me. Why make it easier for the tire to blow off the rim? Why buy a wheelset where I am so limited on competitive tires that there’s only about a dozen approved ones? What is the supposed benefit for me?
I get that they are easier and cheaper to produce, but I see no user benefit to hookless. There are plenty of excellent wheelsets that are hooked but cost less than Zipp’s finicky hookless.
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Well, the official benefit of hookless is, that the tire and rim for a better interface, that is works better from an aerodynamics standpoint (see enve SES wheels + tires). Also, you can run lower air pressure, for lower Crr and more comfort.
I for one will not buy anything hookless for road again. The tire choice is too limited and on the SES 4.5 AR, getting a tire off is as easy as breaking into Fort Knox.
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Hi, I am confused. Are you sayin that your list is the benefits you see of Zipps over Rovals?
Roval 64 says they are “Tubeless ready”. https://rovalcomponents.com/collections/road/products/roval-clx-64-front#
Am I missing something in this comparison of yours?
(I don’t have either - i am just seeking clarification)
The new rovals are not tubeless compatible. The CLX line is old.
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Are you saying “Tubeless ready” is different from “tubeles compatible”? Their website says tubeless ready - see the link I used earlier
That’s the latest and greatest. Clincher only.
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New Rapides are Rovals benchmark now. Clincher only, though tubeless version was spotted on their website recently and removed.
The situation is a mess though at the moment. I went from being a proud 3 min puncture repair guy in years past to bricking it in case I get a puncture and have to break my fingers or tyre levers or tyre head to get a new tube in.
Absurd the nonsense with the newer rims and tyres. I’d love to try the new GP5000 but neither my current wheel sets could take them. Even guy in workshop said he probably have to break the bead to get them on the Mavics.
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I can usually get my GP5k on and off my wheels without a lever, and if not then it comes off with a lever with almost no effort, which means I can actually change a tube on the side of the road. I’d say tubeless solves a non existent problem, but considering how seemingly impossible it is to get a tube installed roadside in case of emergency I’d say they’re a step backwards.
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I don’t for a second believe that hookless enables lower pressures. I think that’s marketing spin that in reality is tied to either a wider width or tubeless, neither of which require hookless.
As for the smoother tire/rim interface, OK there’s probably some benefit there. But it’s got to be fraction of a watt territory and the trade offs aren’t worth it to me.
I am still doubtful of the benefits of road tubeless outweighing the risks and hassle, even though I love MTB tubeless. Thin latex tubes have most of the rolling resistance benefit of tubeless and fewer downsides. I just have to adjust tire pressure every day that I ride, which is no big deal. I hardly ever get flats, and when I do it’s usually major tire damage, so that doesn’t matter to me. I can see it being worthwhile if you get many flats with tubes.
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Yeah but what wheels. That’s the point.
Best wheelset on the market.
Sublime ride. I’ll ride these things into a tornado.
Bontrager Aeolus 5 but I also run clinchers and tubes. Complaints about the impossible to mount GP5k seems like it always centers around the TL version of the tire. I’ve installed the clinchers for friends on different wheelset (Bontrager race, ZIPP 454NSW, Mavic Exalith, no-name China carbons) and never had an issue.
The only time I did was with really old really narrow fulcrum brand wheels. My buddy had them on an old Wilier and got a flat and couldn’t take the tires off, we had such a hard time getting the 5k on them that I gifted him my stock Bontrager Race wheels so if he got a flat he could actually change it roadside.
32mm gp5k are not bad to install on a 25mm ID rim. 25 GP5k suck to install on a 21mm ID wheel and feel like a 2 man job.
I have my 25c on a 17.5 internal rim and no issues. Need a lever at first but nothing that would break a sweat. If I have to remove and re-seat it a few times through its life to change tubes I find it mounts and comes off easier each time: after about 4-5 I can get the tire on by hand, off is a little tougher but I can massage it
Looking forward to seeing these new Zipp wheels and how they compare to the latest Rovals. I’m also hoping Enve will be releasing new wheels this year. I’m in the market for a new set of light climby wheels and as of right now am planning on waiting until Spesh release the approved tubeless compatible Alpinist CLX because nothing from the other major brands seems to compete currently