While the Zipp brand tends to be bring aerodynamics to mind, especially with regards to carbon wheels, they do also make some solid everyday components like bars, stems, and seatposts and offer a wide range of accessories from valve extenders to bottle cages to solve some everyday needs. Zipp just sent us a press release that mostly consisted of these same basic accessories in some slightly updated or expanded configurations, but what caught our attention were the forthcoming Rotor Protectors. While throwing spare cross wheels around for the past couple of years to and from races, the thought of keeping the rotors out of harms way sounds intriguing. Join us after the break to take a better look, and to get pricing and availability, also for the other accessory updates…
The Zipp Rotor Protector is designed to keep our rotors safe in transit. They are a neoprene cover that slips over the rotor and quick release (or thru-axle) to prevent contamination from dirt and grease, for example when the wheels are leaned up against a bike’s chain. They appear to only really cover the outer surface of the rotor, with a drawstring that cinches down on the inside of the rotor to hold it in place. They will be available from January 2016 in 140mm and 160mm sizes for $20/21€/£16 each.
While we like the idea of a protector, it seems that this soft cover won’t do anything to protect the rotor from something pushing against it and knocking it out of true (in our experience the biggest issue in transit). And this design looks to actually require a good bit of fitting and adjusting with your hands right next to the rotor, opening up several more possibilities for transferring the oils from our grubby little hands to the rotor (probably our second biggest worry with disc brake rotors. Let us know in the comments if you think this solves a problem, or opens up another can of worms.
As for the other accessories, Zipp has added a cheaper set of Tangent valve extenders for removable and fixed valve core tubes and tubulars to join the extenders they already had been offering made in cooperation with Silca. The removable core extenders are to come in kits of 3 (one for each wheel and your spare tube) plus a pair of aluminum wrenches, and are tailored for length to go with their wheelsets. Available in February, the 303/60/404 kit (58mm deep rim) will sell for $25/26€/£20 (or $9/9€/£7 a piece); the 808 kit (82mm deep rim) will sell for $27/28€/£22 (or $10/10€/£8 a piece); and the 1080 kit (108mm deep rim): $32/33€/£26 (or $12/13€/£10 a piece).
For fixed, non-removable valve cores the extenders come one at a time. Also available in February, the 404 and shallower extenders will sell for $9/9€/£7 a piece, the 808 ones for $11/11€/£9 a piece, and the 1080 extenders for $12/13€/£10 a piece. Both types of extenders include 3mm hex key tooling inside of the extender’s tube so they can be tightened easily to the valve.
The Silca valve extenders carry over for removable valve core tubes and tires, and have the same 24mm rubber extender gasket to eliminate rattling in the wheels. They are already available and also come in kits of 3 with a plastic installation tool provided. Extender kits in 34, 45, 60 & 75mm lengths all retail for the same price of $45/47€/£36.
Adding to the valve extenders are some new Tangente branded butyl inner tubes with aluminum Presta valves and removable cores to work with the extenders. They come with 37mm valve stems, 0.85mm tube walls, and in two sizes for 20-28mm tires (72g) or for 28-32mm tires (96g). Both sizes will sell for $10/10€/£8 from January 2016.
The 18g SL Speed Carbon cage at $75/78€/£60 now gets new white and red colors to go with the standard black. And the more affordable 27g alloy Alumina cage adds a clear anodized version to add to the original anodized black for $35/37€/£29.
