Zipp takes new Course with Aluminum Disc-brake Tubeless and Tubular wheels

When did $1000 for a set of 1650g wheels become acceptable? Campagnolo Zondas weigh 100g less and can be had for 1/2 the money with (arguably) higher quality. I don’t buy that disk brakes add to the cost, sure the hubs would cost more to machine but the rims should offset that. Also one of the promises of road disk was that the rims would be lighter, so far this doesn’t seem to be the case.

Number one rule of business, charge what the market will bear. I guess cyclists just want to spend more money these days.

I’d choose No Tubes Grails for $400 less or the new Reynolds ATR for $500 more.

Zipp is a highly regarded product, and obviously very popular, but even Velonews in a recent carbon clincher wheel test noted what most people say, that the hubs are finicky. As race wheels, I can see why some people don’t mind dealing with hubs that may be a bit high maintenance, but I want something that is rock solid and is almost plug and play and forget about it.
Until Zipp can get by that hubs issue (real or perceived) I’ll choose other products.

Makes you wonder why Zipp’s recently updated Firecrest Disc carbon wheels didn’t get wider rims and tubeless compatibility…

KC: SRAM can’t bring themselves to license Shimano’s centerlock, simple as that.

Many of the center lock to 6 bolt adapters make noise.

@Kris: “Also one of the promises of road disk was that the rims would be lighter” this was always BS. The wheels need to handle pressures of a 120psi tire and pothole hits at 40+mph – all significantly higher forces than a MTB wheel. The fact that a brake track doesn’t exist doesn’t do squat to lower weight. The fact that a disc wheels require much more spokes for braking forces add to the weight greatly. Disc brakes will always add weight when compared to rim brakes. Period. This is a big reason why disc brakes on a road bike suck.

@KC: Centerlock is open source. That’s why several companies (HED, Bontrager, DT, etc) use it. It’s a much better design then 6-bolt, it’s just more difficult to manufacture and uses much tighter tolerances than 6-bolt.

Who in their right mind would buy these? Only 24 spokes front/rear yet they still weight 1640g. And they are road disc wheels, yet have 6-bolt brake mounts while the best rotors are only available in centerlock. I know, Zipp is owned by SRAM, but lets face it – Shimano has the best brakes on the market, and a lot of people will be using them and want to use the proper rotors. A custom handbuilt set using Stan’s Grail rims laced to White Industries CLD hubs with CX-Rays in a 24/28 spoke count cost less, weight less, will be more reliable with a few extra spokes on the rear wheel, and the hubs are made in the USA and are simply fantastic. And you can pick the color of the hubs/spokes/nipples.

@Dustin: “Shimano has the best brakes on the market, and a lot of people will be using them and want to use the proper rotors. ” You obviously haven’t used the new SRAM Hydro brakes. Blow away Shimano in terms of modulation and feel. Power the same/hard to compare since both have more than enough power.

For anyone looking for something like the Freeza rotor with a 6-bolt mount, Jagwire makes a very similar model. http://jagwire.com/products/v/elite_vented_disc_brake_rotors

1650gm for $1000 / £800 seems really expensive?

considering the stock Giant P-SLO wheelset on my 2015 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 weigh only a few gm more than the Zipp wheels, and came as part of a GBP£2,599 bike that has a sub 1kg carbon frame and Ultegra 6800 with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes.

the stock P-SLO wheels use Giant’s own semi-aero aluminium alloy rim, and sealed bearing disc hubs with DT Swiss internals. Have been abusing the hell out of these wheels for months with no issues to speak of, they feel light, tight and very responsive when accelerating.

Cannot complain really?

I just picked up a pair of Pacenti SL25s laced to White Industries CLD hubs from Rob Curtis at Psimet. Weight is 1620 grams with double rim strip for tubeless, and cost was about $800. Running tubeless Schwalbe Ones and Ice tech rotors. They are amazing.

You guys seem to be forgetting that SRAM already does license Centerlock for their Avid rotors…

SRAM does not pay Shimano to make Centerlock compatible rotors. Apparently they don’t need a license to make those. They would need a license to make the lockring, hence SRAM centerlock rotors don’t come with one. Weird, I know. SRAM are in denial. Call up their warranty/tech support for a wheel issue and they ask, “does it have a SRAM or Campy freehub?” C’mon, it’s a Shimano freehub. Unless it’s an xD driver…
These wheels are a bit meh. SRAM is slowly bringing Zipp down. Rockshox will be next (already started – RS1).

nice alu wheels yes, too expensive yes.
You can make high end wheels and ask extra.
you can’t make mid-range wheel and still ask extra.

ive’ 1560gr pacentis sl23, tubeless, disc, w/novatec hubs and replaced bearings and sapim spokes (32×28, cross bike) and this cost me 550USD – and are probably slightly better wheels than the zipps.

There are lots of valid criticism here, regarding weight, price..

But the lack of centerlock hub criticism is stupid. Get off of Shimano’s (deleted), and realize that it’s not necessary. First, it requires carrying a cassette tool and something to generate high leverage on that tool if you want to be able to service it. 6-bolt uses a low torque and a common T-25 bolt head.
Second, the choices for rotors in 6-bolt are far greater. The availability of 140mm Freeza rotors is a sad day for braking performance. Those rotors are too small and everyone who is freaking out about wanting them is being brainwashed. A 160mm rotor in a standard ice-tech style is more than adequate and WAY better than a 140. When did 10g become more important than actual braking performance? Literally the ONLY reason centerlock is relevant is because shimano produces the Freeza rotors only in centerlock.

Last, centerlock is a CRAPPY STANDARD!!! There is exactly ONE version of 6-bolt mounting. Centerlock has multiple different lockrings, depending on thru-axle, and has actually other standards entirely for large MTB rotors. There is one, and only one 6-bolt mounting style. And it’s compatible with EVERYTHING.

There is absolutely no real redeeming quality of Centerlock, with the exception of it being harder for stupid “mechanics” to strip out bolts since there aren’t any…

death to centerlock