By now you've been logging a lot of miles on your bike and you're starting to wonder what the best performance upgrade for the dollar is that you can make.
Without a doubt, wheels are going to make the biggest difference out of everything available on the market. A new set of wheels will change the ride quality of your bike and can be much more aerodynamic and faster.
Lighter wheels will accelerate faster out of corners and will help you go up hills much faster.
One of the big attractions of aftermarket wheels is the aerodynamics. Some of these wheels can save you around a minute in a 20-kilometer time trail. That's about one mile-per-hour - pretty amazing that only switching wheels will make your bike go that much faster.
The leading manufacturer of some of the best lightweight, aerodynamic wheels is located in the Midwest.
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Zipp Speed Weaponry has been located in Indianapolis, Indiana since the company started building wheels in 1988. They hold numerous patents and do extensive wind tunnel testing, making them one of the leaders in wheel technology. Unlike many of today's outsourced products, every Zipp wheel and rim is made in the company's Speedway, Ind. factory.
While Zipp makes many different sets of wheels, the company makes four different rim depths in either tubular or clincher versions.
In regards to different rim depths, the shallower the rim, the lighter the weight; the deeper the rim, the more aerodynamic and stiffer it will be. There are some wheelsets that are the same depth front and rear. However, some of these sets have different depths front and rear for lighter weight, better handling, but more aerodynamics.
Tubular rims are made of 100 percent carbon fiber and the tire is glued to the rim. It's a very light wheel set-up, but can be very expensive because if you get a flat you need to replace the entire tire, not just the tube. It's worth it though; the wheels can be nearly a pound lighter and the tires give a better ride.
On the other hand, clincher rims are aluminum on the outside and bonded to the carbon rim. They weigh a little more, but make it much easier to change a tire if you get a flat.
An innovative thing Zipp did a couple of years ago is redo the tooling to put dimples on the surface of some of the deeper rims. It has the same effect as golf ball dimples, making the wheel more aerodynamic by breaking the surface tension of the air around the rim. No other manufacturer does this. It's just another example of Zipp working to gain every last detailed edge to gain speed.
Zipp's most popular wheelset is the 404. It has a 58 millimeter deep front and rear wheel and in tubular version weighs an amazing 1,252 grams. It's even more amazing when you think that 1,500 grams is considered light. The 404 is a great all-round wheelset for riding around central Illinois, between the light weight and the deepness of the rims, all while slicing through the wind.
A wheelset that is gaining popularity is the 606. It has the same front rim depth of the 404, but an 81 millimeter deep rear rim. It weighs a bit more at 1,305 grams. The front is a great depth for all conditions and the rear is a bit deeper, making it a little more aerodynamic than the 404. The 606 it is only 12 seconds slower than a disc (the most aerodynamic wheel available) in a 40-kilometer time trail. The 606 set is great for time trails and triathlons.
If you really want to go fast, the no-holds-barred fastest wheelset in the world is the 999. It has an 81 millimeter deep front wheel and a solid disc on the rear. The disc is flat and solid carbon fiber with a foam core. It also has what else - dimples. This wheelset has won Olympic gold medals and World Championships.
While Zipp makes several other sets of wheels, these are a few of the more popular ones.
Spin City Cycles has a set of the 606 available as demo wheels. I've ridden them a few times along with several customers. One big advantage that Zipp wheels have, in addition to performance, is that they provide a smooth ride and soak up much of the road vibration. Other wheels this deep usually ride rough and pick up every bump. The rim shape and the carbon coating contribute to the smoother ride.
It goes without saying that these wheels are very fast. When using them my times are very close to other aero wheels, including when I use a disc on the rear. On windy days the wheels don't move you around very much.
Another good feature is that the wheels are easy to work on. Over time, wheels can go out of true. Some wheels have the nipples inside the rim to help with aero dynamics, but require the removal of the tire to true it. Zipp has tested the aerodynamics and found that aerodynamics aren't affected by having the nipples outside of the rim. However, it is much easier to work on the wheel.
The Zipp hubs are also easily serviced. They can be disassembled with very few tools. This makes it easy to work on and to switch cassette bodies.
I've been riding bikes for 18 years and have a thing for wheels (just ask any of the Spin City employees). I have sets all over the shop. While I don't change bikes very often, I do switch wheels out all the time, since a different set of wheels can really change the entire feel of a bike.
There are a few things I look for in a wheel, the first being the ride, but if a wheel is not easy to work on, I'm not a fan. Zipp has all of the things I look for in a set of wheels: speed, weight and serviceability.
Unlike other equipment claims, a set of quality wheels will make you go faster - period. You really can buy speed. Check out Zipp's Web site: www.zipp.com. There is a ton of great information such as aero comparisons, podcasts and different tests to show why Zipp wheels are the market leader.
For more information:
Spin City Cycles
135 N. Oakland, Decatur
429-SPIN (7746)
