Are you keen on an upgrade but having trouble justifying the cost of a whole new bike? Upgrading your wheels is surely the perfect solution!
Wheels and tyres are the two most important places to start when looking for a performance boost. And with this latest release from Zipp you’ll not only notice the major benefits of smooth new, endlessly spinning wheels, but have the option of running tubeless tyres and enjoy the superior stopping power of disc brakes as well.
 Clare Classic supporting partner Zipp have rolled out two of the most important wheel lineup introductions in the company’s three-decade history. For the first time, from 202 to 808 rim depths, their NSW and Firecrest disc brake wheels are being purpose built specifically for the new era of road riding of wider tires and multi-surfaces. These disc brake specific dimpled rims are wider for the same weight and tubeless compatible.
The NSW Series
The NSW lineup now includes disc brake wheels featuring a new rim shape and tubeless compatibility. The comprehensive range includes the following –
- 202 NSW Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake (32mm deep)
- 303 NSW Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake (45mm deep)
- 404 NSW Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake (58mm deep)
- 808 NSW Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake (82mm deep)
The  new 303 650b NSW wheels are also now available in disc-brake and tubeless configuration.
Fast, Stable & Extreme Performance
According to Zipp, the NSW Series is all about engineering the fastest, most stable, and highest performance wheels ever realized. “Disc brakes are at the core of the evolution of road cycling and are a natural fit for the NSW series,” said the company.
NSW wheelsets also feature Zippâs exclusive ImPress graphics technologyâwhich prints graphics directly on the wheel rather than using decalsâto help allow the dimples to do what they were design to do, control vortex shedding.
Zipp say this is crucial to achieving the high stability and low-drag combination we call Aero Balance. ImPress graphics also give NSW wheels a distinctive stealthy look. All NSW rims are handmade in Indianapolis, where Zippâs engineering, manufacturing, and testing are conducted and includes ‘The Nest’ advanced development lab where NSW was born.
Beyond the rim, Zipp say their NSW-exclusive Cognition Disc-brake hubset rolls efficiently whether you are pedaling or coasting. The Axial Clutch technology allows the freehubâs ratcheting mechanism to cut mechanical drag in half compared to conventional three pawl hubs. As robust as it is fast, Zipp say the European-made Cognition hubset is engineered to go the distance.
Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc-Brake wheelsets
The evolution of disc brake-equipped road bikes is creating new pathways for innovation. The result of this evolution is the redesign of Zippâs Disc-brake wheel lineup to be tubeless compatible with aero and ride benefits from an updated Firecrest rim shape.
Zipp has introduced the following tubeless-specific disc brake wheelsÂ
- 202 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake
- 303 650b Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake
- 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake
- 808 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake
These wheelsets follow the release of the 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc brake wheelset. Without the constraints of rim brake caliper compatibility or brake-track requirements, the new Firecrest Carbon Clincher Tubeless Disc-brake wheels offer the increased stopping power and modulation of disc brakes.To maximize the aero performance of the wheels, Zippâs ABLC dimples extend all the way to the outer edge of the disc-specific rims.
The new wheels are also optimized for wider tires to meet the performance needs of modern riders in search of low rolling resistance and aero efficiency with high comfort. In developing these wheelsets, Zipp engineers examined three different external rim shape concepts, and within each of those shapes, four separate internal widths before selecting the most efficient design.
The new 202 and 303 Firecrest Tubeless Disc-brake wheels have an internal width of 21mm and are aerodynamically optimized for use with 28mm wide tires, while the deeper 404 and 808 Firecrest models have an internal width of 19mm and are aerodynamically optimized for 25mm wide tires. All of this is in addition to Firecrestâs ability to yield low aerodynamic drag and high crosswind stability, a combination we call AeroBalance.
Tubeless Compatible
Designed to be tubeless compatible, the wheels feature a rim bed made with internal ridges to lock the tireâs bead in place, ensuring secure performance even when ridden at lower tire pressures, which makes for more comfort and cornering grip along with a reduced chance for pinch flats. Zippâs low rolling resistance Tangente RT28 and RT25 Road Tubeless Tires pair well with these wheels.
A new carbon fiber layup for the Indianapolis-made rims keeps weight low while maintaining the Firecrest Carbon Clincherâs proven durability. The robust 77D/177D hubset, paired with 24 Sapim CX-Ray spokes front and rear, keeps the wheels stiff and responsive. To ensure compatibility with any bike, our versatile 77D/177D hubs come with swappable end caps to work with QRâs and thru-axles, including 12x100mm and 15x100mm front thru-axles as well as 12x142mm rear thru-axles. The 177D rear hub is also XDR driver body compatible for use with SRAM 10-42 cassettes.
 For further details visit your nearest Zipp stockist or outlet.
