Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher wheelset

If you had to choose just one wheel, the 404 Firecrest should be your choice. With the depth and shape proven in all conditions, it’s the all-around performer and the standard by which all other wheels are measured. Its 58mm rim depth is a classic all-around performer that has carried athletes to victory in every kind of event and situation – every triathlon distance, breakaways, field sprints and hilly finishes.

The 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher is where the Firecrest® Revolution began as the first deep-profile carbon clincher design to offer the superior aerodynamics, ride quality, strength and handling of a wider rim body. Yet the 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher weighs 1690 grams per set, providing best-in-class performance at a light weight.

Firecrest Technology
In developing the original 404 wheels, Zipp discovered that a wider rim increases lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering while also providing greater vertical compliance for greater control, comfort and durability. That wider rim profile led ZIPP to develop our Firecrest technology, which revolutionized aerodynamic efficiency and stability for carbon wheels. The proprietary Firecrest rim shape optimizes the aerodynamic profile of the front half and – here’s the revolutionary part – the back half of the wheel. Firecrest moves the wheel’s center of pressure to be more in line with the steering axis for stability in even the stiffest crosswinds. All of that innovation along with the precision control of disc braking gives you a wheel that’s as smooth as it is tough.

ABLC and VCLC
You’ll also see the rim skin is embossed with lot's of dimples of different diameters in a pattern which forces the airflow to form thinner, turbulent boundary layers. This significantly reduces the interference drag. The turbulent layer also adheres to the wheel skin throughout an increased airflow angle of attack, resulting in significantly lower drag in cross-wind situations, which means you have even more control with the ABLC (Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control) rim. ABLC increases handling performance by minimizing the low-pressure wake left behind the wheel, allowing for greater tire choice with fewer aerodynamic side effects than seen with other designs. Zipp's exclusive VCLC (Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control) technology dramatically reduces rider fatigue, particularly in the hands, arms, neck, and posterior - while greater control of the tire contact patch simultaneously improves cornering grip and minimizes rolling resistance.

About the 77/177D hubset

• bearing preload precision set – that means no pre-load adjustment is needed
• improved bearing protection and sealant
• includes newly designed quick-release skewers with a wider more ergonomic handle to provide more leverage for opening and closing
• Thru-axle compatible - comes with FW: 12x100mm, 15x100mm / RW: 12x142mm (X-12), 12x135mm thru-axle end caps that can be swapped by hand
• proprietary flange geometry and spoke hole attachment pattern with Sapim® CX-Ray® spokes to optimize torsional and lateral stiffness without sacrificing weight or robustness
• 17mm internal axle

The ZIPP 303 firecrest disc tubular rear wheel features an 11-speed freehub optionally available for SRAM/Shimano or Campagnolo.
Optionally for those looking for a wider gear range, or tackling especially extreme terrain, a SRAM XD 11-speed driver body for 177D can be easily installed to allow for more cassette options.

Note: Requires special brake pads for carbon rims!

Recommended and approved brake pads for zipp Carbon wheels:

• Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro Evo Brake Pad
• Zipp Tangente High Performance Cork Brake Pad
• Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro (first version Tangente pad)
• SwissStop® Black Prince pad
• Bontrager cork pads
• Zipp carbon/carbon pads
• SwissStop® yellow pads

Features:

• Material: carbon
• Weight: ca. 1.690 Kilogram (wheel set)
• 0.755 Kilogram (front)
• 0.935 Kilogram (rear)
• Rim height: 58 mm
• External/internal rim width: external: 24.73 mm (brake track) | 26.53 mm (max)
• Spokes: SAPIM CX-Sprint, double crossed
• Nippel: SAPIM
• Spokes number: 18 front (Radial) and 24 rear (2x crossed)
• Fitting type of tire: Clincher
• Hub: 77D / 177D
• Fitting for shifting: Campagnolo or Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11-speed
• Max. tire pressure: 8.62 Bar(125 psi)
• Max. permissible total weight (rider + bike): 113kg
• Included in delivery: front wheel, rear wheel, Tangente Platinum Pro Evo brake pads, quick release, integrated valve extender with valve-core wrench