Carbon fiber wheels sound like a good way to throw money at a cross bike with little return. Not so, says Rob Karman, who is impressed with Zipp's carbon hoops.
For the past several years, deep dish carbon wheels have been a popular choice among racers, first on smooth roads, and then in cyclo-cross. The unique demands that the conditions of cyclo-cross place on equipment has led wheel maker Zipp Composites to develop cyclo-cross specific versions of its two most popular wheels, the 303s and 404s.
First introduced at Interbike last year, Zipp's cyclo-cross specific wheels differ from their road brethren in three ways: the rims have an extra layer of carbon which Zipp claims increases their impact resistance twofold while only adding about 40g per rim; the hubs have been modified with extra seals to keep grit and grime out in the muddy conditions 'cross is famous for; and the wheels use Sapim Race butted (2.0/1.8mm) spokes for added strength. A full technical description of Zipp wheels can be seen in our recent review of the 404 road wheels.
