Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher

Color: Black Carbon, BlackCarbon with white graphics

Size: 700c

The Zipp Firecrest carbon clincher has been the benchmark for others to follow. With stage wins in the Tour de France and thousands of victories in pro races around the world, the Zipp 404 has established a reputation few can challenge.

A set of high-performance wheels are the best upgrade a rider can make to their bicycle. Zipp knew that lightness was important, but also knew that aerodynamics make a difference. Once a rider is above 25mph/40kph, they're spending upwards of 90% of their energy just pushing through the air. A light wheel can get up to speed, but an aero wheel is needed to stay at high speed. Making the right rim shape is the job of Zipp's Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software and wind tunnel development process. Once a rim shape is developed in digital form, Zipp produces full-scale wind tunnel models to be tested. The Firecrest rim shape is actually patented by Zipp, making its advantages unique in the cycling world. Because no one rides or races directly into the wind, there is always a certain amount of wind-induced steering torque. But the bullet-nosed Firecrest rim shape substantially reduces instability in crosswinds. Also, Zipp's Aerodynamic Boundry Layer Control -or ABLC- makes the most of the Firecrest rim  shape by adding golf-ball-style dimples to the rim surface. This reduces instability even further. With such obsessive attention to detail, the Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher shares the same low drag numbers as the older non-firestrike Zipp 808 Carbon Clincher. The 58mm rim depth reduces weight and susceptibility to gusty crosswinds compared to taller rims. How light? 1690 grams. That's less than many alloy box-section wheelsets found on most high-performance road bikes.

The Zipp 404's wide 24.7mm rim shape produces a wider tire contact patch, affording better control, lower rolling resistance and a more comfortable ride quality. The braking track on each rim uses a more heat-resistant resin that is exclusive to Zipp, adding a confident feel and improved brake lever feedback. 18 stainless steel bladed Sapim spokes on the front and 24 in the rear slice the wind effectively, while each external spoke nipple makes for easy truing. While the front wheel features a radial spoke pattern for lower drag, the rear wheel sees a 2-cross pattern for a smoother ride and improved drivetrain response during hard acceleration. The latest Zipp 77/177 hubset boasts an 11-speed cassette carrier for Shimano or SRAM cassettes. 

Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clinchers are available in two decal color options: Matte black or matte white. Each 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher wheelset comes with Tangente Platinum Pro Evo brake pads, Zipp valve extenders with valve-core wrench, rim tape and quick release skewers.