MattyA

I'm just getting into multisport but did well in my first race so am itching to drop some cash (but not too much cash...) on new gear!

I'm thinking about getting some aero race wheels but know little about the pros and cons of rim depth. I've seen a ton of Zipp 404 and 808 wheelsets, and I also saw some people with the "606" (404 front plus 808 rear).

What are the pros and cons of the various options?

My speed on a flat and 40km course is a little under 21mph if it is not windy, if that makes any difference to my choices.

Cheers,
Matt

Plainsman

Matt, not that I am promoting HED wheels per se, but you might like to check out their site and spend a little time looking at the drag numbers for different wheel types and depths. For flat races, it's hard to beat a disc for your rear wheel (I like a HED 3 personally because it's lighter, but the handling is different). That said, you can pick up a wheel cover from wheelbuilder.com and gain almost all of the aero benefits of a disc rear wheel (minus the cool sound) for about $100. I like a HED3 up front, but I don't push 25mph so it works for me. One thing the guys at HED told me the last time I spoke to them about wheel choices was that a lot of the time going really deep (80mm+) on the rear is not your best choice if you aren't running consistently in the mid 20s. I'm sure lot's of folks here will have different experiences and opinions to share, but that's my 2 cents (HED 3 up front, cover on the back). Happy hunting!

sirious94

ah, the kona special, it is most versatile wheelset out there. if you are going to have crosswinds and hills, then yes, if not, then you might want to go deeper, or if you plan on using them for road races too, then the 606 is a good option. consider 808 front 1080 rear if there are few crosswinds.

MattyA

I saw someone with that setup...looked pretty sweet on a full DA Orbea...

StanSeven

Ok, the deeper the rims, the more aero (faster) they are. That's a plus. The same means they are more difficult to handle in strong cross winds.

Aero provides more benefits on the rear than the front. So you want the rear wheel as deep as possible. Not that the front also doesn't matter, but you steer and control the bike with the front so handling is important. That's why the 606 consists of the deepre 808 for the rear and the 404 for the front.

If there's little wind, a solid disc is often used for the rear because it's faster.

If you race in a variety of conditions, the 606 combo is hard to beat and most people can't afford mutiple sets of wheels.

Triguy

Actually for aerodynamic purposes the front matters MORE. It's just that people run a shallower front for all sorts of reasons, some of which have merit and some just myths.

For what it's worth a disc is fast. It's faster than anything else, it's faster in an aero bike and with a rider aboard. It acts as a splitter, cleaning up wind on both sides of the bike after the wind hits the riders legs. Unless you know you're going to Kona, I would get a disc. A disc is better for SLOWER riders because the disc does well at high yaw angles which slower riders are more likely to see.

All that disc propaganda aside, go with the deepest front wheel you feel comfortable on. Usually anyone about 140 lbs or more should be fine on an 808 front. Pair it with an equivalently OR deeper rear wheel.

The only reason I wouldn't get a disc and 80mm or deeper front wheel is if I KNEW I was going to Kona but even then I would likely buy the disc and rent a non disc rear when I went to Kona.

I just thought of something. If you road race, like crits etc., then it may be smart to get a 606 but I don't know if thats the case.

CCrew

+1. The front makes the bigger difference in my experience.

I will say however while a disc is considered the fastest, I see little difference between a disc and a 1080 rear wheel in real world. I've pretty much left the racing to the son this year due to recent surgery, but with his 130lbs we're actually seeing him run faster times (26-27mph avg) on a 808/1080 combo that with the rear as a full disc.

Tourmalet

No you shouldn't buy the wheels. Hire a coach instead. And train more!

MattyA

Hey Tourmalet, why the implication that wheels are mutually exclusive with the other things you mentioned??

Thanks to everyone for their replies thus far.

Tourmalet

They usually are mutually exclusive, or so I learned on Slowtwitch. It is just the extension of the western lifestyle. We are big consumers and we love our gadgets.

StanSeven

You've just been listening to too many liberals!

cjbruin

I bought a pair of 404s before my first IM and if I had to do it all over again, I would go with 808s. Just sayin'

Edit - I do like my 404s a lot. In retrospect, I should have gone deeper.