overview

Zipp's first full-carbon clincher wheelset, the 404 Carbon Clincher has been described as the most heavily anticipated wheelset of all time. And following two years of development for its revolutionary rim shape and carbon technology, they’re confident that the 404 Carbon Clincher lives up to the hype.

Its Firecrest™ aero profile is 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 Carbon Clincher weighs just 1557 grams per set, putting it among the lightest deep-profile carbon clinchers available.

Designed specifically to account for the differences in airflow patterns between clincher tires and tubulars, 404 Carbon Clincher far exceeds the aero performance of any other clincher wheelset in its class.

As Zipp proved with the Paris-Roubaix-winning 303 Tubular, a wider rim offers greater vertical compliance for control and comfort on rough surfaces while increasing lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering. The same holds true for Firecrest rims with clincher tires. And because the hook beads are farther apart, the tire itself takes on a more stable shape without adding rolling resistance.

Heavy, continuous braking on carbon surfaces can cause spikes in rim temperature and tire pressure that impact performance and handling – especially with clincher tires. To solve this challenge, our US-based composites supplier created a new heat-resistant resin exclusively for Zipp. This technology improves heat dissipation so substantially that ours are the only carbon clinchers to pass stringent European safety testing without limitations on rider weight or brake pad options.

Naturally, Zipp chose to launch our groundbreaking carbon clincher designs with their most versatile wheelset, the 404. Its 58mm rim depth is a classic all-around performer that has carried athletes to victory in every kind of event – triathlons, criteriums, breakaways, field sprints, even Grand Tour mountain stages. Now, the 404 is available with the convenience of clinchers, the light weight of an all-carbon rim, and the unrivaled performance of Zipp technology.

specs

wheel weight (f/r):	718g / 839g
rim material:	carbon
rim (h/w):	58mm / 26.53mm
rim type:	clincher
rim finish:	carbon
number of spokes (f/r):	16 / 20
spokes material:	stainless
spokes type:	aero
nipples material:	aluminum
hub material (f/r):	aluminum
hub spacing(f/r):	100mm / 130mm
hub bearings:	sealed
hub finish(f/r):	silver
cassette type:	Campagnolo / SRAM
cassette compatibility:	9 / 10 / 11

accessories

videos

photos

reviews

Product Rating: (5.00)   # of Ratings: 1   (Only registered customers can rate) (Only registered customers can rate) 1 - Terrible 2 - Bad 3 - OK 4 - Good 5 - Great 0% 50% 100% Sort: New to Old RE-SORT COMMENTS: Helpful to Less Helpful Less Helpful to Helpful New to Old Old to New High to Low Rating Low to High Rating Showing comments 1-1 of 1 1. BikeRadar on 12/13/2011, said: Having proved with the 303 that a wider rim can handle side-to-side flex better and improve the way a tyre ‘gives’, Zipp have used a wider rim for their 404 Firecrest. Fitting a tyre to the wide rim lowers its profile, creating a wider base and more pronounced curve between the contact patch and sidewalls. Zipp claim that the new shape not only improves airflow at the front of the wheel but also deals with the turbulent air at its trailing edge more efficiently than ever. The result is also more confident transition when you’re leaning into corners; we felt happier leaning the bike over, giving faster entry and exit speeds and helping us maintain pace through twisty stuff. The company's previous toroidal shape rim – which ‘bulged’ out from the braking track before narrowing – was among the best available and the new Firecrest easily feels its equal. Where it’s much better, though, is in crosswinds. You can still feel the effect of wind hitting from the side, as you would with any 58mm deep rim, but what’s impressive is ‘how’ you feel it. It’s more akin to a steady, low pressure push rather than a jolt. A good pair of aero wheels will make you feel faster and allow you to hold higher speeds for longer with less effort, and the 404s are the most impressive aero clinchers we’ve ever tested. We’ve seen our loop times bettered consistently over the past three months with these quality hoops. They also excel in the comfort stakes. Deep-section carbon rims can be stiff and a little harsh – not so the 404s. They feel more like shallow-depth aluminium wheels than hard-riding aero hoops. Carbon braking surfaces can build up heat alarmingly quickly, leading to grabby braking and a lack of feel, but the 404s have a highly heat resistant resin coating that leads to consistently good braking. In fact, they’re only bettered by Easton’s ThermaTec brake tracks when combined with SwissStop’s Yellow King carbon pads. There’s a dedicated Platinum SwissStop pad for Zipp that gives a much better feel while maintaining power, and is easily the equal of the ThermaTec system and we think this is the best choice for the 404s. At 1,640g a pair, including skewers, the 404s are among the lightest available for this rim depth. The rim itself is lighter than on the competition too, so the wheels also have admirable climbing abilities. They’re heavier than a dedicated lightweight climbing wheelset but the gains on descents more than make up for it. Was this comment helpful? yes no   (0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not) Showing comments 1-1 of 1