Zipp 101 Clinchers

[cookietom]

Any comments about Zipp 101 clinchers?

[oldpotatoe]

Any comments about Zipp 101 clinchers?

Considering what they are, I think a good wheelbuilder can build you a better wheelset, with better hubs, that weigh the same, be more reliable, for less $.

[19wisconsin64]

I've been riding the older Zipp 101 Team CSC training wheels for a while on my road bike. They were very highly reviewed, and I bought a used good condition set off of someone on this forum for about 35% of the retail price. Perfect wheels, very fast ,very light, strong, good at everything.

Now, with the wider 23 mm rims becoming more popular (less rolling resistance, better handling, smoother ride) I just picked up a pair of HED Ardennes clincher wheels. You can get a new set of these at Competitive Cyclist for a good discount (they have lots of models at discounts)

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/hed-ardennes-fr-wheelset-clincher?ti=UExQIE9uIFNhbGU6OjI6MzY6Y2NDYXQxMDA0Nj M

The newer Zipp Clinchers are also excellent, and there are lots of positive reviews online.

[WickedWheels]

Considering what they are, I think a good wheelbuilder can build you a better wheelset, with better hubs, that weigh the same, be more reliable, for less $.

Spot on.

What's the point? The hubs aren't great. The rim it's no better than a HED. Spokes are nice but can be purchased anywhere. Find a good wheel builder and you will have YOUR wheels rather than what some dork in a cubicle designed for "most people". And probably for less money, too.

No offense to dorks in cubicles that design stuff. I love those guys.

[RedRider]

The Zipp 101 offered an aero rim, very good hub and latest in "wide" technology. It delivered a wheelset that was heavier and more expensive than most of the others in the performance aluminum rim category. The latest Zipp 30 retails for about $850 and delivers almost the same...
I am a big believer that custom, handmade wheels are always the preferred choice. It's tough to compare them to a mass market wheel even when most of them are "handmade" too.

[10-4]

The Zipp 101 offered an aero rim, very good hub and latest in "wide" technology. It delivered a wheelset that was heavier and more expensive than most of the others in the performance aluminum rim category. The latest Zipp 30 retails for about $850 and delivers almost the same...
I am a big believer that custom, handmade wheels are always the preferred choice. It's tough to compare them to a mass market wheel even when most of them are "handmade" too.

"Very good hub" is up for debate. I've had nothing but trouble with the 88/188 series of hubs. Constantly coming loose and requiring adjustment, bearings that have been going bad multiple times per season, I just can't get behind that statement.

But yeah, a good wheel builder can get you something like the Pacenti SL23 to King hubs with CX-Rays for the same money or less and I'd much prefer those.

Of course, that's just my experience and opinion, YMMV.

[FlashUNC]

They serve no purpose given other options out there.

[sitzmark]

Any comments about Zipp 101 clinchers?

How do you plan to use them?

101 is wider and alu. Comparable swap wheels are carbon = pad change to swap. Complicates things if running more than one wheelset. 88/188 hubs are marginally sealed and have pre-load, but building around a DT, CK, or WI hub gives you many options to tailor a wheelset to your exact preferences - including a 101 hoop if you're set on that.

If you have multiple bikes or plan to run multiple wheel sets, then you should "think ahead" a little more carefully. Think about swapability and common repair/rebuild parts and you'll get more utility out of what you pick.

[pinoymamba]

mine have been rock solid. I picked my set up used at a very price. they've survived curb hops, dirt trails, and potholes. they even survived a spill which broke my frame. The rear hub can be a pain but I think I just need to replace my bearings.

a lot of my friends use it as a training and race wheel. it was my first wide hoop so I don't have much experience with other brands but it does give a nice ride and handling (maybe it was just a placebo effect) improved.

it's a great wheel I just wouldn't pay anything close to retail for it. Mine cost much less than a custom wheel build so I went that route.

[cookietom]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

[FlashUNC]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

Run away.

Handbuilts will be 1) Cheaper and 2) Better.

[sitzmark]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

They can be had for less. Counterfeits are out there too, so you have to know real from fake.

Lifetime what - Crash protection/replacement or manufacturers defects? There's a big difference between the two. Lifetime isn't Zipp's coverage so seller has to be assuming the responsibility. Then becomes what seller is warrantying and how stable the business is to be around to fulfill the warranty.

[gospastic]

I have been using a set for a while now. I love em. Super smooth and quite sturdy, even with the 18/20 spoke count. I initially had a set in the Beyond Black color, but really wanted a set in the older silver color so I did a trade when I found someone that wanted the black ones. They are heavier than handbuilts can be but I don't really notice a difference. The hubs have never given me problems. I guess I'm just lucky in that regard.

[oldpotatoe]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

$1500??

Yeegads, even with $600 hubs, handbuilts are $500+ less.

[druptight]

$1500??

Yeegads, even with $600 hubs, handbuilts are $500+ less.

:banana:

[lemondvictoire]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

Hed Ardennes FR for $650 shipped on sale 2 year limited warranty given to each wheel from the date of purchase. HED wheels also come as standard with a lifetime crash replacement policy enabling the original owner of a crash damaged wheel to replace his wheel at a substantial savings. Why pay more than 2x the price for about the same performance? :no:

[norcalbiker]

Well Sportsbasement are selling them for about 1500 and lifetime warranty. Good deal?

You can get them for a lot less. Colorado cyclist have them on sale for $922. You can actually buy it for $829.80 if you have a 10% code.
Free shipping and no sales tax. Unless of course you live in Colorado.

[eBAUMANN]

i like mine quite a bit, but i bought em 2nd hand for less than half of retail...the rims are NOT a comparable shape to a HED belgium (as some have suggested) - as these are probably the only alloy rim in this depth with a truly aero (torroidal) profile, which continues all the way across the braking surface :cool:

they have a very nice ride quality to them...but so would a comparable r45/belgium build, which would cost you less $$.

bottom line, i would buy 101's again (used), but if you want to drop $1k on a wheelset...your money is probably better spent elsewhere.

[Tony T]

Almost bought them, but after having old hubs sent to me (twice), I went with a handbulit set (h plus sons Archtype, Royce Hubs)

[gngroup]

I think it depends entirely on what you pay for them. Buy them used for a price comparable to a set of custom made wheel, and I think they are a great option. Buy them for full retail, not so much.

All that said, they are great wheels. Hubs are solid in my experience (202's and 101's) and there really is not an aluminum clincher with this rim shape.

[cmg]

zipp 101 rims are 530 grams. go to bikehubstore, look at 23mm wide rims offered, pick one lighter than the zipp rim and begin the build. use sapim race/laser spokes, just as light as cx-rays and about 1/3 the cost. hub of your choice. way cheaper with all the benefits.

[AngryScientist]

for a pre-built wheel, i would rather have a shimano DA9000 C24 wheel any day of the week, and twice on Sunday for less money. IMO.

http://merlincycles-img.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productImage_1280_1024_ffffff_image-jpeg/9696_shimano_dura_ace_9000_c24_tl_wheels_pair.jpg

[cookietom]

for a pre-built wheel, i would rather have a shimano DA9000 C24 wheel any day of the week, and twice on Sunday for less money. IMO.

http://merlincycles-img.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productImage_1280_1024_ffffff_image-jpeg/9696_shimano_dura_ace_9000_c24_tl_wheels_pair.jpg

Well,,,that wheels sounds good but will also look at Williams wheels...

[mcteague]

I'm with oldpotatoe on this one. Why would anyone buy out of the box wheels for more than you could get hand built by someone with years of experience? Unless time were a major factor I just don't get it. I guess I can sort of see the bling factor on deep carbons but nearly box section aluminum for near a grand?

Tim

[Buzz!]

Agree with eBAUMANN as to the cost vs. ride quality/aero. Bought mine second hand as well and am pleased with them. Ride quality is great, comfortable, stiff, but not the lightest. I find the hubs easy to maintain/adjust, glad mine don't need much. I read lots of complaints on this issue, but preload adjustment is a reasonable 5 minute ordeal. Would have gone custom if I were paying retail, but in my situation they get the nod.

[sitzmark]

I'm with oldpotatoe on this one. Why would anyone buy out of the box wheels for more than you could get hand built by someone with years of experience? Unless time were a major factor I just don't get it. I guess I can sort of see the bling factor on deep carbons but nearly box section aluminum for near a grand?Tim

Zipps are basically "hand built". Spokes are nippled and then threaded through the rims and snapped into hub flanges. No skill required for that. Any skill required is in truing, which isn't rocket science either.

If the OP wants "custom" 101's (or someone other than a Zipp employee to assemble his wheelset) he can seek out an authorized Zipp rim distributor - like wheelbuilder.com - and request whatever customization desired. A set configured same as factory will be around $1,400 - $1,500, or less if DT/WI hubs and non-Sapim CX spokes are selected. CK and ceramic hubs will cost more. Depending on the hub, WB will build on a hub supplied by the customer if it isn't "junk".

Prior to SRAM it was relatively easy to purchase Zipp hoops and have a local builder build them out however you wanted. Now the source of rims is tightly controlled.

The 101 rides different than a "box rim". If the OP wants a box rim, then there's no reason to consider the 101 in any iteration. Lots of good box rims available and sources to build them out.

[WickedWheels]

Zipps are basically "hand built". Spokes are nippled and then threaded through the rims and snapped into hub flanges. No skill required for that. Any skill required is in truing, which isn't rocket science either.

If the OP wants "custom" 101's (or someone other than a Zipp employee to assemble his wheelset) he can seek out an authorized Zipp rim distributor - like wheelbuilder.com - and request whatever customization desired. A set configured same as factory will be around $1,400 - $1,500, or less if DT/WI hubs and non-Sapim CX spokes are selected. CK and ceramic hubs will cost more. Depending on the hub, WB will build on a hub supplied by the customer if it isn't "junk".

Prior to SRAM it was relatively easy to purchase Zipp hoops and have a local builder build them out however you wanted. Now the source of rims is tightly controlled.

The 101 rides different than a "box rim". If the OP wants a box rim, then there's no reason to consider the 101 in any iteration. Lots of good box rims available and sources to build them out.

One of the reasons I don't stock Zipp. They stack the cards against a small LBS by doing this. This is another:

Just got it back yesterday. I had a customer that busted a spoke. Replacing one spoke required the entire wheel to be de-tensioned so that a retaining ring would be able to come off and on. They used so much loctite on the nipples that the spokes started twisting. I did everything I could... Held the spoke as close to the nipple as possible, heated them up to loosen up the loctite... Still nothing. A few of the nipples refused to turn with the spoke twisting. I said "f#$k it" and sent it back to them I make it their problem. This is what they sent back (free repair, to their credit). I emailed them a picture of this spoke-to-nipple angle and was told that it's OK. Now I have to waste time repairing a newly-rebuilt wheel because I can't give this to a customer.

[WickedWheels]

One of the reasons I don't stock Zipp. They stack the cards against a small LBS by doing this. This is another:

Just got it back yesterday. I had a customer that busted a spoke. Replacing one spoke required the entire wheel to be de-tensioned so that a retaining ring would be able to come off and on. They used so much loctite on the nipples that the spokes started twisting. I did everything I could... Held the spoke as close to the nipple as possible, heated them up to loosen up the loctite... Still nothing. A few of the nipples refused to turn with the spoke twisting. I said "f#$k it" and sent it back to them I make it their problem. This is what they sent back (free repair, to their credit). I emailed them a picture of this spoke-to-nipple angle and was told that it's OK. Now I have to waste time repairing a newly-rebuilt wheel because I can't give this to a customer.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/14/4u4umy3u.jpg

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[oldpotatoe]

One of the reasons I don't stock Zipp. They stack the cards against a small LBS by doing this. This is another:

Just got it back yesterday. I had a customer that busted a spoke. Replacing one spoke required the entire wheel to be de-tensioned so that a retaining ring would be able to come off and on. They used so much loctite on the nipples that the spokes started twisting. I did everything I could... Held the spoke as close to the nipple as possible, heated them up to loosen up the loctite... Still nothing. A few of the nipples refused to turn with the spoke twisting. I said "f#$k it" and sent it back to them I make it their problem. This is what they sent back (free repair, to their credit). I emailed them a picture of this spoke-to-nipple angle and was told that it's OK. Now I have to waste time repairing a newly-rebuilt wheel because I can't give this to a customer.

Never been impressed with anything Zipp. I had a few sponsored triathlete's and racers who had to put up with their junque. None of them were impressed mostly because of not realized 'performance' claims and the lack of reliability of their products.

"More races have been lost due to equipment, than won"-
-Anon

[FlashUNC]

HED Belgium rims, Record/Dura Ace hubs. Sapim spokes.

All for less than 101s.

[shovelhd]

I've never had a problem with my 88/188 hubs, but the guy I bought them from did. These are my race wheels. 2005 vintage 404's, no dimples. Rock solid. $550 including a DA cassette.

There is absolutely no friggin' way I would pay anywhere close to retail for Zipp wheels. I'd go custom and still save.

[patrick8037]

Word is the 101's have been discontinued anyways due to the inability to compete with other brands similar offerings and they'll be pushing the 30 wheelset more.

[pinoymamba]

Word is the 101's have been discontinued anyways due to the inability to compete with other brands similar offerings and they'll be pushing the 30 wheelset more.

resource? the zipp 30 is crap. non torodial rim and crappy hubs.

reading through this thread it seems the people who actually own the 101s like them. they just advise not to pay retail. ;)

[WickedWheels]

resource? the zipp 30 is crap. non torodial rim and crappy hubs.

reading through this thread it seems the people who actually own the 101s like them. they just advise not to pay retail. ;)

So basically they are OK wheels but over priced.

Hence getting hand built customs...

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[krhea]

so basically they are ok wheels but over priced.

Hence getting hand built customs...

Sent from my xt1080 using tapatalk

+1

[patrick8037]

resource? the zipp 30 is crap. non torodial rim and crappy hubs.

reading through this thread it seems the people who actually own the 101s like them. they just advise not to pay retail. ;)

Industry insider.

[Scott Shire]

For $1500, I'd grab a set of carbon clinchers (wide/u shape rim)
AND
A set of DA/Record/R45 to Nemesis (one set/week pops up here or across the hall).

Zipp 101s at $1500 is as Fred a purchase as one can make.

[cookietom]

For $1500, I'd grab a set of carbon clinchers (wide/u shape rim)
AND
A set of DA/Record/R45 to Nemesis (one set/week pops up here or across the hall).

Zipp 101s at $1500 is as Fred a purchase as one can make.


Not buying Zipp 101 due to too many negatives thoughts. Will shop for better wheels with better price. You guys are big help!!!!

[Threshold]

If you want aero aluminum low profile, get HED Jets or the new Rolf Vectors that have White Industry hubs OR get custom Tune, King or Alchemy hubs with the new HED Plus Belgium rims. Really, you only get true watts savings above 45mm and ideally 50-60mm, so depends what your usage is. Zipps look good on paper, but I continue to hear stories and the 101s are heavy. Have fun!

[bikser]

I had the 101's briefly, I thought the quality was very good. But, as everyone has pointed out over priced, heavy, and better options out there. I never paid attention to rotational weight until I rode them up some hills, you can actually feel the weight. Good deals on HED Ardennes at CC and Arts right now. I've got two sets of handbuilts now with SL23 rims, both sets are beauties.

[ptourkin]

For $1500, I'd grab a set of carbon clinchers (wide/u shape rim)
AND
A set of DA/Record/R45 to Nemesis (one set/week pops up here or across the hall).

Zipp 101s at $1500 is as Fred a purchase as one can make.

Enve 25s are a great set of non-deep carbon clinchers. Quality is top-notch.