question for zipp wheelset owners -> braking

[wallymann]

so what's braking like with zipps? do they require special pads?

i'm noodling on getting some 202 firecrest carbon hoops, but i just dont have an appetite to be swapping pads and/or living with poopie braking performance if i dont.

i'm a big fan of the braking performance of my aluminum hoops!

[adrien]

I don't own zips, though I did test ride a set about 6 months ago.

Special brake pads (like all carbon wheels) and the ones I rode had a non-textured surface. Braking was maybe 70% of aluminum in the dry.

Textured brake surfaces will help, especially in the wet (I noticed this on a set of Enves I tried).

With textured and modern brakes with a high clamping force (red 22 in my case), Enves are very close to alloy braking in both the wet and the dry. I would assume the newer Zipps with textured surfaces will be similar.

On a final point -- I currently have the Enves on a bike with long-reach brakes. Braking is notably degraded, which tells me that carbon rims and brake pads rely more on the clamping force than do alloy rims.

Yes, you will need to change pads, unless you go with the Campy/Fulcrum system that allows for the same pads. It takes about 5 minutes.

[tuscanyswe]

My firecrest 202s clinchers had really nice breaking. Pads were included when new with the wheels..

That said i much prefer my older 202 non firecrest tubes with whatever pads i have around .)

[berserk87]

My question would be what are you looking for out of 202's?.

They are certainly light, but you can build an aluminum wheel that is light, too. The rim profile is not overly aerodynamic on a 202.

If you are happy with the braking on an aluminum surface, then I would recommend sticking with it. The carbon wheels that I have do well in dry weather (not quite as solid as aluminum, but not a huge difference). In wet weather, they are dreadful. And the changing of brake pads is a minor inconvenience.

If you are looking for a carbon aero wheel, there are certainly options out there that have an aluminum surface, albeit with a bit of a weight penalty. Weight is not a prime factor for me - I weigh 197lbs, and can lose some from my stuffed carcass.

[wallymann]

My question would be what are you looking for out of 202's?.

They are certainly light, but you can build an aluminum wheel that is light, too. The rim profile is not overly aerodynamic on a 202.

If you are happy with the braking on an aluminum surface, then I would recommend sticking with it. The carbon wheels that I have do well in dry weather (not quite as solid as aluminum, but not a huge difference). In wet weather, they are dreadful. And the changing of brake pads is a minor inconvenience.

If you are looking for a carbon aero wheel, there are certainly options out there that have an aluminum surface, albeit with a bit of a weight penalty. Weight is not a prime factor for me - I weigh 197lbs, and can lose some from my stuffed carcass.

i like my HED C2s alot. i was thinking i'd like a lighter version of those, and that 202s would do the trick.

my current C2s are clinchers, so maybe tubie versions will get me there need to google the rim weights to see what i'll gain (lose).

edit: meh...C2 tubies are only ~30g lighter than clinchers.

[enr1co]

Ride 303 firecrest, enve gray pads, recent campy brakes w/ easy pad change clip- braking in dry and wet works as well as my Alum HED Ardennes +.

I dont ride the zipps in the rain much as prefer not to have rain grit wear on the carbon but have been caught in the wet descending down mt diablo and braking is comparable to alum- just neet to get that layer of water off the rims with your braking technique regardless of hoop material.

Havent ridden 202 wheels but friends who do love em'.

[gospastic]

I do not like my 202/303/404 braking in the wet. It's not very confidence inspiring. My 404s are newer with the Showstopper brake track, and I'd say it's better, but still not that great.

[oldfatslow]

I find the Shimano hydraulic braking with my Zipp 202 discs on my CAAD10 disc Black Edition to be amazing. Great modulation and huge stopping power. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160526/91223b9b8dd10aa27912e13ebb4e082d.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nate2351]

Swiss Stop Black Prince pads will make all the difference. My wife leaves her 404s on from the first road race of the season to the last and swears by them.

[EDS]

I have 404 firecrest tubies. Braking with swiss stop blank prince pads is more grabby than with my aluminum clinchers. In dry weather, I feel like the zipp 404/black prince combo gives me more overall stopping power but less modulation control than my aluminum rim/regular swiss stop pads.

[berserk87]

Are the Black Prince pads really $50 per set of 4? That's steep, ain't it? You guys have me wanting to give them a try, but wow.

[nate2351]

That's pretty typical for carbon pads.

[gngroup]

I've had 2011 model 202 tubulars, 2014 202 clinchers, and currently have 2015 model 303 tubulars. Braking with all of them is totally sufficient and braking on the newer 303's is excellent. Swisstop black prince or the Swissstop grey Zipp pads. I ride a lot of hills which obviously means a lot of hard braking coming down. The wheels brake as well as aluminum in my opinion; the feel is different but not worse. I tend not to ride them in the rain just so I don't get grit on the brake track - that's what aluminum clinchers are for!

[berserk87]

That's pretty typical for carbon pads.

Yikes. The only set of carbon wheels that I own came with the Yellow Swisstop pads. I have not had to buy a replacement set.

I would prefer not to ride my carbon wheels in the rain; however, the weather is fickle here and sometimes you get caught out. Do you guys that don't ride carbon rims in the rain have multiple bikes? Do you switch pads and swap wheels when it looks iffy? Or do you not go out at all based on the chance of rain?

[bloody sunday]

I have 303 and 404's and the braking is really good. Even better with cork in dry conditions. In the wet, the aluminum hoops go on. Getting a disc version would solve any and all.

[SoCalSteve]

Yikes. The only set of carbon wheels that I own came with the Yellow Swisstop pads. I have not had to buy a replacement set.

I would prefer not to ride my carbon wheels in the rain; however, the weather is fickle here and sometimes you get caught out. Do you guys that don't ride carbon rims in the rain have multiple bikes? Do you switch pads and swap wheels when it looks iffy? Or do you not go out at all based on the chance of rain?

Curious what this rain thing is that you speak of???

[djg21]

so what's braking like with zipps? do they require special pads?

i'm noodling on getting some 202 firecrest carbon hoops, but i just dont have an appetite to be swapping pads and/or living with poopie braking performance if i dont.

i'm a big fan of the braking performance of my aluminum hoops!

I have a set of 808 Firecrests. You need to use brake pads for carbon wheels and you do not want to use pads you also use with AL rims. I prefer Zipp's pads. The 808s brake fine in the dry, and not so great in the wet.

[woodworker]

I have the new 404 NSW's with the showstopper brake track. It came with the Zipp pads. I also have the Hed Belgium Plus rims with the exalith type brake track and the standard Hed aluminum rims. The Plus rims and the new NSW rims are pretty much on par in the dry, and better, I think, than the regular aluminum rims. I haven't tried the NSW's in the wet yet. SoCal and all that.

[berserk87]

Curious what this rain thing is that you speak of???

I may become a rice farmer. You folks out west have had quite the dry spell I hear. We are in our rainy season.

[woodworker]

I may become a rice farmer. You folks out west have had quite the dry spell I hear. We are in our rainy season.
Actually, part of our problem is that we have rice farmers in the West but not the water to sustain them. And soybeans, and almonds, etc.

[nate2351]

If carbon wheels are on the bike and its raining, I ride carbon wheels.

[oldpotatoe]

so what's braking like with zipps? do they require special pads?

i'm noodling on getting some 202 firecrest carbon hoops, but i just dont have an appetite to be swapping pads and/or living with poopie braking performance if i dont.

i'm a big fan of the braking performance of my aluminum hoops!

Look at these or the Campagnolo equivalent. Metal braking surface, same weight, far better hubs, cheaper.

http://www.fulcrumwheels.com/en/wheels/road-bike-wheels/racing-zero-clincher-2-way-fit

[wallymann]

Look at these or the Campagnolo equivalent. Metal braking surface, same weight, far better hubs, cheaper.

http://www.fulcrumwheels.com/en/wheels/road-bike-wheels/racing-zero-clincher-2-way-fit

oooh. vewy intewesting!

ah...2+1 rear lacing...and here's where my choice of powertap bites me in the ass!