P'tap G3 with Zipp 404 firecrest tubular rim. 20H. CX-Rays.

Anyone got any experience of riding a wheel with a non P-tap G3 hub and then riding with a P'tap G3 build wheel built up?

Any comments on stiffness?

The stiffness of the rim built with the new G3 Powertap hub will be a bit higher than the standard wheel built with the standard hub.
First the flanges are larger, second the new G3 hub has a nice bracing angle on drive side, which is very important for wheel lateral stiffness, third, you will get a wheel that is more torque resistant since the flanges are larger.
If the hub is 20h, I advise you have it built up with radial/1x spoking drive side, all heads in even for the 1x spoking, and 2 times crossed on the non drive side.

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RAR wheels
Roues Artisanales

thanks very much Adrien. That's very helpful advice.

I had my ZIPP 101 wheels rebuilt with the G3 PT hub about 6 mnths ago. Just fyi, I weigh about 105 kg and have threshold power around 300 watts. I can't say the wheels are now any stiffer but am really happy with the upgrade.

The G3 hub is nice, I have anther set of Hed wheels with the last gen SL+ hub.

edo

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Basso Fast Cross
Felt DA

Although maybe not necessary, I would recommend going with 24H rather than 20H if possible. It will help make a much stiffer (and potentially more durable) wheel. The powertap hub is pretty heavy, so I generally recommend lacing it with slightly more spokes than you normally would.

When I was enquiring about building the zipp 404 FC rim into a 20 hole hub Zipp told me from testing they found the 24 hole best for all their powertap builds. The service guy didnt say why. I guess to do with lateral stiffness.

My previous wheel was a Lew pro VT-1 built into 20 hole Powertap SL hub and from day one that wheel flexed and was rubbing on my brakes blocks when I stood out of the saddle. My weight is 65kg.

The rim failed this year on one side of the brake track.

Spoke to wheelbuilder.com and they recommended the G3 on a 24 hole Zipp 404 FC rim for the extra stiffness. As I'm in the UK and cant get hold of 24 hole Zipp 404 FC rims I went for the Enve 6.7 G3 powertap wheelset. I got the wheelset yesterday tried them today and very happy with them.

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Rob

No clearance issues on the DS... even with Campy? The G3 has more DS offset... 17.4mm vs 15.9mm for the Pro+ and older designs.

I laced my powertap sl+ 2.4 all heads in 1x DS XR-270 rim, and the derailleur(Campagnolo) hit the spokes in the largest cog(23). I couldn't imagine the G3 with larger DS off set working at all with this pattern. Possibly with a really deep rim?

Rob - thats a wheelset I am tempted to get built
Can I ask what spokes, and lacing pattern was recommended?


Spoke to wheelbuilder.com and they recommended the G3 on a 24 hole Zipp 404 FC rim for the extra stiffness. As I'm in the UK and cant get hold of 24 hole Zipp 404 FC rims I went for the Enve 6.7 G3 powertap wheelset. I got the wheelset yesterday tried them today and very happy with them

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Reading around seems like radial on the ND side is a no-no with PTs due to the torque tube.

I've just had a 24 hole G3 built onto a Stans Alpha 340. 2x each side. Just a trainer until I source another rim. Either 6.7 ENVEs or I might inquire with Fisher outdoor to see if I can get a Zipp FC rim.

In my experience, Fishers are not very flexible at doing this 'out of the ordinary'

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I bought the wheelset from cyclepowermeters.com.

http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/smart-e ... -118-c.asp

The rear was built with Sapim CX Ray spokes 2x each side.

I tried to speak to Fishers about the a 24 hole 404 FC rim but they never got back to me.

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Rob

Thanks for the comments all. Agree a 24H rear would probably be better. That said, as Adrien said, the PT G3 hub should provide stiffness as good or better than the Zipp hub. It's also not that heavy ... 325g is about what stock rear hubs weighed only a few years ago.

Interesting that the 101, also with 20 spokes built up similar to stock stiffness..

I also have a 202 rear with 24 that I could build with a G3.

Worst case is it's too flexy, in which case I'll rebuild into a standard 404 FC tub and try a 202/303 instead with 24H.

58mm 404 FC is pretty deep. To be honest I could live with not being able to use the largest sprocket. Only ever used on 15%+ grades anyway

You will be fine on the big sprocket if the wheel builder gets the spokes set properly.
Ideally the builder will tailor and custom cut the spokes so the 1X is on the flat part of the spoke. (but the vast majority of builders won't want to do that probably) And set the elbows so you get the clearance.
It's a balance act, and make sure you space that cassette as much as you can and adjust the mech properly to squeeze as much width in the wheel build as you can.
If the builder set's the spokes for that particular style you could get a significant extra rear mech sweep.

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