I found a good deal on a set of used Zipp 808's carbon clinchers from last year for 900$. I am not a racer but I ride hard mostly on roads and do some climbing, also I look forward to racing in the future. Because I live next to the beach it can get very windy at times. I weight 145lbs and am 6'2. How much will I benefit from these over my stock Shimano R-500? Should I consider a different option in the 1k$ price range?

I've been racing 808 tubulars all of this racing season and they are awesome. The best racing wheels I've ever ridden. You have to pay attention in cross winds if it gets really really windy but they're no where near as bad as people say they are. I've raced them in mountains and in flats and while they're not the lightest out there the depth of the rim makes up for it.

Get them and don't look back!

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Are they Firecrests? I wouldn't run the 808 front at your weight and under your conditions anyhow, but it should be very easy to sell the 808 front (time trialists and triathletes want them front only) and try to source a 303/404/or similar instead.

Sure you CAN handle the 808, but I think you'll suffer more than you'll gain compared to something shallower. But compared straight up with R500, you'll feel as if you're on drugs!! (In the good way)

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yishun bike: cost-effective carbon wheels/frame/bike parts

zipp 808 vs Shimano R 500. are you kidding me?

don't get me wrong, the R500 are great, cheap, bombproof training wheels... but they're boat anchors and this is WEIGHT WEENIES....

I am a bit lighter than you and run the deep front a fair bit. You'll be fine...

Is$900 a god price for 808s? That doesn't seem cheap to me.

My son and I are both your height but 30-40 pounds heavier and we found 808s a handful in TTs so I sold ours. For riding around 303s or 404s are lighter and a lot easier to ride in the wind.

If they are the FC that is a crazy good deal. Non-FC, it is still really good, assuming that they are 2011's as stated.

808 clinchers are going to be pretty heavy: 1921g from the manufacturer compared to 1884g for the R500, according to websites.

Both are boat anchors.

I'd say you'd only want the 808 as a dedicated time trial or triathlon wheelset. And then, you'd arguably be better served with a tubular set.

You should be able to find some 303 or 404 wheels in that price range.

Another thought would be to go with something like the dura-ace c24s, which go for around 900 new, and would be 1400ish grams, but those are probably overbuilt for you at 145.

You'd probably do well to consider something like a stans alpha 340 with nice hubs custom built up in the $600-700 range, that would be ~1200grams.

You're looking at weights for the non carbon clinchers. The FC CC's are sub 1800 and they do not feel or ride that heavy. I used the 404 FC CC's, 808 FC CC's, the 808/404 CC combo as well as the 404 FC and 808 FC tubulars between this season and last. The 808's are extremely fast feeling and currently what I use for every single race. I've used them in very windy conditions and never had an issue and I know lots of people that sold their 404's this year to get the 808's. In addition, these people weigh anywhere from 130 to 190 and none have ever reported any issues with handling. I personally think people that have issues just can't ride for shit, have a terrible position, or are just plain bad bike handlers. That and the Zipp wheels seem to handle well in the cross winds.

$900 for used 808 FC's is not bad at all.

They are not the firecrest edition just 2011 carbon clincher 808's with low miles on them.

there are no carbon clincher non firecrest 808!

i'm sure you mean the normal clinchers with aluminium brake surface

Ive rode and raced on 808's in 5'10 62kg you will be fine, performance wise no comparison the zipps are awesome..... Make a good noise too

I should add that I'm ~140lbs and 5'11. I don't get blown around. And really, something like a mavic Ksyrium SL is probably worse than an 808. Yes the 808's rims are taller but the Ksyrium's have big fat rectangular spokes that aren't aerodynamic at all. Those things catch wind and I always thought were much harder to ride in windy conditions than carbon wheels. Besides, if it's windy enough for you to feel blown around on Zipps you're going to get blown around on any wheel you rid. When the wind blows at 30mph it doesn't matter what you're riding, you're going to have deal with it.

As stated, if they are carbon clinchers they have to be firecrest shape. If they're not fire crest and/or have an aluminum braking surface they're non-firecrest. If they're firecrests 900 is a decent price. If they're not firecrests that's not such a great price.

_________________
- Zipp rims will break if you look at them too hard
- R-Sys wheels will spontaneously explode
- The ZG crankset will never, ever exist
- Everyone needs Lightweights, even if they're fat and old
- Parts actually made of metal are SO 10 years ago

There's a big, big difference between 808 tubulars and 808 carbon clinchers.