Front wheel for TT bike

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
User avatar
thencameyou
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:27 am
Location: Nu Zild

by thencameyou

Hi all, looking for some suggestions for a new TT-specific front wheel.
Running a Cannondale Slice RS with Di2 / Zipp Sub 9 tubular disc rear.
I am 68-70kg / 189cm so can cope with depth unless it's very windy. I have a 404 Firecrest clincher front for windy days.
FTP ~ 300W but decently aero position.
Mainly doing 15-40k TT's, the odd bike leg for a half ironman.

Options:
- 808 Firecrest (tub vs clincher?)
- Enve SES 8
- HED Stinger 9
- HED Trispoke

Anything else I should consider?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



McGilli
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 6:57 pm

by McGilli

I know it's old tech, but I'm still running a Zipp 1080 Tubular - and you can get them for pretty cheap these days on Pinkbike, Ebay etc...

istigatrice
Posts: 849
Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 8:32 am
Location: Australia

by istigatrice

Don't know if it warrants a mention but Flo90 would also be a decent option if you can get your hands on a set. They're clinchers only though. There's also the Reynolds Aero 90 but their design philosophy is very different to Zipp so might mismatch the rear disc (I think Zipp are high drag high lift whereas Reynolds are low drag and low lift).

And if it's for TTs there's some sources which claim that clinchers have lower rolling resistance, but tubular rims are usually lighter so might be more versatile e.g. if there's a 5% climb on your course and you're 50/50 about a lighter wheel (in the clincher scenario) the tubulars would give you both (reasonable weight and aero).
I write the weightweenies blog, hope you like it :)

Disclosure: I'm sponsored by Velocite, but I do give my honest opinion about them (I'm endorsed to race their bikes, not say nice things about them)

spdntrxi
Posts: 5790
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:11 pm

by spdntrxi

The HED3 is fast but I did not like the handling. I used an front Enve 6 for awhile and that seemed to be alright in the handling dept...but my times were slower with it compared to the HED3. I recently picked up a Corima 4 spoke tub and the test rides have seemed positive, but I have not hit my test course with it yet to judge speed. My rear is a Zipp Super9 Clincher.

of your choices the 808 would be hard to beat.
2024 BMC TeamMachine R Building
2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL- getting aero look makeover
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault - completed project, full Xplr package

Nefarious86
Moderator
Posts: 3669
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 4:57 am

by Nefarious86

Paging Nick....

Hed3+ would usually be the fastest option with the 404 as the windy option.
Using Tapatalk

Post Reply