Zipp 454 NSW reviews

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pesto13
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:55 am

by pesto13

Hi People,

does anyone knows of a real review of the new zipp 454 wheels?, I was considering this wheelset or also the new zipp 404 NSW. However I dont find a real review about the wheels. the most complete I have found some videos on youtube but nothing to specific.

thanks in advanced.

DaReef
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:36 am

by DaReef

I have them and like them. The cognition hub is nice. I also have a set of Boyd rims on custom built wheels at half the price. i like them both. The Zipps are on my dream bike build while the Boyd's are on my new "race bike". If you want Zipps, buy them you'll be happy. If you want a high performing wheel, you can get one just as good if not better for less from several brands.

I do love the look of Zipps!

Image

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pesto13
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:55 am

by pesto13

Thanks! for the input DaReef. Nice Bike build that you have I also have a tarmac and the zipps look nice. currently I am on roval clx40 which are really nice wheels but I want deeper wheels.

Colt501
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:46 pm

by Colt501

The first review on the 454 NSW does not sell me on a $4,000 wheel set.
http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/c ... iew-51031/

nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

I have the 303 NSW. In a nutshell: very good braking, very weird noise from the freehub, among the lightest in category. If you are in the US, slane cycles offers fast shipping and very good prices compared to the msrp. (454 - $3,521 / 404 - $2,240).

hambini
Posts: 580
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:13 am
Location: Cologne, Germany

by hambini

I hope they have changed their supplier of wheel bearings. The one's on my 177/77 Firecrest 808's were garbage.
Hambini Aeronautical Engineer, Polluting YouTube since 2016 - views expressed are my own...

wingguy
Posts: 4318
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

nemeseri wrote:very weird noise from the freehub

I don't understand the Cognition freehub. Or should I say, I don't think it works the way they claim it works. Spinning the freehub by hand the magnets clearly don't make the drive rings fully disengage from each other the way they're supposed to, and it is much, much draggier than a normal 177 spring and pawl freehub. With an NSW clamped into a slatwall wheel hook you can use the friction in the freehub to spin the wheel up to a good 10 or 20 rpm. With a 177 hub there isn't enough to make it move at all.

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F45
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:08 am

by F45

It's a very similar concept as the DT system except with opposing magnets that provide the force.

wingguy
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Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

F45 wrote:...except with opposing magnets that provide the force.

Yeah. Except I can't feel any evidence that the magnets are doing anything at all. They're supposed to push the drive rings apart, but when you spin the freehub by hand they absolutely 100% don't. Far from being frictionless it feels like the draggiest high end freehub I know of.

Maybe it's different when you're actually riding but I can't see why it would be :noidea:

DavidMLee
Posts: 172
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 3:48 pm

by DavidMLee

Zipp's cognition hub looks good to me.

it just makes perfect sense reducing drag by disengaging and then use magnets to re-engage.

http://www.zipp.com/technologies/hub/hub.php
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wingguy
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Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

DavidMLee wrote:it just makes perfect sense reducing drag by disengaging and then use magnets to re-engage.

But does it make sense? On the Zipp hub the magnets are still pushing the drive rings together when you're coasting so one ring is always grinding over the other. On any other ring drive system there is nothing pushing the rings together when you're coasting, only when you're pedalling.

Like I said, when you're spinning them in hand they're noticeably much draggier than a normal 177 hub, and somewhat more than a CK.

russianbear
Posts: 683
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:40 am

by russianbear

nemeseri wrote:I have the 303 NSW. In a nutshell: very good braking, very weird noise from the freehub, among the lightest in category. If you are in the US, slane cycles offers fast shipping and very good prices compared to the msrp. (454 - $3,521 / 404 - $2,240).


Have some real world weights?

nemeseri
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:40 pm

by nemeseri

russianbear wrote:
nemeseri wrote:I have the 303 NSW. In a nutshell: very good braking, very weird noise from the freehub, among the lightest in category. If you are in the US, slane cycles offers fast shipping and very good prices compared to the msrp. (454 - $3,521 / 404 - $2,240).


Have some real world weights?


The 303 NSW came at 1,433g for the set, without the rim tape. Obviously they are clinchers. I didn't take a picture on the scale, but I did measure them.

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F45
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by F45

wingguy wrote:On any other ring drive system there is nothing pushing the rings together when you're coasting, only when you're pedalling.


Do you have an example in mind of a ring drive like this? I heard American Classic has a full disengagement drive but I haven't actually looked at it.

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TheKaiser
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Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 3:29 pm

by TheKaiser

F45 wrote:
wingguy wrote:On any other ring drive system there is nothing pushing the rings together when you're coasting, only when you're pedalling.


Do you have an example in mind of a ring drive like this? I heard American Classic has a full disengagement drive but I haven't actually looked at it.


I'd be curious to know what he has in mind too, as King calls their system a "ring drive" if I remember correctly and the seem to have a bit of drag as well, although some of that will be due to their seals, and their buzzing sound demonstrates that there is still a rubbing between the engagement rings when freewheeling.

Regarding American Classic, they have had a few generations of the system you mention, but basically they have a secondary ratchet system, separate from the pawls and primary engagement teeth. When you freewheel, the secondary ratchet fully retracts the pawls, and then when you begin to pedal again, the secondary ratchet will engage and flip the pawls out so they can engage with the primary engagement teeth. You may wonder if the secondary ratchet generates friction, and the answer is yes, but a lot less than the primary ratchet would. It is basically a single wire spring that circles around from pawl to pawl, and then rubs on a very shallow toothed ring, so there is very little friction generated. There is a slower engagement when returning to pedaling due to this multi step mechanism, but for road riding it isn't really an issue.

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