Zipp 808 Firecrest
Pricey but if you want something special for race day, don’t look any further
There’s no disputing the pedigree of these wheels and, with Pete Jacobs piloting a set to his 2012 Kona victory, they clearly perform at the highest level.
With the 808 Firecrests, the most obvious feature is the chunky 27.5mm width, which doesn’t dramatically taper down towards the spoke bed. In extensive tunnel testing, this ticks the three boxes of aerodynamics, stability and strength.
There’s undoubtedly a placebo effect to riding Zipps. You know the data, you know the wins they’ve accumulated and that confidence boost makes you ride fast.
Rider psychology aside, though, they’re blisteringly quick themselves. In the very toughest conditions of our test period, they still posted some of the fastest splits.
You can feel and hear them working for you, their 1,565g weight accelerates effortlessly and their handling in adverse wind conditions is 100% confidence-inspiring.
Contact : www.zipp.com
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
