Zipp 808 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Front Wheel

The Zipp 808 Firecrest Carbon Clincher has been proven to be one of the fastest, most stable deep-dish wheels around. Zipp decided it could be better. They made it laterally stiffer and improved the hubs so it transfers power better and rolls faster.

The rim has remained the same. It still features 82mm of depth and the Firecrest toroidal shape, bulging out to 27.5mm at the widest point is almost as fast as a disc wheel in some conditions, and actually faster than others. The wheel is so fast that it caused Zipp to drop the 1080 from their lineup. The big differences are that they're lighter, 1885g for the set, and behave much better in crosswinds. Lighter is great for any acceleration and any time the road tilts up, and easy handling is crosswinds comes in handy every ride.

Your ability to handle crosswinds is probably one of the biggest factors in choosing a rim depth. The great thing about the 808s is they handle like much shallower wheels. The Firecrest shape is the secret. The blunt end and flattish profile not only reduce low pressure zones on the leeward side of the wheels, but through smart tuning, Zipp was able to move the focal point back, so that steering would be easier-which means less attention needs to be paid to riding fast and less arm strength needs to be used to hold the wheels in the direction you want them to go.

Zipp is now deploying their 77/177 hub set throughout the Firecrest line. The pre-load adjustment of the 88/188 set is gone, simplifying things, as well as designing in lower lateral loading so the bearings roll more smoothly. The front flanges are taller, wider, and holds the spoke in a stronger position. The rear flanges are arranged in a star pattern, allowing for better bracing angles and yielding a strong cross-two pattern and higher tensions, also thanks to Sapim CX-Sprint spokes, meaning the wheels will barely deflect under the highest-torque loads.

For rear wheels, Zipp offers both a Campagnolo-compatible, and Shimano/SRAM-compatible cassette body. The latter comes with a spacer for 8/9/10-speed cassettes. In both cases, the 177 hub body allows you to install a SRAM XD-cassette body for super-wide range gearing.

The 808 can stand alone, it’s going to speed you up regardless of whether it’s a front or rear. That written, triathletes and time trialists often pair an 808 front to a disc rear. And those who are concerned about crosswinds pushing them about, pair a shallower front, like a 404, with an 808 rear. The 808 front can also double as a track wheel, with the skewer replaced.

Remember to use only carbon-specific pads with your carbon rims, and never run them with aluminum rims. Zipp has taken innovation in their system to a new level with these tubes, which feature an aluminum, rather than brass, valve stem. Lighter, better machined, and possessing a removable valve core. It also improves the balance of the spinning wheel. The wheels are not designed for compatibility with tubeless systems.

The Zipp 808 Firecrest Carbon Clincher keeps going faster.