Zipp 303`s or Zipp 404`s

Does anyone use these wheels all year round for training and racing?

training no, racing yes

I have a set of 404's for my road bike, use them for training (sometimes), touring (sometimes) and racing, (always) in light of the fact that I almost never race my road bike. My most recent addition is a set of Shimano DuraAce 7801 Carbon wheels, I am using them primarily for training.

I have 606's on my TT bike and use them for racing only.

So to answer your question, I use the 404's for everything. The latest versions are comfortable and most importantly durable.

Why train on a $1500 pair of wheels? Just grab a pair of sturdy Mavic Open 4s for $300/pair.

Why not? They don't do anything sitting in the house.

Why train on a $4000 frame? Why train on a $3000 frame? Why train on a $1500 Why train with a $1500 gruppo?

Why? Because it's fun. Besides, I've yet to see conclusive evidence that Mavic OPs are stronger, more durable than and CF wheels out there.

Don't buy it if you're afraid to ride it.

+1 I use my reynolds mv 32t wheelset all the time

I got Zipp 404 clinchers for $1135 ebay shipped - couldn't afford them at $1750 to $1850 bike shop price!

First time you inflate them they give a cracking sound. Then if you use the short stem tubes with Zipp Valve extenders pumping them up to pressure is so hard because the pump leaks around the vavle extender. Then I overpumped and blew out a tube because you have to overpressure them because of pump leakage. The best solution is to use Vresdestein 80 mm long valve tubes - they extend far enough to not use those crappy valve extenders and are a major lifesaver! These tube also have a removable valve assembly to put sealant in.

Last of all, you need a good rim tape for the clincher wheel. Mission Bay recommend Velox but I bought them and it totally sucked! Slides right off! The best rim tape is sol at Performance Bike - it's RoxUSA Ultralight rim tape! Carry a spare set of these when you go biking in case a flat fix screws up your rim tape!

I'd train and race on my Zipps, but then again I don't race. It's just a total inspiration to give my 2006 CF Cervelo Soloist Team with Zipp 404s a ride!

Or you can actually listen to rationale advice. Tufo makes valve extenders that relocate the valve core to the end of the extender. No leaks. No fuss.

Rox Ultralight rim tape is about the worst tape going. It will move. Velox stays in place. I've been using Velox for as long as I can remember, and I've never had issues, including with the latest batches. The one time I ran out of Velox, I had to use Rox. The Rox was a tremendous waste of money. Fixing a flat shouldn't screw up rim tape. That's a sure sign that the rim tape is ****.

If you choose to use the extenders that are only a tube and don't relocate the valve core, wrap the threads on the stem with teflon tape and you won't have any leaks. Over inflating tubes is just stupid. Doubly so if you do it to the point that you rupture tubes.

VELOX is total **** rim tape, as my experience was it moved on me after tube/tire install and caused the tube to internally explode. It doesn't stick well.

And I think Alienator doesn't have Zipp 404 clinchers either!

Yeah, I don't have Zipp 404 clinchers. So what? Is there something secret and magical about the way rim tape works with them? I thought not.

I'd say your "experience" with Velox had something else going on. For the price of Rox tape, it ought to apply itself and send an email when it moves and uncovers a spoke hole.

I'll stack up 20+ years of Velox use against your recent use of Rox tape on your $25,000 bike collection, during the time during which you bought a hopped up $3500 Honda and had a job that paid $1000+ a week, all while you saved gas by not riding your bike and you verbally jerked off by telling everyone how much you make and how much you spent on this and that.

I've found Velox to be just as good as Zefal, or any of the others. Maybe the rim wasn't clean, dry and 'grease free' when you put in on. Or it was the wrong width?

Velox? Bloody bombproof.

__________________
"All that we see and seem is but a dream, within a dream..."

Well, maybe I got a bad Velox pair that wasn't too sticky?

Hey, I'm gonna live by the Rox tape!

No need for valve extenders when Vredestein 80mm long valve tubes are the perfect tube for the Zipp 404 clinchers. Best buy was for 6 of them for $36 at Cbike.com - bike stores charge $10 per tube and rarely carry this size!

I have a set of 404's in tubie. Got them used on ebay for a very nice price a couple of years ago. I don't race any more, just wanted to try them out. Love them - the ride is silky smooth, they're responsive, and there is definitely a difference on downhills.

However, one does have to ride them with due respect for the cost of a replacement rim. ($400+) Mine took one hard shot (some cretin cut a 2" deep x 4" wide groove across the road on a blind turn) and emerged without damage, but I wouldn't want to make a habit of that - I can still hear that whack! Thought for sure I had lunched the front rim, but it remained intact.

303's and 404's are different beasts. 303's are more climbing wheels, lighter with a narrower aero rim section. 404's are for higher speed riding. A bit heavier, but that 58mm rim shaped like an airfoil really cuts the wind, especially when you get above 30mph. You do get knocked around more by crosswinds.

I did notice that the Zipps seemed to give me about a .3-.5mph better average speed as compared to the AL aero wheelset I had, Rolf Vector Pro. YMMV, but they definitely weren't slower than the 30mm Rolfs.

Velox is good, but Zipp don't recommend them for their clinchers. They reckon it is too thick and doesn't allow for a good mounting of the clincher bead.

I've had no direct experience with the Zipp clinchers directly to comment on the velox/zipp combo. But i've used Velox on plenty of clinchers, and it works perfectly.

It would be my first choice for the next time I need rim tape (though I ride tubulars now, or clinchers that don't require tape).