Zipp 303's

How'd they hold up in Paris-Roubaix this year? I remember last year they had a bunch of them get busted up so they redesigned them to be tougher this year. Anybody know? Thanks.

I didn't hear any stories of them breaking. Lots of crashes out there and the one guy who seemed unfazed by the cobbles (Boonen), was riding box rim Ambrosio tubies.

Well, I cry and have a major fit every time I hit a pothole in Chicago city streets on my Zipp 404's! Can't afford a pothole loss!

Maybe get some everyday wheels and save the 'special event wheels' for that special event?

My handbuilts are my everyday wheels and my special event wheels...

But that doesn't pander to his "fashion victim" status...

Ouch! That had to sting a bit.

__________________
Sex is horrid
Pain is Fun
I cut my fingers off
One by one

Indeed. I have been riding "race wheels" on a daily basis for the last 35 years.
From the first time rode fiamme gold rims and clement tubulars I have always tried to use the best wheels I could. For years it was hi E hubs and Arraya tita-ace titanium rims and since 1995 zipp carbon and TNT ti hubs with ti spokes. Often I have heard about not riding "race wheels" daily and I feel more certain that this is the way to go now than ever. Life is indeed short and this is not the place to get all practical for me. I don't have a lot of bikes or money but nice wheels make the difference. I just got a new set of zipp z4 wheels with 6 non-drive side spokes and plan on riding them for a lot more than race day. I do have a set of 2000 gram clinchers that I use in the winter but when the salt is gone so are they. Like taking the donut off the bat. Other than one over the bars rim snapping crash I have yet to have any problems and really like the difference nice wheels make.

Agree life is indeed short, and there is nothing wrong with spending our money on things that make us happy, even if they are impractical as you acknowledge. Paying a lot of money for a race rear wheel with 6 non-drive side spokes isn't something that would make me happy, but if you find pleasure in owning and riding low-spoke count wheels, that's all that matters.

Your last sentence does leaves me curious though. Other than that "one over the bars rim snapping crash I have yet to have any problems" is kind of a big hurdle for me, in the same category as "other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

LOL! I should have been more clear. I was forced to the edge of the road by a crazy driver, hit a huge hole which flipped me and when the back wheel went over the top it snapped the back rim. It was my second ride on new wheels with the titanium rims. Nothing to do with the wheel being light. BTW I still have the from wheel (I rebuilt the back and wore it out) and ride it once in a while. Good bar bet with younger riders- "there are no titanium rims". OK, sure. Tita-Ace they are called. Very light and an awesome ride. I wonder what they could do with current titanium technology. I think these are just CP (commercialy pure) ti. Oh never mind thaey wouldn't be carbon so who wants that.

Uh, I thought we were talking about my worthless wheel opinions here. It was supposed to be about zipp 303 failures and I went off on a wine fueled tangent about my love of bike wheels then you waltz in with some completely unrelated blather than even fewer people care about than my B.S. So if you are going to change the subject around here don't do it when I'm busy blabbing about a vaguely related issueto the original thread. I enjoy "my game" in English every day with out your help.

Actually, I've looked into either hydroforming or machine-bend-fold-welding some titanium rims. It's definitely possible. The reality is that they would weigh somewhere between aluminum and carbon rims with roughly the same stiffness. They would also be about as expensive as carbon rims, which can be a bit pricey. One benefit though, would be increased toughness - the ability to absorb impacts without being damaged.

Bottom line is that other projects kept coming up and I never went anywhere with it. I still think it's a feasible idea though.

John Swanson
www.bikephysics.com