Zipp has introduced its ‘lightest and most advanced tubeless wheels yet’: the new 454 NSW Tubeless Disc brake and 404 Firecrest Tubeless Disc brake.
According to the company, these wheelsets are light and aero with low rolling resistance thanks to Zipp Hookless Technology and Total System Efficiency (TSE), which ‘help conquer the four barriers to speed’:
- Wind resistance – power loss created by the resistance of the air; more prevalent as the speed increases.
- Gravity – power loss created by the weight of the bike and components; more prevalent as the slope increases.
- Rolling resistance – power loss created by the friction of the tires on the ground; depends on the tyre performance, but also tyre patch and tyre patch.
- Vibration – power loss created by vibrations from the road, that induce a vertical motion on both the bike and the rider; more prevalent when the surface becomes rougher.
The 454 NSW Tubeless Disc-brake wheelset with TSE is roughly a pound (more than 400g) lighter than its predecessor. The 404 Firecrest Tubeless Disc-brake with TSE is about 370g lighter than its predecessor.
Outdoor testing at commissioned by Zipp revealed the real-world gains of Zipp Total System Efficiency (TSE) at 40kph. The new 454 NSW reportedly required a 10-watt savings to maintain that speed compared with the previous model. The 404 Firecrest showed a 4 watt savings.
In addition, Zipp’s 454 NSW Tubular Disc-brake and 858 NSW Tubeless Disc-brake wheels now feature the Cognition DB V2 hubset.
According to the company… ‘You’ll roll efficiently, whether pedalling or coasting, with the rear hub’s Axial Clutch V2 technology for reduced drag and lowered friction.’
