First race: Zipp enters the world of mountain biking with the new 3ZERO Moto Carbon wheels

The wheels are designed for aggressive trailering and, although they are designed to withstand all the rigors of the enduro race – Adrien Dailly and Jerome Clementz have had podium appearances with them – pointing out that Zipp are not destined for the DH or the cyclists. In other words, if you have a double crown fork or an engine on your bike, these are not the wheels for you.

In addition to being pre-glued and ready for installation of tubeless tires, the rims are equipped with TireWiz for easy monitoring of tire pressure. The TyreWiz app allows users to set the tire pressure of their tires. An indicator light on the device mounted on the valve stem flashes red or green to indicate if the pressure is correct. Even if you do not have a smartphone with you, the light will always indicate whether the pressure should be adjusted or not.

The shape of the low-profile rim gives the wheels a feather-light appearance, but they are actually not the lightest option: the 27.5 "version weighs a claimed weight of 1825 grams and the 29" model of 1910 grams. The full set of wheels is priced at $ 1,999, or the rims are available for $ 700.

Details

The vast majority of carbon mountain bike rims on the market have a shape very similar to that of their aluminum counterparts, which is not surprising: the box-shaped profile is a proven design that has existed for years 1930. This is an effective way to create a rigid and resistant rim, but it is also possible to create a rim that as well stiff, especially when carbon fiber is used.

The 3Zero Moto Rim is designed to flex laterally during an impact.

Inspired by the single-wall rim profile used on motocross motorcycles, Zipp engineers devised a rim shape designed to pivot from one side to the other around the spokes. This is not the first single-walled carbon mountain bike rim to come on the market – Mello Boumeester launched its carbon rim design at the end of 2014, but for the moment, rims with wall unique are still rare. Zipp calls the movement of the rim around the spokes "adhesion to the ankle", stating that it "allows the rim to flex locally and stay parallel to the ground in turns, which increases traction in the same way than the human ankle. Pinch the dishes and damage the rim compared to a more rigid box-shaped rim. According to Zipp, during the development of the wheels, 37 riders traveled more than 35,000 km with only two pinches reported.

What is the advantage of 3ZeroMoto wheels compared to a set of aluminum wheels? According to Zipp, the wheels are able to withstand shocks that would completely destroy an aluminum rim and better dampen impacts at low power and high frequency, as well as the type of forces that can cause fatigue of hands and arms.

Several Speed ​​Line band color options are available for this additional level of customization.

TireWiz is included with all wheelsets. This is a simple and lightweight device that allows for easy monitoring of tire pressure via an app or flashing light located on the device.

I attended a simulated test session organized by Zipp in Sintra, Portugal, in a format similar to that used when developing 3Zero Moto wheels. The riders began by making a few laps on their own wheels, then switched to the 3Zero Motorcycles, then to their initial setup, taking notes between turns. The tire pattern and air pressure were the same on all wheels to keep things as consistent as possible.

I started with a set of Roval Traverse carbon wheels, which I have already reviewed this year. They are stiff and precise without being too hard, and they have withstood all that I have thrown at them. In short, a good reference for comparing 3Zero Moto wheels. Once these first laps completed, I switched to 3Zero Moto wheels. Halfway through my first ride on the Zipp wheels, it became apparent that there was a clear difference, and a significant difference. The Zipp wheels were noticeably softer, but it was not carbon wheels with an aluminum feel, but a totally different feel. It was felt that there was more to "give" to the wheels, but they still had a lot of support for tight turns and jumps and downhills.

Part of the trail had a long straight line that was full of roots covered by an inch or two of dust. These hidden roots made it difficult to hold a line; Letting go of the brakes, looking ahead and staying hooked seemed like the best tactic. With the Roval wheels, I really had to concentrate so that the bike continues to follow the way I wanted, because of all these erratic impacts. The story of the 3Zero Moto wheels was different: there was a level of traction that did not exist with the Rovals and it was a lot easier to keep the bike in the direction I wanted.

When I came back to the Roval wheels, the difference in handling became even clearer. The Rovals seemed stiffer and more precise, but they did not offer the same level of grip and bending strength as the 3Zero Moto wheels. They also sent more comments to my hands and forearms. The 3Zero Motos offered a much more "comfortable" driving feeling, similar to the feeling of driving at 20 psi versus 30 psi in your tires.

Zipp's claims of compliance, flattening prevention, and superior impact resistance on aluminum rims will not fail to raise eyebrows, but I am convinced that 3Zero Moto wheels can offer a significant advantage in terms of performance by offering a very notable increase in comfort in difficult conditions. Keep in mind that some rides are not a complete test – I will continue to drive miles on these wheels to test these durability claims. I'm also curious if comfort leads to better lap times, and how a bike will behave with a Zipp wheel at the front and a stiffer wheel at the back, or vice versa. The 3Zero Motos are a very interesting new option, a direct challenge to the mantra of the "stiffest is the best" often touted carbon wheels.