Before starting this blog I have to be totally upfront with you. I am using this post to kill the proverbial “two birds with one stone”. First, I love reviewing triathlons and everything related to them. Second, I am selling these sweet wheels because after having a “mini me” running around the house I am realizing that I could use the money more than a set of race wheels. Anyway… now that I’ve scared you off here is the review!
I bought these stealth looking, wind defying, smooth as silk Zero 050 wheels when I was ramping up for my Ironman debut in 2006 at Ironman Wisconsin. Back then I was still riding my Giant TCR as my primary (and only) bike and I wanted something that would make my baby faster without spending a ton of money. Scratch that… what I really wanted was a brand new bike but couldn’t afford one so I decided to invest in the next best thing… wheels!
Being part of the Javelin Triathlon Team at the time I was able to get hooked up with a pair of Zero’s for a decent price and even worked it out so I could purchase them through a local bike dealer. After all was said and done I spent about $1300 on the wheels, cassette, skewers, brake pads, and tires, and mounting. Not too bad considering that a new set of wheels will now run you about $1300 just for the wheels.
I have ridden these bad boys in every distance of triathlon available (sprint, Olympic, 1/2 Iron, and Iron) and it is safe to say that they are sweet! Honestly, they weren’t the “magic bullet” to my bike speed that I secretly hoped they would be but they did make me a bit faster. On a fast day I would go from pushing to average just under 22mph to 23mph. Of course this could be attributed to a number of things but I’m happy chalking it up to the wheels 
Here is a list of pros vs cons:
Pros:
- Very Light – total weight between the wheels (minus tire, skewer, and cassette) is 1470 grams
- Tubular – this allows for higher air pressure which equals less rolling resistance
- Aero – having a 50mm deep carbon rim drastically reduces drag. Couple that with the light weight and you have a seriously fast wheel!
- Price – They come in about $700 cheaper for a comparable set of Zipp wheels. (I compared them to the Zipp 404’s at www.3-athlon.com)
Cons:
- Tubular – if you are not comfortable changing a flat tubular these could present a problem on race day.
- Price – if you have a tight budget these are a bit of a stretch despite being more affordable than many other brands.
- Valve Stem – with the deep dish wheel you need valve stem extenders. It took me a while to finally get it right and get a good seal. If you unscrew the valve stem from the tire, screw in the extender to the tire, and then screw the original valve stem at the end of the extender you should be good to go. Doing the opposite will result in a leaky valve stem when you attempt to inflate the tire.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for an affordable set of race day wheels these are definitely a good option. If you can afford an extra $1000 dollars you might consider going with a set of Zipps or Heds but if budget is at all a factor these are great wheels to help you fly through a race! As I mentioned earlier, I purchased them in 2006 mostly to use during Ironman Wisconsin and they performed phenominally! I would buy them all over again if I needed to.
If you would like to see these wheels on eBay please click here!
