Zipp’s new 302 Carbon Clincher loses dimples, adds affordability

Are you lusting after some of that Zipp carbon aero goodness but don’t want to spend the equivalent of a new kitchen on a set of wheels? If so, Zipp’s new 302 Carbon Clincher might be for you. This 45mm-deep, £1,299 / $1,500, wheelset offers the cheapest ticket yet to Zipp’s full-carbon prom, and it’s launching in both rim brake and disc brake variants.

If that’s just not expensive enough for your tastes, Zipp has also announced a disc version of its flagship 454 NSW Carbon Clincher. The 454 made waves when it launched last year with its unique whale-inspired Sawtooth rim profile, which claims to reduce aerodynamic drag while also improving crosswind behaviour.

• Zipp 454 NSW review
• What is Zipp’s Sawtooth and how does it work?
• Zipp goes tubeless with new Tangente Speed RT25 and RT28 tyres

Interestingly, despite the recent launch of Zipp’s new tubeless road tyres, none of the three new wheelsets are tubeless-ready, although it seems more than likely that future versions will be.

Zipp 302 – affordable (by Zipp standards) aero

According to Zipp, this is one of the ways the price has been kept relatively low, as creating tooling for dimpled rims is particularly expensive. In a similar vein, it looks like these wheels have standard decals rather than the fancy ‘Impress’ graphics of the latest flagship offerings. 

Zipp hasn’t provided any lab data, but it’s safe to assume that the 302s will be less aero than the all-singing, all-dancing NSW models. They’re also far, far cheaper, however, with pricing that puts them in direct competition with more explicitly budget-focused brands. 

Zipp 302 specs

• 1645g rim brake wheelset claimed weight (740g front / 905g rear)
• 1695g disc brake wheelset claimed weight (785g front / 910g rear)
• 45mm rim depth
• 26.5mm max rim width
• 25.6mm brake track width
• 16.25mm internal width
• 20 front / 24 rear spoke count (rim brake)
• 24 front / 24 rear spoke count (disc brake)
• Sapim secure-lock nipples
• Sapim CX-Sprint spokes
• 76/176 and 76D/176D hubs
• Available in white decals only 

Zipp 302 pricing and availability

The Zipp 302 will retail at £1,299 / $1,500 / €1,530 / AU$TBC for both versions.The rim brake model will be available this month, with the disc version to follow in June.

Zipp 454 NSW disc brake – wheels inspired by nature now stop better

The 454’s rims are laced using top-notch Sapim CX-Ray j-bend spokes to Zipp’s own Cognition disc brake hubs, which feature ‘Axial-clutch’ technology for reduced mechanical drag compared to a standard ratchet mechanism.

They are both QR and thru-axle compatible, with interchangeable end caps included as standard. 

Zipp 454 NSW disc brake specs

• 1615g wheelset claimed weight (765g front / 850g rear)
• 53/58mm rim depth 
• 27.72mm max rim width 
• 26.4mm brake track width 
• 17mm internal width 
• 24 front / 24 rear spoke count
• Sapim secure-lock nipples 
• Sapim CX-Ray j-bend spokes 
• Cognition disc brake hubs
• Impress graphics

Zipp 454 NSW disc brake pricing and availability

The 454 NSW disc brake will retail at £3390 / $4000 / €4000 / AU$TBC. It is available from June 2017.