1080's, 808's or 808+1080?

If you haven't been on the race wheels and aren't going to have a lot of time on them I'd go with the 808's or smaller.  Those 808's are still going to let you feel the cross-wind plenty. 

A deep front is likely to cause more handling issues than a disc rear (and, in at least some circumstances, a disc can smooth the airflow better than a deep rear).  I would ride 808/disc.  But if you are concerned about handling in the wind, you might be better off forgoing aero wheels altogether.

I am currently running 808s. I definitely notice the wind on them, which I never did before with any of my other wheels (404s and H3s and Hed Alps). I did a race last year with winds at 20-25 sustained with gusts up to 40, and it was a little squirrely. Nothing that I wasn't okay with...but I am used to riding them. Had it been my first ride, I may have felt a little widgety.

If you've never ridden deep wheels before, I'd suggest you get in a little practice with them...or maybe ride something like a 404. 404s are a great wheel, and the handling isn't really any different than standard wheels.

Thank you all for your responses! I think I will go with the 404's on Cancun and maybe 808's on Miami. 

 

You could also consider a 606 set (if available) for Cancun as the deeper rear will help to stabilize the bike in windy conditions.

For Miami, I would probably go with a deep front/disc rear combo.

Shane

by deep front do you mean 1080's in the front?

I would ride a 1080 in the front; however the difference between a 404, 808 and 1080 front is going to be relatively small.  According to Zipp you are looking at about 20 seconds over a 40kmTT for the difference between 404 and 1080 wheelsets so probably 11-14 seconds for the difference between a 404 or 1080 front paired with a disc.

So, over a 70.3 bike leg, you would be looking at about 25-30 seconds difference between the two (with an 808 being somewhere in the middle).

FWIW, my race wheelset is 55mm front with a covered rear wheel.

Shane

I'm one of the few people that I know of who does not like / feels the influence of squirrely front end from wind enough to go shallower even than you are thinking ... even at 178 pounds, I trade aero away for shallower hoops and less wind effect ... I ride 46mm in front and 58mm or 46mm in back depending on wind and hills.

 **This is not faster, on paper. This is not faster, on paper. This is not faster, on paper. **

I just like it better.

And the 20 seconds that Zipp gives you for 40K on 1080's versus 404's assumes exactly 40K on both wheels ... not veering off course, even slightly.

But I'm first season in tri geometry, most of my miles indoors ... and still getting used to it.

Edited by jsselle 2010-04-26 9:26 PM

just thought i would throw this out there to you, just like you i just got a new bike a trek eq 9.8 camw with the bontrager 9.0 front and back sold them back and went with the hed jet 6 and jet nine for more control,,,,9.0 s had me all over in a cross wind lol it would take time to get used to them

I agree with this 100% if I were to get Zipps...

If I'm limited to the choices presented by the OP, I guess I would go with the 1080 rear, 808 front.  From what I have read (not so much test riding, unfortunately) you want to go with a deeper rear than in front, Idealy, for what we do, tri and TT)

If I had money just waiting to be spent, I would love to run a disk rear and 8080 front for Oly and shorter, then probably switch to a set of 808r/404f for HIM or IM (this is what the old 606's were.  Just a combo of 808r and 404f)

I'm a clydesdale as well, mind you, so these choices work for me as well if I get ther MAX verson of them.

I currenty have a set of HED3 and want to get a disk (or at least disk cover) to run on my shorter races.

Edited by Kido 2010-04-27 1:04 AM