Tech
apanese bullet trains
owe their design to the
kingfisher’s beak and the
movable noses of modern aircraft
mimic the movements of sea birds
when flying into gusts; it was only
a matter of time, then, before the
cycling industry decided nature
was faster than nurture.
For the 454 NSW, Zipp’s
engineers studied how special
features on a humpback whale’s
pectoral fins help them glide
through the water and discovered
they could make them even
slipperier by giving them the
texture of shark skin.
There’s no eye of newt or toe
of frog in the mix; Zipp’s engineers
are deadly serious and claim that
the undulating rim — named
Sawtooth, which varies in depth
between 58mm and 53mm —
improves performance in all areas.
According to the company’s own
figures, the 454 NSWs show a five
per cent reduction in side force
compared to a 60mm competitor
wheel and a 15 per cent reduction
in the amount of pressure you
feel when riding in a crosswind.
The result should be a wheel that
requires less effort to keep straight
in real-world conditions, and is
less prone to getting caught in
side gusts.
The 454 NSWs also feature
Zipp’s new HexFin surface — the
ABLC (Aerodynamic Boundary
Layer Control) dimples — inspired
by shark skin.
At the centre is Zipp’s latest
NSW Cognition hubset with
an Axial Clutch which has
been designed to reduce drag
by disengaging the ratchet
mechanism while coasting.
Tested by: Hannah Bussey |
Weight: 1,578g/pair
Zipp 454 NSW
£3,417
9
Ride
I’ve been toiling round the hills
of the Peak District and it’s been
a good test of all the claimed
attributes as there are straight
lines, crosswinds, changes of
direction and climbing. Zipp says
the 454 NSW Carbon Clincher
wheels deliver in all of these areas
and the stats don’t lie: on one
ride alone I chalked up 19 PRs
on Strava. I honestly wasn’t even
trying. It was a bitter, blustery day
and I felt that most of the time I
was riding into a block headwind,
or at least a bike-tugging swirl.
The swiftness of the wheel pick-
up when pedalling, and the rolling
speed when freewheeling, was
exceptional. Yes, tyre choice will
have an impact, but shod in a pair
of 25/28c Specialized Roubaix Pro
tyres, it was clear Zipp really has
developed something special.
Even on the climbs, which up
here can take the best part of 20
minutes, max out at 25 per cent
gradient, and often make you
wish you’d left your deep-section
wheels in the garage, the Zipps
were an asset.
But the real selling point of
the Zipp 454 NSW Carbon Clincher
wheels is that varying rim depth,
and its seeming ability to shake off
the wind.
When it gets blowy in the Peaks
you know about it, especially
coming down the infamous
Cat and Fiddle on the way into
Buxton, where the wind swirling
between the hills can easily send
you across the road. However,
the Zipps turned it into more of a
continuous, predictable buffering
than the big build-up of resistance
and sudden dump of wind forwhich deep-section wheels have
gained a reputation.Value
At £3.5k, you’d need a strong
recommendation to buy the Zipps
and we’re happy to give it. The
454 NSWs stand at the pinnacle
of deep-section wheel technology
and are capable of doing everything
well. Not just for the rouleur, they
deliver on everything the tarmac
and elements can throw at them,
condensing your wheel wishlist
into a single model.
http://www.zyrofisher.co.uk34 | February 8, 2018 | Cycling Weekly