Zipp 606 Wheelset and Vuka Bull and Aero Bars

Having already posted a very amateur review of the Cyfac Mythique I thought that I would follow up by posting some pictures and comments on the Zipp equipment we were given.

Before I show you the 606 wheelset and Vuka ‘tri porn’ I wanted to just make a quick comment on how struck I have been by the similarities between newborn babies and triathletes. Here are some of the similarities I have noticed but I am sure there are many more:

• Weight: Triathletes food/calorie intake is monitored to reduce weight. Babies food/calorie intake is monitored to increase weight.

• Outfits: Both get through a lot of laundry. Triathletes change clothing regularly as they get wet swimming and sweating. Babies change outfits regularly as they get wet.

• Sleep: Both need a lot of sleep. Triathletes need their sleep to recover and babies need their sleep to grow. I know I look terrible in the picture but at that stage I would have given my eye teeth to swap places with Ben.

• Gear: Both need to travel with a lot of gear. Triathletes have bikes, nutrition, butt butter and bike pumps. Babies have buggies, nutrition, butt paste and breast pumps.

• Wind: Triathletes live on a lot of GU and Carb supplements which are designed to be digested quickly which in turn generates a lot of wind. Babies it goes without saying.

• Rashes: Triathletes nipple. Babies nappy (please note that this is not a picture of Ben (or me for that matter)).

• Time consuming: I have no idea where the last three weeks have gone both Triathlon and Babies take up a lot of time.

So on to the Zipp Gear.

One of the first things you notice when you see the bike is the stunning Zipp 606 wheelset. The 606 wheelset combines a 404, 18 spoke, 52mm deep rim on the front with an 808, 24 spoke, 82mm deep rim on the back. The combined weight is a svelt 1753g and both wheels benefit from the Zipp ABLC dimpling treatment. ABLC is Zipp's Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control and in their own words:

"The idea is that these highly modified and designed rim shapes can only take advantage of the airflow if the air is sticking to the surface of the rim. With a V shaped rim or flat-sided rim, the airflow becomes separated from the leeward side of the rim as soon as the rim begins to face airflow more than 1 or 2 degrees off axis. This separated airflow creates a vacuous region behind the rim, which is the primary source of pressure drag on the wheel itself. With a curved section, we are able to keep the airflow on the rim surface out to 7 or 8 degrees of yaw, but eventually the flow begins to separate or 'stall' on the backside. With the dimples, we are forcing the airflow into a higher energy state, forming a turbulent boundary layer near the surface of the rim, which allows the air to remain attached to the rim even at higher angles."


Seems obvious when you say it like that but in a nutshell they act like a golf ball and greatly lowers pressure drag whilst only slightly increasing skin friction drag. Although I could never hope to prove or disprove Zipp's claims I can only say that when I was rolling down the hills at Columbia without being able to peddle I was still passing several people pedalling their heart out. The wheels roll great and when I am along side someone with regular wheels and we are freerolling I often have to apply the brakes to stay with them. There are obviously many other factors for this but I am sure Zipp would not have achieved such a position of dominance if their wheels did not in fact perform as claimed.

The other key Zipp component on the bike is the Vuka Bull Bar and Clip Aero bars. The bull bar weighs only 195g (about the weight of 2 small bags of peanuts or a 195 paper clips) and it is as flat pancake. I must admit that the first time I used them they were so flat that I thought I would slide off the front of the bike but I soon got used to the feeling. It is also worth pointing out that Vuka brake levers are also wickedly thin but again they feel strong when you pull on them.








The clip in aero bars are very easy to adjust and they are clamped to the base bar by a rotating cuff which is a very neat and aerodynamic solution. I find the pads are easily as comfortable as anything I have used before and the chicane (slight bend up and then straight) bars fit me really well. Zipp also do the bars in a ski tip or flat.


All the Zipp gear is unquestionably top quality, high end gear. Whether I would buy it myself, if it was coming out of my own pocket, would probably depend on the price I could get it for on the day and whether or not I thought I could justify it to Wendy without sounding ridiculous. If you have the money to spare I believe the gear is effective and there is always the psychological effect. I read the race report of someone I must have passed at last weeks race who talked about being passed by guys on nice bikes with aero helmets. A quick looking bike makes me feel faster and may even discourage the competition from trying to close you down. I am also pretty sure that if I had not won the gear I would have bought some Zipp wheels this season. The 606 set is a very good buy in that the 808 rear is nearly as aero as a disc wheel so if you can only afford one wheelset the 606 covers a lot of bases.