Easton Wheel Systems taking aim at Zipp

Last month at Interbike Easton Wheels unveiled several new models, including a 90mm deep "TT" wheelset. They're clearly trying to steal some market share from Zipp with the claim that their EC90 TT is faster than a 1080 "in certain wind conditions" and the equally direct "Dimples are for golf" statement on the EC90 TT product page. In addition to an extra 9mm of depth, the EC90 TT is also able to claim a 30g weight advantage over the 808, although I'm not sure what math their using - according to Zipp the 808 wheelset weighs in at 1499g versus a claimed 1424g for the EC90 TT - a 75g difference if both manufacturers are to be believed. Of course, your pair of fancy carbon water bottle cages probably weigh about that much anyway. So what's not to love about the EC90 TT? Save a few bucks and get a lighter, deeper wheelset with ceramic bearings, right? Well...

I have a couple of issues with the new EC90 TT. First of all, the 90mm rim depth is a bit much for a front wheel. I believe that most riders above 150 lbs. could ride the 90mm rear rim on all but really windy days, but I'd be wary of having a 90mm front rim as my only race-day wheel. Let's face it, most of us can only afford one set of "race-day" wheels and you need a wheelset that can do it all. The 56mm EC90 Aero is the kind of rim that most riders could ride regardless of the wind conditions and, in my opinion, a better choice if you can only have one deep-section front rim. Of course, if you're a bigger rider who can control a deeper front wheel in a crosswind or you've got a bevy of front wheels to choose from the EC90 TT isn't a bad choice. Except...

The hub on the EC90 TT has a much narrower flange than other Easton wheels. The idea is that you pull the spokes in at the hub, effectively reducing the frontal profile of the wheel. The problem with this is that it goes counter to traditional wheelbuilding principles which dictate that a wider, taller flange increases wheel stiffness (as in the new wheels that Gary Fisher unveiled at Interbike). If this is the case, then those who could benefit most from the EC90 TT (bigger riders who can handle the extra cross-section in the wind) are also those who are least suited to ride the narrower (and presumably flexier) hub. I may be wrong and Easton may be able to make wheels built on the TT hub as laterally stiff as their others, but it would be nice to see the 90mm rim available on their traditional (and excellent) R4 hubs anyway.

I also dislike how Easton favors paint over decals on their wheels. Paint can get chipped, nicked and scratched up. At least on a Zipp if you scratch up your logos you can either de-sticker them or replace them with new decals. I know it seems like a nitpick but if you drop $2,000 or more on a wheelset you want them to look nice - and STAY looking nice. And even if you do mix and match an EC90 TT rear with an EC90 Aero front, the logos on the wheels won't match up. Come on Easton, give us a unified paint scheme!

The big advantage that Zipp has, in my mind, is the ability to mix and match wheels. If you're a 100 lb. female triathlete you can purchase a 303 front/404 rear combo and ride it everyday, no matter what the wind conditions. Your average male roadie can buy a 404 front/808 rear combo and be set. Need a disc for calm race days? Zipp has 3 to choose from. Want those wheels in clincher instead of tubular? No problem - almost every Zipp model is available in both. Would you like a Power Tap with that? I used to not like Zipp hubs because the carbon dust covers, although cool-looking, would loosen and rattle and make a very expensive wheelset sound fragile and poopy in general. Now all Zipp wheels (except discs) have the new and much improved 88/188 hub as well as steel bearings that rival most ceramics for smoothness.

For those of us who don't regularly wind tunnel things like dimples, rim shapes and specially matched tubular tires are probably best chalked up to marketing. However, you'll notice that those who do have access to a wind tunnel definitely seem to favor Zipp. I'm not only talking about sponsored athletes, of which Zipp can boast quite a few, including recent female Ironman winner Chrissie Wellington, Pro Tour teams such as Cervelo Test Team and Saxo Bank, and even cyclocrossers. The more telling evidence is the number of folks who aren't sponsored by Zipp and who actually purchase their product. You'll notice several Pro Tour teams including Columbia-HTC running "de-stickered" Zipp wheels at the Tour. Look at photos of any Tour time trial and you'll see many Zipp discs being run with no decals (or even another sponsors decals). Even other wheel manufacturers such as Rolf and American Classic purchase rims from Zipp for their wheels - Easton used to be a customer before the Tempest wheelset evolved into the EC90 Aero.

Of course you'll pay a premium to the tune of at least $500 for all that Zipp goodness, and that's what keeps Easton in contention. They market a competitive product at a competitive price, and for a lot of folks the Zipp just isn't worth the extra cash. Truth be told, most of us wouldn't notice the difference between the EC 90 TT and the Zipp 808 or between an EC90 Aero and Zipp 404 anyway. For those who have to have the latest and greatest or who needs/wants to be able to mix and match their race wheels for the n-th degree of aerodynamics, Zipp is probably the way to go. However, you can save a buck get probably 97.5% of the performance for less with Easton.