General Info: Zipp's 808 wheelset was first released in 2005 and is often used for time trials, triathlons, and has even been making appearances in road racing. Aftermarket supply of the 808 is generally less than the 404 but is still in good supply. Zipp introduced its third generation 808 in 2011 under the name "Firecrest" and is available as a full carbon clincher or tubular rim wheelset. The second gen rim shape was produced in 2009-2010, but will continue on as a aluminum clincher in 2011. The original 1st gen 808 was produced in 2005-2008.
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| Zipp 88/188 Hub (2009-Current) |
Model Specific Info: The 2nd gen 808 was produced from 2009-2010 and will continue on in 2011 as a aluminum clincher. With the 2nd gen 808 Zipp increased the width of the tire bed, reduced the front wheel spoke count from 20 to 16, and included their new 88/188 hub. They also changed the dimpled pattern as pictured below. The increased tire bed width was said to allow the use of wider tires without the aerodynamic penalty. Where as the older 808 was designed around a 19mm tire, the 2nd gen 808 allowed for a wider 21mm-23mm tire.
Zipp claimed the 2nd gen 808 could save 81 seconds or 27 watts compared to their baseline wheel over 40k. This is 9 seconds faster than the original 808, but is still 15 seconds slower than the newest Firecrest wheels.
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| Dimples - 1st Gen 808 vs 2nd Gen 808 |
Bottom Line: These wheels are the sweet spot for used 808 wheels and are selling for 44%-58% of retail price. They are becoming more prevalant in the aftermarket and with the release of Firecrest we are sure to see even more of these available. In addition many sellers list 1st gen 808s as 2nd gen 808s which has added a lot of confusion to the market. You can often scoop a pair of these wheels for 1st gen prices.
Keep in mind that prices can vary widely so if you are interested in this wheelset then it is best to be patient and not get attached to a particular listing. It should be noted that single wheels tend fetch a premium. Many people mismatch 808s either with a 404 in the front or disk in the rear. This has created a rather large market for single wheels but it seems to be currently working in the sellers favor.
Clincher
2010 MSRP Set - $2500 => Fair Used Price @ $1100 - $1450
2010 MSRP Front - $1125 => Fair Used Price @ $600- $750
2010 MSRP Rear - $1375=> Fair Used Price @ $650 - $800
Tubular
2010 MSRP Set - $2500 => Fair Used Price @ $1100 - $1400
2010 MSRP Front - $1125 => Fair Used Price @ $575 - $750
2010 MSRP Rear - $1375 => Fair Used Price @ $625 - $800
