Zipp 404 S Wheelset Review 2026: Budget Aero Wheels Tested
What’s New
The Zipp 404 S is Zipp’s first high-performance aero wheelset priced under £1,000 a pair, sitting below the premium NSW and Firecrest ranges (both already covered on this site) while borrowing the same 50mm-deep aero profile and tubeless-ready construction. It launched in the UK in mid-2026 and is aimed squarely at age-groupers who want genuine Zipp aero performance without Firecrest pricing.
Key Specs
- Depth — 50mm, a versatile all-round race depth that handles crosswinds better than deeper wheels while still delivering a meaningful aero gain over box-section rims.
- Weight — claimed 1,585g for the pair, competitive for the price point.
- Construction — full carbon, tubeless-ready, disc brake with centre-locking rotor mounts.
- Compatibility — road and triathlon/TT bikes running disc brakes; not available in a rim-brake version.
Verdict
If you’ve read our Zipp 404 Firecrest review and balked at the price, the 404 S is the wheelset that exists for exactly that reason. You give up some of the hub refinement and the NSW aero shaping tricks, but you keep the depth, the tubeless compatibility and the Zipp badge — at roughly half the outlay. For a first “proper” race wheelset, or a second set kept for wet-weather and training races, it’s a sensible upgrade from an alloy training wheel without the jump straight to flagship pricing. See also our Firecrest vs DT Swiss ARC 1100 comparison if you’re deciding how far up the range to go.
Front wheel — £475
Rear wheel — £510
Buying Tips
- Buy front and rear separately if budget is tight — the front alone is a worthwhile upgrade over an alloy training wheel for most of the aero gain.
- Set up tubeless from day one; the rim is tubeless-ready and you’ll lose weight and puncture resistance running tubes.
- Check your frame/fork clearance and brake rotor size (centre-lock) before ordering.
This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support The Triathlete.
