Zipp 404 Firecrest vs DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut: Triathlon Wheelset Comparison

Both of these are genuine, wind-tunnel-developed race wheelsets rather than road wheels dressed up as aero options — but they sit at different points on the depth spectrum, and that difference matters more than the badge on the hub. Here’s how the Zipp 404 Firecrest and DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 80mm actually compare for triathlon racing.

Key Specs Compared

  • Depth — Zipp 404 Firecrest: 58mm. DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut: 80mm, the deepest option in DT Swiss’s ARC 1100 range.
  • Weight — Zipp 404: approximately 1,450g per pair. DT Swiss ARC 1100 80mm: approximately 1,697g per pair — noticeably heavier, as you’d expect from the extra rim depth.
  • Internal width — Zipp 404: 23mm, hookless tubeless, fits 25–32mm tyres. DT Swiss ARC 1100: 17mm internal, tubeless-ready, optimised for 23–25c tyres.
  • Aero technology — Zipp 404: ABLC Sawtooth rim texture, tuned for the 5–20° yaw angles most riders actually experience on the road. DT Swiss ARC 1100: wind-tunnel-led smooth rim shaping across all three ARC 1100 depths (48mm/62mm/80mm).
  • Price (pair) — Zipp 404: roughly £1,600–1,700. DT Swiss ARC 1100 80mm: sold as separate wheels on Tredz — front £999.99, rear £1,219.99 (RRP £1,399.99), a combined pair price of roughly £2,220.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Zipp 404 Firecrest is the better all-rounder: 58mm depth gives you most of the available aero gain without the crosswind handling penalty of a deeper rim, and it’s around £500 cheaper than the ARC 1100 pair. Choose the DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 80mm only if you’re racing genuinely flat, sheltered courses and have already decided that a deep-section wheelset is worth the investment — the 80mm depth trades handling in exposed, gusty conditions for the last few watts of aero saving. For most age-group triathletes racing a mix of course profiles, the 404 is the safer buy; the ARC 1100 80mm is a specialist’s wheel for a specialist’s course.

Zipp 404 Firecrest Wheelset

Check price on Tredz

DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 80mm

Check front wheel price on Tredz

Check rear wheel price on Tredz

Buying Tips

  • Confirm freehub compatibility before ordering on either wheelset — Shimano HG or SRAM XDR, depending on your groupset.
  • Both are tubeless-ready — budget for ETRTO-certified tyres (Continental GP 5000 S TR or Schwalbe Pro One TLE) and sealant on top of the wheel price.
  • If your race calendar mixes flat and rolling courses, the 404’s 58mm depth is the one wheelset that suits both without compromise.

Care and Maintenance

Top up tubeless sealant every 3–4 months, or sooner after a puncture repair. Clean the rim bed with isopropyl alcohol before refitting tyres on either wheelset. Regrease freehub pawls annually if you ride in consistently wet or salty conditions — open-water transition areas are harder on hub bearings than most riders expect.

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