Zipp
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| Private | |
| Industry | cycling components |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Products | Bicycle and related components |
| Website | zipp.com |
Zipp is an American company that is best known for designing, manufacturing, and marketing carbon-composite bicycle wheels for road cycling, triathlons, and track racing. The company's product range also includes handlebars, stems, seat posts, tires, inner tubes, handlebar tape, and bags.
In 1988, the company was founded by motorsports engineer Leigh Sargent and released its first carbon fiber disc wheel. Zipp was acquired by bicycle component manufacturer SRAM in November 2007. In October 2010, Zipp relocated from its original design and manufacturing facility in Speedway, Indiana to an expanded site in Indianapolis.
Zipp sells spoked wheels, disc wheels, and other products (including stems, seat posts, handlebars, handlebar tape, tires, tubes, and bags) through an international list of authorized dealers. In the early 90's, Zipp built and sold the Zipp 2001, a radical "beam" bike, which has subsequently been discontinued. Zipp also produced mountain bike wheels at its inception, but dropped the program later in favor of a more specialized road line.
The company was first to market with dimpled discs and rims (they also own the patent), to induce boundary layer turbulence and prevent detached airflow in crosswinds. Zipp has done pioneering research in aerodynamics, using various high tech wind tunnels, and has published advanced papers in this area. The company was also the first to produce disc wheels, deep section rims, and cranksets using carbon fiber technology.
In 2005, Zipp debuted the first all aluminum clincher from the company: the Team CSC Clincher. The wheel was intended for use as a training wheelset. Zipp introduced an extra deep aero wheel the 808 (82mm), launched the 606 (404F + 808R) and their 999 wheelset (808F + 900 disc).
Zipp has introduced the "customized" ZEDTECH wheel line in 2007. Users can choose from an array of colors for decals, spoke nipples, and hub end caps. All ZEDTECH wheels now include aerodynamic dimpled hubs with ceramic bearings. Also in 2007, a new 808 track wheel was introduced with 20/24 spoke pattern and the 343 wheel set (303F + 404R).
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