While it looks quite similar on the outside, there’s plenty of new tech in the updated Super-9 Disc wheel to make you go faster. A wide-tire tubeless rim goes hookless to further reduce rolling resistance. While subtly updated shaping and a new dimple pattern outside promise smoother airflow. Zipp went through 7 prototypes in the wind tunnel to get to this new Super-9. And tested 8 of the most popular TT & Tri bikes to make sure it make all racers faster against the clock. There’s even an updated Super-9 Track Disc that’s hoping to speed things up this summer inside the velodrome…
Redesigned Zipp Super-9 DB Disc goes hookless tubeless
A disc wheel was Zipp’s first product 36 years ago – The Predator. So, reshaping the Super-9 Disc is always a big undertaking for the aero specialists at Zipp. And now they’ve focused in on smoother being faster. Gone are the days of overinflated, ultra-skinny tires that bounce you down the road. Now with a wider tire profile and lower pressures, the latest tubeless tires can roll across the road with lower resistance, while letting a light and stiff carbon disc put down the power in your races against the clock.
This latest iteration of the Zipp Super-9 Disc is 33% wider internally. It’s incrementally faster, noticeably stiffer, and more durable. Plus, it’s 13% lighter than the previous generation Super-9.
What’s new?
Zipp says the updated Super-9 is developed around a new Total System Efficiency (TSE) principle. “Smoother is faster. Efficiency equals speed, perfect pavement or not.” And so the new TSE design means combining a stiffer carbon laminate with a wider rim profile, a more robust rim bead interface, and ultimately wider tires at lower pressures.
“Experiencing Zipp’s dual innovations of hookless and TSE, riders on the Super-9 realize a disc wheel does not have to feel rigid to be fast… So, beyond speed gains, riders will experience better handling and cornering on course in a disc significantly stiffer and more durable than its predecessor.“
Now designed around modern wide 28mm tires, the new Zipp Super-9 Disc features a wide 23mm internal hookless tubeless rim. Wider tires, lower pressures, decreased rolling resistance. New max tire pressure rating of 73psi, just 5bar!
Starting at the ZR1 hub, the new rim shape stays wide with parallel sides through much of its profile, only “feathering” back down near the rim where it measures 30.4mm outside at the tire for a smooth aerodynamic transition. They also get the revised Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control (ABLC) Sawtooth-patterned aero dimples for smoother airflow around the wheel and spinning through your frame.
Tech details
The new Super-9 Disc also leverages a couple more bits of new tech to go faster. The simplest is the inclusion of standard sized hybrid ceramic bearings out of the box. Ceramics just spin faster, and longer. So at this price point, it seemed like a no-brainer to give the Super-9 Disc a ceramic upgrade.
The other is more technology-focused. Lower tire pressures are key to lowering rolling resistance, but going too low is often worse, with disastrous consequences. So, now the Super-9 Disc builds in a TyreWiz 2.0 tire-pressure monitor. Tucked out of sight and out of the wind, it makes sure the racer against the clock can always precisely check that their perfect tire pressure is dialed in, from their smartphone or connected cycling computer.
The TyreWiz is tucked into a revised valve, pocket behind a new driveside cover that slides in-and-out of place like the battery cover on your TV remote control.
The new hookless Zipp Super-9 Disc ultimately claims a weight of just 999-1050g. That’s not Zipp’s first sub kilo disc wheel – that was the 950 back in 1996. But ever since disc brakes took over, and tubulars phased out, wheel weights grew again. Now this one is a claimed 125-156g lighter than the disc brake tubeless Super-9 that debuted almost 6 years ago. (Zipp makes a few different weight claims for both the old & new discs, so we’ve included their range of claims.)
Faster on the track, too!
Zipp also has a redesigned set of Super-9 Clincher Track Disc wheels, as well. Again leveraging the ideas of lighter weight, improved wheel stiffness, greater durability. But also with wider tires with lower pressures to reduce rolling resistance.
New front and rear discs for zipping around the velodrome, the new Super-9 Track Discs are also tubeless – no tubulars! But they stick with a hooked rim for tube-type or tubeless compatibility. And a narrower 21mm internal rim width that Zipp optimized to go fastest with 23mm tires. Now maxing out at 125psi / 8.6bar.
The new Zipp Super-9 Disc Track wheels spin on ceramic bearings in ZR1 track hubs with a claimed weight of 1000g per wheel.
Zipp Super-9 Disc wheels – Pricing, options & availability
The all-new hookless tubeless Zipp Super-9 Disc for time trials and triathlon is disc brake only, and sells for $3000 / 2750€ with either a Shimano HD or SRAM XDR freehub. Zipp says the new TT & Tri Super-9 “pairs perfectly” with their current crop of tubeless front wheels.
The narrower new hooked tubeless Zipp Super-9 Disc Track wheels all also sell for the same $3000 / 2750€ per wheel. The track discs come in three options. Standard 12mm bolt-on thru-axles for 100mm front & 120mm rear spacing, plus an ultra-narrow 40mm wide front hub on a 15mm axle for some Argon 18 & Canyon track bikes.
