The Roval Rapide CL III is 4 g lighter (1,555 g vs 1,559 g claimed per pair); the Zipp 404 Firecrest costs €70 less (€1,379 vs €1,449) at our October 2026 price check. The rim depth is 51 mm front / 48 mm rear on the Rapide CL III and 58 mm on the 404 Firecrest, the internal width is 21 mm on the Rapide CL III and 23 mm on the 404 Firecrest and the listed tyre range is 24–38 mm on the Rapide CL III and 28–35 mm on the 404 Firecrest.
Drag the handle to switch between the Rapide CL III (left) and the 404 Firecrest (right) on a Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 8 AXS. Black tyres shown for context.
General context for the specifications where these two differ. Numbers in superscript link to the sources below each topic. How much each point matters depends on your riding, tyres and bike.
Rim depth: aerodynamics, weight and crosswinds
Rim depth: 51 mm front / 48 mm rear on the Rapide CL III, 58 mm on the 404 Firecrest.
Cross-sections drawn to scale from the catalogue values for outer width, internal width and depth; hooked rims show the bead hook. Simplified shape, not the manufacturer's exact profile.
Deeper rims generally reduce aerodynamic drag, which pays off most at higher speeds on flat or rolling roads, but they tend to weigh more and can be more affected by gusty crosswinds. In a BikeRadar comparison, 60 mm aero wheels were about a second per kilometre faster on the flat but slower on steep climbs than a considerably lighter set.1
How a wheel behaves in crosswinds depends on the rim shape as well as its depth,3 which is why TOUR measures steering torque in the wind tunnel, not just drag.2 Shallower rims are generally easier to handle in gusts, something lighter riders and riders on exposed roads tend to notice first.1
The Rapide CL III (51 mm front / 48 mm rear) uses different rim depths front and rear.
Some wheelsets use a different rim depth front and rear, and brands disagree on the direction. Roval's Rapide CLX II paired a shallower front with a deeper rear to favour stability.1 The newer Rapide III uses a slightly deeper front than rear, and Roval argues most of the aero benefit comes from the front wheel.2 Zipp's 454 NSW rim itself varies in depth along its circumference.3
Treat a split depth as a design choice of the brand rather than an advantage in itself. If crosswinds concern you, the front rim depth is the figure to look at.
Internal rim width: 21 mm on the Rapide CL III, 23 mm on the 404 Firecrest.
Rapide CL III · internal (front)21 mm
Rapide CL III · external (front)35 mm
404 Firecrest · internal23 mm
404 Firecrest · external28 mm
A wider internal rim spreads the tyre beads further apart, so the same tyre mounts wider and with more air volume: roughly 0.4 mm of tyre width per extra millimetre of rim width.1 A tyre labelled 28 mm can measure around 30 mm on a 21 mm rim,2 so check frame clearance against the measured width, not the printed one.4
Typical road rims have moved from about 19 mm internal width around 2020 to 21–25 mm, together with wider tyres. A wider rim also raises the narrowest tyre you may fit and, on hookless rims, comes with pressure limits.3 Brands usually shape the rim around a target tyre width for aerodynamics, so the fastest combination is not simply the widest tyre.5
Roval approves tyres from 24 mm to 38 mm for the Rapide CL III. Zipp approves tyres from 28 mm to 35 mm for the 404 Firecrest.
Rapide CL III24–38 mm
404 Firecrest28–35 mm
An approved tyre range is the span of tyre widths a manufacturer permits for a rim, based on the ETRTO/ISO tables for tyre and rim combinations.2 Not every brand publishes one: some give a recommendation only, or no maximum. The lower end is the narrowest tyre that fits that internal width safely; the upper end shows how far you can go towards wider, lower-pressure tyres for comfort and grip on rough roads or gravel, provided your frame has the clearance.4
In TOUR's tests, wider tyres at a pressure matched to their width roll about as easily as narrower ones on smooth surfaces and add comfort and grip on real roads, while a tyre much wider than the rim costs some aerodynamic drag.1 Pressure calculators such as Zipp's take the rim's internal width into account as well as the tyre.3
The 404 Firecrest uses a hookless rim, the Rapide CL III a hooked rim.
Rapide CL III Hooked: lip grips the bead404 Firecrest Hookless: straight walls
Simplified sidewall cross-sections.
A hooked rim has a small lip on each sidewall that grips the tyre bead; a hookless rim has straight inner walls.1 Under the ETRTO/ISO standards, road tyres on hookless rims must not be inflated above 5 bar (72.5 psi),2 there are minimum tyre widths for each rim width, for example 29 mm on a 25 mm internal rim,5 and most wheel makers publish lists of approved tyres.3
Manufacturers cite precision, strength and lower weight for hookless rims; independent coverage describes the weight saving as modest. Hooked rims accept a wider choice of tyres and higher pressures.4 Both work within the standards: check the rim maker's tyre list and the pressure you like to ride before choosing tyres.
Spoke count front/rear: 18/24 on the Rapide CL III, 24/24 on the 404 Firecrest.
Rapide CL III 18 front / 24 rear · steel404 Firecrest 24 front / 24 rear · steel
Fewer spokes save weight and can reduce drag slightly,1 but each spoke then carries more load and a broken spoke is more likely to leave the wheel unrideable.3 Wheels with low spoke counts usually state a maximum system weight;2 compare it with your own weight plus bike and luggage rather than judging by spoke count alone.
How much lighter is the Roval Rapide CL III than the Zipp 404 Firecrest?
4 g. The Roval Rapide CL III has a claimed pair weight of 1,555 g, the Zipp 404 Firecrest 1,559 g. Both figures are manufacturer claims.
Which has the wider tyre range?
The Roval Rapide CL III. Roval approves tyres from 24 mm to 38 mm for the Rapide CL III. Zipp approves tyres from 28 mm to 35 mm for the 404 Firecrest. Check the manufacturer's guidance for your exact tyre and pressure.
What is the price difference between the Roval Rapide CL III and the Zipp 404 Firecrest?
€70 at our October 2026 price check: the Roval Rapide CL III cost €1,449 and the Zipp 404 Firecrest €1,379 per pair. Prices change; check the current offer with the retailer or manufacturer.
Which of the two has hookless rims?
The Zipp 404 Firecrest uses hookless rims, the Roval Rapide CL III hooked rims. On hookless rims, use tyres the manufacturer approves for hookless use.
All values come from the Show My Bike catalogue, the same records used on the product pages. Prices checked October 2026. Some model-specific details were reviewed against the manufacturer pages. Manufacturer claims are identified as such. No independent product test is claimed, and no winner is declared.
