Wheelset ExplorerZipp 858 NSW
Zipp 858 NSW wheelset Wheelset preview · tyre shown for context

ROAD DISC WHEELSET · TECHNICAL PROFILE

Zipp 858 NSW

Mid-weight, with a very deep rim profile.

Steel spokes · Ceramic bearings

1,500 g / pair 85 mm depth Hookless · 700C
€2,977 MSRP €3,800
View at Zipp ↗︎ Per pair · Price checked October 2026
See on a bike ↗
01 / UNDERSTAND THE WHEELSET

The specs, translated.

Three ways to understand its construction before deciding whether it fits your riding.

Weight

Mid-weight

1,500 g claimed / pair

It falls in our third weight band. Use the pair weight to compare how much each option adds to your complete bike.

How this class is defined
  • Very light: up to 1,300 g
  • Light: above 1,300 to 1,450 g
  • Mid-weight: above 1,450 to 1,600 g
  • Heavier: above 1,600 g

These editorial bands are not an industry standard or a performance rating.

Pair weight alone does not establish stiffness, acceleration or climbing time.

Rim profile

Very deep

85 mm front / rear

Front and rear share the same depth. Depth describes the rim shape; it is not a measured aero result.

How this class is defined
  • Shallow: below 35 mm
  • Mid-depth: 35 to below 50 mm
  • Deep: 50 to below 65 mm
  • Very deep: 65 mm and above

Each rim is classified separately using the unrounded dimension. A category boundary does not create a sudden change in performance.

Tyre platform

Hookless

23 / 23 mm internal width

28–32 mmcatalogue tyre range

Hookless-approved tyres required

The catalogue records a 28–32 mm tyre range. Match your exact tyre and pressure to the manufacturer's rim guidance. Use tyres explicitly approved for hookless rims.

What this means for your tyres

Assess front and rear tyres separately. Confirm the exact tyre, pressure limits and fitted frame clearance before buying. The listed range is not approval for your complete bike. Open the Zipp product page ↗

Technical classes describe properties. They do not depend on your budget or riding profile, and they are not a personal Fit score.

The character of this wheelset

A mid-weight pair with equal front and rear rim depths, steel spokes and ceramic bearings. Compare its 85 mm front rim and 23 mm internal width with the alternatives below, then check your tyres and total system weight before making a buying decision.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

In our catalogue.

Where the 858 NSW sits among the 127 road disc wheelsets in the Show My Bike catalogue. Each dot is one wheelset. Positions describe specifications; they are not a rating.

Weight

1,500 g Lightest 1,045 g Heaviest 1,784 g

At 1,500 g, it is lighter than 24 of the 126 other wheelsets with a confirmed weight in our catalogue. Among the 10 very deep-rim wheelsets with a confirmed weight, it is in the middle of the group, 4th from the lightest.

Price

€2,977 Lowest €682 Highest €4,598

At €2,977, it is less expensive than 7 of the 126 other wheelsets in our catalogue. Among the 10 very deep-rim wheelsets, it is the most expensive.

Widest listed tyre

32 mm Narrowest 32 mm Widest 76 mm

Its listed range goes up to 32 mm, the narrowest maximum in our catalogue, shared with 13 other wheelsets.

Rim-depth groups use the average of front and rear depth: shallow-rim below 35 mm, mid-depth 35 to below 50 mm, deep-rim 50 to below 65 mm, very deep-rim 65 mm and above. Weights are manufacturer claims; wheelsets with an unverified weight are left out of the weight comparison. Prices from our October 2026 price check.

03 / WHAT IT MEANS

What the specs mean.

General context for the 858 NSW's key specifications. Numbers in superscript link to the sources below each topic. How much each point matters depends on your riding, tyres and bike.

Internal rim width: how the tyre sits

The 858 NSW has an internal rim width of 23 mm and an external width of 27 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

  1. BicycleRollingResistance: rim width test
  2. BikeRadar: rim width explained
  3. Cyclingnews: ETRTO tyre and rim changes
  4. Silca: tyre size, pressure and aero
  5. ENVE: tyre compatibility and aero tyre widths

Listed tyre range: what it allows

Zipp approves tyres from 28 mm to 32 mm for this rim.

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

  1. TOUR: the optimum tyre width
  2. Continental: ETRTO tyre and rim combinations
  3. Zipp: tyre pressure calculator
  4. Rene Herse: frame clearance

Hookless and hooked rims

The 858 NSW uses a hookless rim.

858 NSW Hookless: straight walls

Simplified sidewall cross-section.

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.

  1. Cyclist: hookless rims explained
  2. Schwalbe: hookless FAQ
  3. Zipp: hookless tyre compatibility
  4. BikeRadar: advantages of hookless rims
  5. BikeRadar: UCI hookless investigation and tyre widths

Carbon or steel spokes

The 858 NSW uses 20 steel spokes front and rear.

Close-up of the Zipp 858 NSW hub and spokes
858 NSW 20 front / 20 rear · steel

A carbon spoke weighs roughly half as much as a premium steel bladed spoke,1 and brands state that carbon is stiffer for its weight.2 That is why carbon-spoke versions often use fewer spokes and weigh less: Hunt's Limitless Ti_UD uses 15/18 carbon spokes against 20/24 steel spokes on the standard Limitless.3 Some reviewers describe a more direct feel when sprinting; that is a riding impression, not a measurement.5

Steel spokes such as DT Swiss Aerolite or Sapim CX-Ray are standard parts that most workshops can source and replace.4 Carbon spokes are more sensitive to side impacts, for example from a derailleur or debris, and may need brand-specific parts or tools;1 some brands include spare spokes or crash replacement to offset this.5 Visually, the lower spoke count and slim blades give carbon-spoke wheels a lighter, more open look.

  1. BikeRadar: carbon spokes explained
  2. Hunt: UD carbon spokes explained
  3. road.cc: Hunt Limitless with carbon and steel spokes
  4. DT Swiss: Aerolite spoke
  5. Cyclist: Roval Rapide CLX III review

Ceramic or steel bearings

The 858 NSW uses ceramic hub bearings.

Ceramic hub bearings are a common premium option. CeramicSpeed quotes watt savings for upgrading hubs, bottom bracket and pulleys together.1 In independent Friction Facts tests of bottom brackets, the best steel and the best ceramic units were only hundredths of a watt apart, and seals and grease mattered more than the ball material.2

The lowest-friction setups tend to use lighter seals and grease, which protect less against rain and grit and need more frequent servicing.3 How long any bearing lasts depends mainly on seals, grease, hub design and maintenance.4

  1. CeramicSpeed: how to save watts
  2. BikeRadar: Friction Facts bottom bracket tests
  3. BikeRadar: ceramic bearings
  4. Zero Friction Cycling: hybrid ceramic vs steel
04 / PUT THE DESIGN IN CONTEXT

What about aero and crosswinds?

Start with the rim dimensions, then look at the evidence behind the complete wheel-and-tyre setup.

Rim geometry

The shape behind the profile

The 858 NSW has 85 mm front and rear, with an external front width of 27 mm. These dimensions describe its shape; they do not establish a measured speed advantage.

Explore the Zipp design ↗
Your riding conditions

Crosswind handling

The front rim is 85 mm deep. For exposed roads, compare the front-wheel design and evidence for your tyre setup. Depth alone cannot predict how confident you will feel in gusts.

Rim depth in context

858 NSW 27 mm23 mm85 mm

Cross-section drawn to scale from the catalogue values for outer width, internal width and depth. 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

  1. BikeRadar: aero vs lightweight wheels
  2. TOUR: how wheels are tested in the lab
  3. road.cc: what wheel designers care about
How this relates to Find My Fit

Show My Bike publishes no aero or crosswind rating on product pages. Find My Fit uses rim depth and width as a rough proxy when it ranks wheelsets for your riding; how that works is explained on How We Score.

No automatic comfort or durability rating is assigned from rim width, spoke material, bearing type or warranty length.

05 / CHECK THE DETAILS

Full specifications.

Steel spokes · Ceramic bearings. Front and rear dimensions are shown separately.

Weight & price
Claimed pair weight1,500 g
Catalogue price€2,977
MSRP€3,800
Price snapshotOctober 2026
Rim geometry
PropertyFrontRear
Rim depth85 mm85 mm
External width27 mm27 mm
Internal width23 mm23 mm
Spoke count2020
Tyres & setup
Wheel size / brakes700C / disc
Rim constructionHookless
Internal width23 mm, both wheels
Listed tyre range28–32 mm
Maximum system weight115 kg
Construction & support
SpokesSteel
BearingsCeramic
WarrantyLifetime; conditions apply
Crash replacementLifetime Warranty covers riding damage incl. impacts for the original owner; other damage via the discounted Keep Rolling programme; claims through a dealer

Warranty and crash replacement cover different situations. Check eligibility, exclusions and any fees with Zipp. Read the programme conditions ↗

Before you decide.

How much does the Zipp 858 NSW weigh?

Zipp claims 1,500 g for the pair, which makes it lighter than 24 of the 126 other wheelsets with a confirmed weight in our catalogue. Claimed weights do not always include rim tape and valves.

What tyre width fits the Zipp 858 NSW?

Zipp approves tyres from 28 mm to 32 mm for this rim. The internal rim width is 23 mm. On wide rims, tyres usually measure wider than the size printed on them, so check your frame clearance as well.

What is the internal rim width of the Zipp 858 NSW?

23 mm. The external width is 27 mm.

Is the Zipp 858 NSW hookless?

Yes. It uses a hookless rim, so tyres must be approved for hookless use and must not be inflated above 5 bar (72.5 psi) under the ETRTO/ISO standards. Check Zipp's tyre compatibility list.

How much does the Zipp 858 NSW cost?

€2,977 per pair at our October 2026 price check; the manufacturer's recommended price is €3,800. Prices change, so check the current offer with the retailer or manufacturer.

Why call the 858 NSW "Mid-weight"?

Its 1,500 g claimed pair weight is between our 1,450 g and 1,600 g boundaries. The description concerns weight only. It is not a rating of stiffness, quality or suitability for a particular rider.

Are all the listed tyre widths equally aerodynamic?

A tyre range does not establish equal aerodynamic performance across that range. Zipp approves tyres from 28 mm to 32 mm for this rim. Check the tyre requirements for your own setup and the manufacturer's guidance on the best width for this rim.

Sources & data notes.

Price checked October 2026. Model-specific details reviewed 3 October 2026. Manufacturer claims are identified as such. No independent product test is claimed.

Related comparisons.

All comparisons with Zipp 858 NSW →

Understand it. Then picture it.

See the 858 NSW on a bike, or keep exploring the catalogue.