Zipp has resurrected its featherweight 202 NSW after years on the shelf — a claimed 1,090g, 35mm-deep climbing wheel built around a new 'Biomimetic' carbon rim and decidedly old-school steel spokes. Here's what the first reviewers found, and what it will cost in South Africa.
A climbing legend returns
The Zipp 202 has history. Lightweight 202-badged climbing wheels date back to 2004, and Zipp reintroduced an NSW version around 2016 before quietly retiring it as the brand chased wider, deeper, more aerodynamic profiles like the 303 and 353. Now it is back — and lighter than anything Zipp has built.
The pitch is simple. The 202 exists, in Zipp's words, because "we wanted to give racers the option to put on a wheelset to get their bike to the UCI minimum" for the days the road kicks uphill, engineer Ben Waite told road.cc. At 35mm deep — 5mm shallower than the 303 — and a claimed 1,090g, this is a wheel for gravity, not the wind tunnel.
By the numbers
Source: Cyclist / road.cc
Inside the Biomimetic rim
The headline tech is the rim. Zipp calls the layup Biomimetic: rather than a single carbon throughout, it blends five different carbon types across 50-plus individual sections per rim, placing the stiffest fibre at the spoke bed and the toughest at the tyre bed. Zipp likens the gradient to the way a muscle tendon transitions from stiff to tough.
More surprising for a flagship is the choice of steel J-bend spokes — 20 per wheel — over the carbon spokes rivals trumpet. "If you're not close to your normal bike shop and you break a spoke, you can't get carbon spokes," Zipp product manager Nathan Schickel told Cyclist, while engineer Ben Waite added that the team is "not sure about carbon spokes' durability." The hubs are Zipp's German-engineered ZR1 SL with 66 points of engagement and GRW ceramic bearings as standard.
Zipp 202 NSW: full specification
| Zipp 202 NSW | |
|---|---|
| Rim depth | 35 mm |
| Internal width | 23 mm |
| External width | 28 mm |
| Claimed weight (set) | 1,090 g |
| Hubs | ZR1 SL, 66 POE |
| Spokes | 20x Alpina Hyperlite steel, 2-cross |
| Bearings | GRW ceramic |
| Tyre fit | 28-32 mm tubeless (hookless) |
| Max pressure | 72 psi (28mm) / 65 psi (30-32mm) |
| Price (set) | 3,395 GBP (~R73 900) / 3,800 EUR (~R71 300) / 4,200 USD (~R69 300) |
Specs: road.cc
What the testers say
Three early verdicts
Independent verdicts from across the cycling press — follow each link for the full review.
More than hill-climb wheels
“Across all terrain the 202s are nimble and easy to handle, without being twitchy or overly reactive.”
Read the full reviewSnap with subtle give
“It feels light and direct when you put the power down, yet without the twitchy edge that often plagues ultra-lightweight, highly technical wheelsets.”
Read the full reviewStable beyond its weight
“These wheels spin up like a flyweight wheel does, but they also sit stably in the dropouts.”
Read the full review“It's a bloody brilliant wheelset.”
View data table
| Price (USD) | |
|---|---|
| Front wheel | 1900 $ |
| Rear wheel | 2300 $ |
| Full set | 4200 $ |
In Rand (approx, @ today's rate): Front wheel: ~R31 400 · Rear wheel: ~R38 000 · Full set: ~R69 300
The honest balance
- Genuinely sub-1,100g — a noticeable advantage the moment the road tilts up
- Lively, eager acceleration that reviewers found responsive without being twitchy
- Surprisingly stable in crosswinds thanks to the shallow 35mm profile
- Steel J-bend spokes are roadside-repairable, unlike many carbon-spoked rivals
- Extra vertical compliance takes the sting out of rough surfaces
- Ceramic bearings standard, backed by a lifetime warranty
- Flagship price: 3,395 GBP (~R73 900) / 3,800 EUR (~R71 300) / 4,200 USD (~R69 300) for the set
- Hookless TSS rims demand strict tyre-compatibility and pressure discipline
- Limited to 28-32mm tubeless tyres
- Shallow depth gives up some flat-out aero versus deeper wheels like the 353
- A niche, climbing-first wheel — overkill for many riders
A superb, characterful climbing wheel let down only by its price and hookless caveats. Synthesised from first-ride coverage; no outlet has published a scored long-term test yet.
Tap to vote — see how readers lean
Buyer questions
How much do the Zipp 202 NSW cost? +
3,395 GBP (~R73 900) / 3,800 EUR (~R71 300) / 4,200 USD (~R69 300) for the set (about 1,520 GBP (~R33 100) front and 1,875 GBP (~R40 800) rear). Live South African pricing appears in the Price Watch block above as stock arrives.
How much do they actually weigh? +
Zipp claims 1,090g for the pair including tubeless tape and valves. Independent sets have been weighed between 1,064g and 1,079g — exceptionally light for a complete wheelset.
Are they tubeless and hookless? +
Yes. They use Zipp's TSS hookless rims and are designed for 28-32mm tubeless tyres only, with maximum pressures of 72 psi (28mm) and 65 psi (30-32mm). Follow Zipp's compatibility guidance closely.
Why steel spokes instead of carbon at this price? +
Zipp says it is about repairability and durability: a broken steel spoke can be replaced at any bike shop, and the team is wary of carbon spokes' long-term durability under tension.
Are they only for climbing? +
Primarily, yes — the shallow 35mm rim is built for low weight, not aero. But reviewers found it still feels fast on the flat and impressively composed in crosswinds, so it is more versatile than a pure hill-climb wheel.
Sources & further reading
- Zipp 202 NSWs are back: can Pidcock's shallower wheels make you faster? — Cycling Weekly
- The climbing wheel isn't dead: Zipp brings back the legendary 202 — BikeRadar
- Zipp unveils its lightest wheelset ever: 202 NSW returns — road.cc
- New 2026 Zipp 202 carbon wheels review — GRAN FONDO
- Zipp 202 NSW first ride: more than just hill-climb wheels — Cyclist
- Zipp's 202 NSW is lighter than most carbon-spoked rivals — Cyclist
- 202 NSW — official product page — SRAM / Zipp
The 202 NSW is a love letter to climbers: a genuinely sub-1,100g wheelset that, by the early reviews, rides with more composure and comfort than its weight suggests. The steel spokes make it unusually easy to live with, and the shallow rim keeps it calm when the wind gets ugly.
The catch is the price and the hookless rulebook — 3,395 GBP (~R73 900) / 3,800 EUR (~R71 300) / 4,200 USD (~R69 300), 28-32mm tubeless tyres only, and strict pressure limits. If you race up mountains and chase the UCI weight floor, it is a dream. For most riders, a deeper all-rounder offers more wheel for the money. Watch the live South African prices above before you commit.
