December 1st, 2008 by 
thien
Flash-Point FP60 Wheel Set First Impressions - by Steve Cooper
- Shimano, SRAM or Campagnolo Compatibility
- Max. Brake Track Width Variation - .005″
- Recommended Max. Rider Weight - 225 lbs
- FP60 is also available in 650c for smaller riders
- MSRP - $1300
Speedway, Indiana. What a cool name for a town. Their most speedy attraction? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Their second speediest? Carbon bicycle wheels from Zipp Speed Weaponry. Flash-Point wheels are hand-built by Zipp, right there in small town Speedway; the FP60 clincher is a tasty slice of carbon wheel technology at a blue-plate special price. With the wheel set just arriving yesterday, they’ve only had to smile pretty for the camera. Give me time to roll around on them and I’ll report back with their long-term road manners.
First impression?
The FP60s are attractive. From the large, but subtle colored metallic decals on the toroidal carbon profile to the hubs’ muted silver ano finish, these are handsome wheels. The FP60 profile looks to be very practical, with a good balance of aerodynamic properties, road durability, and a reputation for a comfortable ride.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Medium weight at 1860 grams? These things are boat anchors. I ran a set of these for about six months. Totally bombproof, but definitely slow to spin up. Please compare these to a lighter wheel and give us a review. Maybe try Neuvation C50 clinchers (1600 grams for $900).
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
The C50 is a fast, lightweight wheel at a great price - but at 205 pounds (closer to 210 after last week) I can’t get away with riding them.
Here’s what Neuvation says about the C50 on their website:
“Now for the bad news. Most people will tell you that if you’re 200 pounds you stand a good chance of cracking these wheels when you hit pot holes. They require special brake shoes which wear incredibly fast due to the hardness of the carbon. Brakes don’t work as well on them. They are a lot more fragile than alloy wheels. Even the pros don’t train on them. My average speed is about 16 mph and these wheels would be a waste of money for me. If I were going 25 mph in a race these wheels would buy me speed. It’s that simple.”
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
For reference, I did just wrap up an extended review of Storck 69er tubular wheels that can be found here:
http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/blog/storck-69er-carbon-tubular-wheelset-pro-review/
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
With the introduction of all these new “affordable carbon profile” wheels, now may be a good time to do some comparative tests between the Flashpoint FP60, Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL ‘09, the SRAM S60. Just a thought.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Dario,
The SRAM S60 and Flash-Point FP60 are essentially the same wheel-set. Getting in a a few other comparably priced, medium depth carbon wheels to compare would be a great piece.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I like the pretty picture.
Judging from the look of the braking surface, is it a safe guess that special brake pads are required for the FP60 wheelset?
December 5th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Flash-Point suggests using high temp carbon rated pads on the FP60s. I’ll be testing with both SwissStop yellows and the supplied Zipp Carbon pads.
February 11th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Neuvation make a great range of wheels at prices we can all afford They are light (1540 grams).We all like new things and even better if they are carbon and at prices that will not break.