Zipp 303 Firecrest Tubular

The 303 is a wheel you can never count out. In 2010, it became not only the first carbon wheel to win a major cobbled classic, it won the two biggest classics: Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. The wheel is light, utterly dependable and aerodynamic. And it’s just gotten even better.

Our exploration of the 303’s wider rim led to the Firecrest® technology. And now that development has come full circle with the 303 Firecrest. The new wheel features Firecrest’s signature shaping designed to optimize both halves of the wheel, which creates a rim that is significantly faster and also much easier to handle in crosswinds.

At just 1,198 grams, the weight of the new 303 is virtually unchanged from its predecessor and remains one of the lightest carbon wheelsets anywhere. Its 45 mm-deep rim outperforms much deeper rims with a traditional V-shaped cross-section. And yet, because Firecrest technology allows us to manipulate the wheel’s center of pressure, the new 303 handles like a box-section rim. It’s ultra-stable, and suitable for even the windiest days.

And because the 303’s new 26.2 mm-wide brake track has been optimized for wider tires, the ride quality is better than ever. Our Tangente latex tubular tires, available in 21 mm and 23 mm, are the perfect match for the rims.

The new wheels retain all the small details that make Zipp wheels what they are. Exposed spoke nipples sit in the aerodynamic shadow of the rims, keeping serviceability simple without compromising speed. And our signature ABLC™ rim dimples squeeze every last second of performance possible.

To complete the package, Zipp® has refined its venerable 88/188 hubset, reshaping the hub body and pushing the non-drive-side flange and bearing out by 7.5 mm on the rear hub to increase overall stiffness and strength. The complete wheelsets come in two distinct colors. The stealthy Beyond Black versions feature black anodized hubs, black spokes, and black decals. The Falcon Grey wheelsets have a more classic look, with gray anodized hubs, silver spokes and white decals.

Note: The new Firecrest rim design has been proven durable and stiff enough in extensive laboratory and field testing that a separate cyclocross (CX) wheelset is no longer necessary.