Twenty years after releasing the very first carbon disc, Zipp's commitment to research and innovation continues to yield the world’s most advanced bicycle wheels. From the first climbing wheel developed in the wind tunnel to a power-measuring disc that can actually generate forward lift, Zipp wheels turn any situation into an opportunity for victory.

Perhaps the most versatile wheelset in our line, the light and aero 303 is well suited to hilly road races and smaller riders looking for control in windy events.

The latest version of the Zipp 303 Tubular wheelset was engineered for the rough roads and rugged weather of the spring classics. But, at 1171grams, it’s lighter than many pure climbing wheelsets. So we weren’t surprised that Cervélo TestTeam’s Heinrich Haussler picked 303s for the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix and then rode them to win a Tour de France mountain stage by more than 4 minutes.

Introduced in April 2009, the current 303 tubular is more than 5mm wider and 1mm deeper than its predecessor. Without adding a gram, these changes substantially improved the already superb impact resistance of Zipp’s Carbon Bridge™ technology while offering a more comfortable, forgiving radial stiffness. At the same time, the wider, deeper rim increased the 303’s lateral stiffness for sprinting, cornering, and accelerations. Another benefit is that wider tires have minimal impact on the wheel’s superior aerodynamics.

Meanwhile, the 303’s tire bed has been redesigned to protect against tire damage and pinch flats at low pressure, and for more precise mounting of tubulars. In poor weather, riders will appreciate the improved brake modulation of the new 303’s angled brake track.

Especially for smaller riders like Olympic champion Emma Snowsill, the 303’s stability in crosswinds – combined with its lightness and aero advantages – makes it an ideal choice for draft-legal triathlons on the ITU circuit. It’s equally at home on the muddiest, most rutted of cyclocross courses with top US riders Katie Compton, Todd Wells, and the Cyclocrossworld.com team of Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, and Jamey Driscoll.

Technology:
ABLC™ (Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control)
Advanced Boundary Layer Control (ABLC) refers to the patented and instantly recognizable dimpled pattern found on most of our rims. ABLC smoothes airflow across the rim's surface and is tailored to every model from the 202 to the Sub9 disc. 2009 seen the third-generation of ABLC, with up to 4 times more dimples than before.

VCLC™ (Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control)
Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control (VCLC) uses a vibration-absorbing material sandwiched between layers of rigid carbon laminate in the rim. When the wheel receives an impact from the road, much of the shock is absorbed by the VCLC system, delivering a 10% reduction in vibration.

Carbon Bridge™
Carbon Bridge uses a Kevlar® thread in a co-axial helix stitch to bind sheets of carbon to each other in our tubular rims. Because Kevlar is 350% more impact resistant than carbon, it can disperse shock more evenly throughout the carbon laminate, making for a rim that is practically bulletproof. In particular, Carbon Bridge reduces the vulnerability of the rim's tire bed, the area most susceptible to damage from impact.

88/188 Hub Technology
Every aspect of our 88 and 188 hubs sets a new benchmark. The standard steel bearings are the roundest in the industry. The 17mm axle is the stiffest of any road hub we've tested. The wire EDM-cut hub internals are the most precise. The SHIFT spoke hole technology is the most durable. When it comes to precision and performance, there's really no comparison.

Front Wheel:
• Weight: 519g
• Rim Used: 285v4
• Hub Used: 88
• Spoke Count: 18
• Spoke Pattern: Radial
• Spoke Length: 258mm
• Track Adaptable: Yes
• Dimpled Surface: Yes

Rear Wheel :
• Weight: 652g
• Rim Used: 285v4
• Hub Used: 188
• Spoke Count: 24
• Spoke Length Non-Drive: 260mm
• Spoke Pattern Non-Drive: Cross
• Spoke Pattern Drive: Radial
• Spoke Length Drive: 246mm
• Track Adaptable: No
• Dimpled Surface: Yes

Total Weight 1171g