Zipp 303
The stunning carbon tubular Zipp 303 wheel set has to be one of the most impressive ever seen. Weighing in at just 1152g for the pair – yes, you read that right – these wheels are as advanced as it gets. Sometimes riders complain that carbon wheels offer little comfort, but the design of these is intended to add to the comfort levels. They are also sometimes very fragile and susceptible to damage, but Zipp seems to have got it right.
Made to the usual Zipp standards of quality, the Zipp 303 is a top-end carbon wheel for serious use. Offering a combination of excellent speed, handling and aerodynamic qualities, these wheels are not compromised in any one area. Instead, they perform ably across the board and are very impressive indeed.
Zipp is a brand that exudes quality and craftsmanship, while also looking to advanced technology to get the job done, and with the Zipp 303 this is only too apparent. By combining alloy hubs with carbon elsewhere they manage to keep things very much in perspective and offer a superb mixture of decent price and modern design.
Some aero-wheels are tricky in conditions where crosswinds are a problem, but we have heard only good reports about the performance of the Zipp 303 in such a situation. This is down to the clever design techniques that Zipp have included in the wheels, and the result is evident in other areas.
Professional level race wheels such as these do not come cheap – the work that goes into crafting a pair is astonishing – but the 303 is one of the better value race wheels out there. In terms of comparison to others it stacks up well, and that it is widely used by professional race teams shows that it also has the toughness needed to stand up to the rigours of racing.
