Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc Rear Wheel Review

• In developing the original 303 wheelset, Zipp discovered that a wider rim increases lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering while also providing greater vertical compliance for greater control, comfort and durability. That wider rim profile led us to develop our Firecrest technology, which revolutionized aerodynamic efficiency and stability for carbon wheels. The proprietary Firecrest rim shape optimizes the aerodynamic profile of the front half and – here’s the revolutionary part – the back half of the wheel. Firecrest moves the wheel’s centre of pressure to be more in line with the steering axis for stability in even the stiffest crosswinds. All of that innovation along with the precision control of disc braking gives you a wheel that’s as smooth as it is tough. The 303 has been completely redesigned with Firecrest® shaping. The Carbon Clincher preserves the aerodynamic advantages of its tubular brother while adding the convenience of a clincher tyre. And at just 900g, it’s light enough to climb up the steepest gradients with ease. 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. For the disc wheel, a newly designed 11-speed compatible hub has been designed with larger Swiss stainless steel bearings with a custom cartridge in the rear hub shell provide increased durability. The hub geometry and virtual 3-cross spoke-lacing pattern are optimized for reliability as well as exceptional stiffness, resulting in efficient power transfer and quick acceleration. The result is superior performance in conditions ideal for disc-brake riding. Firecrest® – A better wheel in every way. Zipp’s proprietary Firecrest® rim rewrote the fundamentals of wheel making, resulting in improved aerodynamics, ride quality, wheel strength and stability in even the strongest of crosswinds. As a result, the entire Firecrest family of wheels makes a bigger difference in more ways than ever. More Speed Firecrest technology, discovered as we developed our Carbon Clinchers, refocused our thinking to concentrate not only on the front half of the wheel but also the back half. Previous rim shapes were designed to smooth airflow coming off the tire, and tapered inward from the widest point of a toroidal bulge. But Firecrest rims have a less pronounced bulge and maintain a near-constant width almost all the way to the spoke bed. Without giving up the proven benefits of the toroidal shape, Firecrest is the first aero profile that effectively controls airflow around the back half of the wheel. The performance benefits are substantial. The 303 Firecrest (45mm rim depth) has become the go-to wheel for the Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team at the Spring Classics and the wheel of choice for many of the women on Team Exergy TWENTY12. Zipp used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) post-processing capabilities to maximize aerodynamics and minimize wind-induced steering torque, resulting in a 202 Firecrest Carbon Clincher that is faster and better handling than a classic box-section road wheel. Zipp’s Firecrest rim shape improves stability by moving the wheel’s center of pressure aft and downward to sit almost directly over the steering axis, where wind-induced steering torque has a minimal effect. More Stability During the design process for Firecrest, Zipp realized that the advanced mathematics and massive computing power that helped them create a faster wheel could also help reduce the impact of crosswinds on handling. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, we’ve discovered subtle variations in rim shape that improve stability without increasing aerodynamic drag. By moving the centre of pressure – the focal point of side forces on the rim – to its optimal location near the steering axis, Firecrest offers stable, predictable handling at every wind angle. With the 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher, they have achieved a near neutral steering torque. In real-world conditions, Firecrest rims are markedly more stable than other rims of equal or even shallower depth. More Strength As Zipp discovered when developing the Zipp 303 to thrive under unforgiving conditions at the Spring Classics, a wider rim increases lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering yet offers greater vertical compliance for more control, comfort, and durability on rough surfaces. The same holds true for Firecrest rims. The 303 Firecrest is a proven performer on the open road, cobblestones or rough cyclocross courses. In both tubular and Carbon Clincher versions, the wider design places more rubber on the road while cornering without adding rolling resistance. Carbon Clinchers – A new chapter in speed Zipp Carbon Clinchers have been described as the most heavily anticipated wheels of all time. During the two-year development process, we designed new clincher-specific approaches to prototyping, testing, materials, and manufacturing. The end result is worth the wait. Optimized Materials When a wheel with carbon braking surfaces encounters a long, technical descent, spikes in rim temperature and tire pressure can impact braking and handling – especially with carbon clinchers. To solve this challenge, chemists and engineers from our composites supplier made repeated visits to Zipp and developed an exclusive heat-resistant resin based on the materials used in motorsports brake systems. This proprietary technology improves heat dissipation so substantially that all Zipp Carbon Clinchers pass stringent CEN safety standards without any limitations on rider weight or brake pad choices – a certification that no other full-carbon clincher wheelsets have achieved. Optimized aerodynamics Wind tunnel development is a cornerstone of how Zipp creates the world’s fastest wheels. Using semi-structural prototypes, we can quickly and accurately evaluate dozens of potential rim shapes. But the prototyping technology that works for tubulars can’t support fully inflated clinchers. So we developed an entirely new system where plastic skins are applied to a fully structural interior skeleton. This allowed us to refine carbon clincher rim shapes that perfectly match the distinct airflow patterns created by clincher tires. This process led directly to the Firecrest rim shape that has improved aerodynamics, stability, strength, and comfort in our tubular and clincher wheels. Optimized ride quality With the Firecrest™ rim shape, Zipp Carbon Clinchers are the first to offer the superior aerodynamics, handling, comfort, and road feel of a wide rim body. The added width between the clincher hook beads increases air volume in the tyre, which means a lower chance of pinch-flatting. Firecrest Carbon Clincher Rim Disc Brake Only Rim Weight: 900g Hub Used: 188 Disc Brake Hub Width: 135mm Rim Depth: 45mm Brake Track Width (centre): 26.40mm Max Width: 28.50mm Clincher Bead Width: 17.25mm Spoke Count: 24 Spoke Length Non-Drive: 264mm Spoke Pattern Non-Drive: Virtual 3 cross Spoke Pattern Drive: Virtual 3 cross Spoke Length Drive: 262mm Max Tire Pressure: 125psi / 8.62 bars 11-speed compatible hub: Yes Dimpled Surface: Yes External Nipples: Yes Supplied with Zipp integrated valve extenders, quick-release skewers and rim strips. #This wheel is not tubeless compatible and use 20mm rim tape.
• Code:3237039245 5360092059

As with many cyclists, be it mountain bikers, BMX riders or road cyclists we want to take the time to make sure we get the best products. Where cycling is a passion for many we often invest a lot of our time and money into the hobby. And as we know, getting the right products can give us that small competitive advantage either over our actual competitors, our mates or even just beating our own goals. But because we do invest so much in our bikes and our equipment it’s really important to buy from recognised retailers, in our most recent search, we found many products available online for ridiculously (almost laughable) prices. They were just so low that alarm bells should instantly be ringing. That’s why we only recommend buying from the retailers that you really know and trust, names like Wiggle, Chain Reaction and Evans Cycles are just some of those that we use regularly. With these retailers you know you’re in safe hands and can expect great service, great returns policies and if anything was to go wrong great customer service under a warranty claim.

But onto the reason you’re here today, let’s delve into some of the details of Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc Rear Wheel to help you understand a bit more about where it sits in the market against some of the many alternatives that are available out there. We’re very aware that by buying our cycling stuff online that we’ve missed out on the opportunity to actually see and test the product first. This is where reviews come in to their own, as it gives us that chance to hear from other like-minded cyclists about how good or bad a product is.

As you would expect, our first and top piece of advice before buying, is to read lots and lots of Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc Rear Wheel reviews. With a review score of 9.8 out of 10 it’s likely that there will be lots of great detailed reviews to help you. And if you find that actually the reviews are suggesting Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc Rear Wheel isn’t right for you then there will be tons and tons of other reviews for other products in the Back Wheels category. In fact we’ve got 58 products reviewed in this category alone.

Something that makes it particularly challenging is the vast range of choice, as mentioned above there are 58 products in the Back Wheels category. There are also 286 products from the brand Zipp. And then getting into the specifics even more there are 31 products from Zipp in the category “Back Wheels”.