Review: the Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon wheelset
It’s rare to stumble across a wheel that can do it all, but the 303 Firecrests can.
Since I started riding, I have always be impressed by Zipp wheels. All of my cycling heroes, like Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen and Tony Martin, were victorious while riding them. Many professional teams rely on Zipp to bring them across the finish line and the 303 wheelset was the first carbon hoop to win a cobbled classic. With all the successes, I was excited to test out the new 303 Firecrest, and see if it fulfils my expectations.
Many manufactures have already switched and are only putting their innovations into disc brake wheels. However, Zipp decided to completely update their entire line-up of carbon wheelsets, both NSW and Firecrest.
From NSW to Firecrest
NSW stands for Nest Speed Weaponry and represents Zipp’s state of the art tech that flows into their top-tier carbon wheels. For the new Firecrest series, Zipp is using the 2017 NSW rims, bringing the already outstanding wheels to a whole new level.
The Zipp 77/177 hubs keep the 303 Firecrests spinning, and with years of being used in the spring classics, they are known for their durability. Spoked with Sapim CX-Rays the 303 wheelset is built strong. The 45 mm deep rims have a 17 mm inner width and are filled with Zipp technologies like AeroBalance, ABLC SawTooth Dimples and Showstopper brake surface. Weighing in at 1518 g, the 303 Firecrest is right with the competition, especially considering that Zipp’s goal was to create an all-round carbon wheelset.
Quick to accelerate, these wheels a super fun!
Its easy to make out the special brake track.
Go, go, go!!!
The wheels have a clean, unique look.
They make it easy to 'Do Epic Shit' too.
Aerodynamics
Of course, I wasn’t in the wind tunnel myself to test the wheels, but let’s be honest, Zipp spent enough time testing these wheels. The AeroBalance rim, according to Zipp, offers a very stable, and fast ride quality without the issue of crosswinds affecting handling. I can only agree. I never had a problem with crosswinds and the wheels accelerate like no other. The characteristic Zipp sound also just makes it fun to ride fast with these wheels. The ABLC SawTooth Dimples give the rim a golf ball look, but are very effective at keeping wind moving smoothly over the wheel. It may sound like a bunch of talk, but I honestly could tell the difference, especially when I was blasting past much heavier riders on some long descents.
The dimples help the air move over the rim smoothly.
Braking like aluminium
One of the hottest topics of discussion around carbon rims is their lack of braking performance. To solve this, Zipp put a lot of development into their unique Showstopper braking surface.
The idea was to create a braking surface that would bring carbon up to the level of aluminium.
The brake track is not made of carbon fibre in the case of Showstopper, but instead a silicon carbide, which allows for much more modulation. To help even more, there are 317 grooves that are directional to the wheel’s rotation, which transport water away from braking surface. Working with the Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro EVO brake pads only improves the braking performance.
The groves transport water away and improve braking performance when wet.
The Tangente Platnium Pro EVO brake pads work best on the Firecrest rims.
In wet conditions, the brake pads and Showstopper tech really show how well they work. They bring the bike to a quick stop, but also still offer a ton of modulation, something I’ve never experience from carbon rims. The only thing I could complain about is how fast the brake pads wear, but honestly it’s totally worth it for the braking performance. Zipp has also said that the Swissstop Black Prince, which should wear slower, but also has minimally less brake power.
The test
I was lucky with how the one month test period fell. During that time I was able to ride a Granfondo in Vogesen, Austria with long alpine cols, as well as spring classic routes in Belgium and Luxembourg. I rode over various road conditions and was hard pressed to find any weakness, but strengths I found in abundance.
The combination of top braking performance, predictable handling, the acceleration and stiffness convinced me of the 303 Firecrest’s all-round ability.
On long alpine descents I trusted the wheels where I could brake quickly and corner predictably. Riding in the hilly Belgium and Luxembourg area was also a blast because the wheels could handle the hairpin turns, quick uphill sprints and crosswinds. They even took on some really bad roads and cobbles without issue. I was especially surprised how comfortable they were when combined with the Zipp Tangente Course 25 mm tyres.
The perfect set of carbon wheels.
Beautifully fast
Is the Zipp 303 Firecrest the ultimate carbon wheelset? I would have to say yes! The braking performance in dry and wet conditions is truly amazing and with the competitive weight, I really wouldn’t expect much more from a wheelset in this category.
If I had to choose one wheelset, the Zipp 303 Firecrest would be my first choice.
They are the perfect all-round wheels and work great on any terrain. If you’re in the market for a new set of hoops, you should seriously consider the Zipp 303 Firecrest.
