Zipp 303 XPLR SW NO BS Wheelset Review: The Widest is Fastest?

zipp 303 xplr sw review — Ultra Wide Zipp 303 XPLR SW Wheels

“This wheelset is the fastest on gravel, thanks to its mega-wide rim that integrates seamlessly with approved gravel racing tires. Most gravel wheels are modified versions of existing road wheels, focusing on stiffness and lightweight.” – Zipp / SRAM Website

“Zipp takes a different approach. In gravel, resistance and vibrations from bumpy surfaces create a barrier that slows riders down. To combat this, Zipp applied Total System Efficiency specifically to the challenges of gravel. The wide profile increases air volume, allowing for lower tire pressures without squirm. That means you mitigate surface vibrations while maintaining grip when cornering or traction while climbing.”

“The rim profile also creates a seamless transition with gravel tires for unsurpassed aero efficiency on gravel. And while the 303 XPLR SW is built big, it’s still lightweight to keep you fast and fresh for those long, fulfilling days in the saddle.”

Zipp 303 XPLR SW Review Video

Alternative Video Link for those reading via email subscription

In this video, JOM of the Gravel Cyclist crew presents his long-term, no BS real world review of the Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheelset. This isn’t a one-ride BS review.

Zipp 303 XPLR SW Written Riding Experience (or see video)

Tipping the scales at mid 1400 grams, and featuring carbon rims that are insanely deep, wide, and dimpled, it’s abundantly apparent these wheels are light enough to be rocket fast over most terrain, flat or otherwise. As a bonus, they dress up any bike you install them onto.

Not everyone’s going to buy into the wider is better internal rim design, but I discovered this back in 2013. I built a Lynskey drop bar MTB with 1.8″ tires / tyres, before any of these gravel privateer people existed, to cope with the demands of dodgy descents in the North Carolina and West Virginia Appalachians. Think events like Pisgah Monster Cross, Hilly Billy Roubaix, etc. Bonus, I felt a whole lot safer having a wider, lower pressure tire / tyre casing beneath me.

Thus, I quickly learned wider, lower pressure, wide tire / tyre casings also rolled faster over the rough stuff, and the same is happening with the Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheels, and their matching Goodyear XPLR Inter tire / tyres.

On smooth gravel and hardpack road surfaces, these wheels effortlessly tick along, holding speed likely aided by the deep rim profile. However, while you may feel some of the knock about crosswind effect of a rim of this depth, it’s nowhere near the same magnitude as I’ve experienced with other deep rim wheels, even those shod with roadie width tire / tyres.

This isn’t a tire / tyre review, but the Goodyear XPLR inters are fast on smooth surfaces, including pavement, and very grippy in the saddle, out the saddle, and cornering. Use caution as you would normally when cornering, it’s far too easy to lose a front wheel turning hard on gravel. I tinkered with very low pressure on this wheel and tire / tyre combination, but generally settled around low 20’s psi.

There are lighter wheel options available, but none are anywhere near this rim depth, and despite this, the mid 1400 gram weight doesn’t make these wheels a slug ascending, in or out of the saddle. They are quite responsive to speed changes as well, again in or out of the saddle, and I don’t see anybody moving these wheels laterally about the place… at least a rider of my rather ordinary caliber.

Zipp doesn’t recommend these tyres for MTB single track type riding, but I did try that, during a stretch of the Arizona trail in the Soronan Desert. I winced a little hearing rock strikes against the rim sidewalls, good thing they are close to 4mm thick, and while I don’t recommend it, the wheelset came out of that experience pretty unscathed, just a couple of light surface scratches. One would need to exhibit caution to avoid bottoming these wheels out in such conditions, but Zipp has beefed up rim construction.

In their intended theatre of operation, aka traditional gravel cycling on not crazy $hit roads, these wheels feel amazingly fast, even if its placebo happening? That almost seamless transition from rim to tire / tyre certainly isn’t hurting. They are light enough to be a super versatile all-rounder wheel for courses where endless hills or long climbs abound, or fast and flat terrain. These wheels work marvelously with 12 speed SRAM 1x and 2x drivetrains as well, and If Shimano’s or Campagnolo’s your thing, these wheels are available to you as well.

Other things to like about this wheelset; the aero j-bend spokes and exposed nipples are easy to deal with should you break a spoke, and the rear Zipp ZR1 hub has 66 points of engagement. That’s almost too much in my opinion, but we’ll settle with just right. Either way, the hubs have been spot on reliable during my review. Those thick 3.9mm sidewalls that are blunted at the bead interface, and helps to prevent cutting into the tire / tyre, should you bottom them out. Adding to this, you also gain Zipp’s excellent lifetime warranty.

Negatives, well that would firstly be the limited selection of tire / tyres for this wheelset, be sure to see Zipp’s tyre compatibility chart for this wheelset, which includes the Goodyear tires / tyres I’ve mentioned. It seems Schwalbe G-One tires / tyres measuring 700c x 40mm and above have joined this compatibility list. I do hope that changes, as I would love to slap some on Panaracer Gravelking X1R tires / tyres onto these wheels. I freely admit, I am not the biggest admirer of Schwalbe’s G-one series of tire / tyres.

The Zipp 303 XPLR SW’s pricing won’t please everyone, that’s going to depend where you buy, but somewhere around $US 2,260 to begin with.

Clearly, these wheels aren’t for everyone, but I am absolutely loving them, on any road surface. I’m wondering how long it will be before other manufacturers take notice? Zipp have laid down the gauntlet with this pioneering wheelset and ultrawide rim design, one I don’t think will be a flash in the pan, a one off.