Long Term Zipp 303s User Question (Zipp 303fc, Roval 38c)

Beginner question: How wide would you go for this? I am currently on 30c (measured 31.5mm on current rims) on my road bike and contemplating going to 28c. Thought that would be faster, but the more I read about it, I‘m getting unsure. The 30c have been great so far. I don‘t race, but go on long drives (>100km) very regularly.

I just read a lot about people going to wider rims/tires and I‘m not totally sure why. I understand, the comfort/RR/aero thing - Is the difference that big?

Depends entirely on what riding you’re doing and on what kind of roads. If you’re not racing then you likely don’t care about every last watt, in which case I would have thought the extra comfort and grip of 30mm would win out. And if riding on some rough road surfaces may well be as fast or faster anyway. Or just split the difference and go 28mm on the front where aero is more important, and 30mm on the back where comfort is more important.

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Single watts don‘t matter, but it‘s nice to be faster here and there since I spend quite some time riding (and racing friends). :slight_smile:

I‘m going to try your proposal with 28c in the front. Thanks!

I agree with @cartsman 28’s are a nice compromise between aero, comfort and rolling resistance for realistic real world road surfaces. That said, outside of solo riding/time trialing the differences will be pretty minimal.

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My 28’s are looking positively miniscule compared to some of the tires that are showing up on our regular group rides these days. :man_shrugging:t2: :man_shrugging:t2:

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I too thought that 30c is the „new 28c“.

You mean people are joining road group rides with gravel tires now? :smile:

Just got myself a new bike and it came with 303S. In the box it came with the cassette and freehub off the wheel and after some fiddling I got it on and did my first ride. Just brought it in and threw the bike on my trainer in anticipation of my workout tonight and when taking the rear wheel off, the feehub slid off and I haven’t been able to fully seat it so the prawls engage the hub. Has anyone run into this?? I’m at a loss. I’ve only had cheap wheels until now and never had a freehub just slide off like nothing lol.

A lot of higher end wheels have freehub bodies that will come off like that…you just need to get it back in correctly.

Ah ok haha. I feel like an ape trying to get it to slide on the last little bit and failing :man_facepalming::joy:

Ok I’m still at a loss on how to get the freehub full in. Made a quick video showing what I’m looking at. New Zipp 303S - Can't get freehub in - YouTube

Are you pressing the pawls down while you’re installing the freehub?

Look at ~6:50 of this video:

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That did it! A long flathead carefully pressing one by one got it slide the rest of the way. Thank you very much!

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So, any road riders have a problem with hookless. I’ve found deals on the Zipp 303s and the Enve Foundation wheels. I’d rather buy Zipp or Enve (actually Enve sounds the best) but I’m still slightly hesitant with hookless.

Anyone run tubes in hookless anyway? Is the no tubes recommendation because they want you to run tubeless tires which may have a tighter or less stretchy bead? I guess one could still use a tube in a pinch to get home as long as the pressure was within spec.

And scroll up a post.

Mine are a few years old. After looking at a buddy’s new aeroad with these wheels, they’re 2 completely different wheels now. New ones are much rounder and possibly wider, which would help in crosswinds

Also just realized it may be my tire size, as I’m running 28s and they balloon well past the outer rim, so that may be contributing as well. Gonna throw a 25 on there at some point and see if it makes a difference

I just put my rovals on and it’s shocking that even a 28 tire is narrower than the outer width of the rim up front!

You need to run tubeless tires on hookless rims due to the bead. That’s not saying they need to be setup tubeless.

I’ve been running Zipp 404FC’s with Conti GP5K S TR’s (28mm at ~60-65psi) with zero issues.

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That’s interesting and all but I haven’t seen many reports of problems with these hookless rims. In that thread linked a loosey goosey, went on my hand, Rene Herse tire was installed and I’d never do that.

Still, I’m not sold on hookless. Considering it though.

Ok, I’ll not repeat the local anecdata from myself and others. Good luck :four_leaf_clover:

That’s what I was asking for. I just didn’t think the Rene Herse topic was applicable. I’ve searched this forum and another forum and I’m really not hearing “tire blew off” horror stories.

Dunno, the people I know that had it happen are not the types that hang out on forums or post the fact on a Strava. :man_shrugging: Linda went down on Enve 4.5 AR hookless. But heck, I’ve burped a tire and went down from not having enough pressure on Enve 5.6 hooked rims.