For 2010, Zipp have created the first ever carbon wheels, called the
303, that were used in the northern classics without suffering any kind of damage to the rim.
The rims were designed for the classics but are ideal for every kind of riding. It was redesigned to improve aerodynamics, boosting the width from 22.3km to 27.5 km and increasing the depth from 44mm to 45mm. Lateral rigidity was also increased to help the reactivity of the wheels during aggressive racing.
Studies have shown that the dimples help gain 12 seconds over a distance of 40km compared to the previous model. The wheels are perfect for big tyres such as the 23mm ZIPP Tangent tubular that does not affect the aerodynamic performance of the rim. A reinforcing rib from Kevlar called Carbon Bridge means the rim is only 101 grammes heavier than the 202 model. It is ideal for rough roads but also light for climbs.
A prototype of the 303 was used by riders from Team Garmin-Chipotle and Cervèlo Test Team. Thor Hushovd finished third in Paris-Roubaix and Martijn Maaskant was fourth in the Tour of Flanders, without any wheel breakage.
The 303 model was also used by Garmin-Slipstream, Cervèlo TestTeam and Team Saxo Bank during the 2009 Tour de France.