Zipp has spun up new versions of its 303 SW and 353 NSW wheelsets – complete with integrated tire pressure monitoring sensors.
“The Zipp AXS Wheel Sensor is an integrated tire pressure monitoring system in two of our top-selling wheels [see below]. It provides you with instant tyre pressure information, as well as some other features that make the whole experience confidence-inspiring and convenient. This device pairs to our AXS ecosystem. You can connect to the device as you would any other AXS component. In that connection, you’ll be able to understand and set up your ideal pressure target, get that wirelessly transmitted to your device, as well as set up custom pressure ranges, high and low, when you want to be notified on your bike, your phone, or on the device itself.” explains Zipp’s David Morse.
“The device pairs with all popular head units, including Wahoo, Garmin and any head unit that uses Bluetooth. It uses Bluetooth transmission and also works natively with our Hammerhead unit. The display you’ll see on Hammerhead is a rich set of information where you can see front and rear wheels separately, with that pressure information displayed in a couple of different formats. You can choose your pressure units that you want to display, as well as how you want to be notified if the pressure is high or low. This gives a really interesting set of information that you can use to stay confident in your bike setup, whether you’re repairing a flat or you’re in a race and you want to understand if you’ve had a slow leak, as well as if you’re really into experimentation and optimizing your bike setup. Now you have that data at your fingertips to compare tire pressure with rolling efficiency,” adds Morse.
Designed to be used as tubeless only, the Zipp AXS Wheel Sensor can be carried in the rider’s pocket, while the built-in 15 gram sensor can easily be replaced if damaged.
Regarding the wheelsets themselves, the 353 NSW has been treated to a new carbon layup that sees a 16% increase in impact strength, while things spin on Zipp’s new ZR1 SL hubs and ceramic bearings with 66 points of engagement.
The Zipp 353 NSW wheelset is priced $3350.
“This is our lightest weight wheelset, designed for the modern road racer on hilly to mountainous courses,” says Morse. “It’s designed to be aerodynamically efficient with a range of tires, but optimized around 30mm.
“The goal of our ceramic bearings is to create a bearing that spins as freely as possible, but is also durable in inclement weather and resistant to corrosion if you expose it to water. To get that free spin, you need to use non-contact seals. That allows some moisture into the bearing but corrosion resistance is a key property of our bearings. We have a corrosion test that we do to quantify how well these bearings will stand up to environments, and our bearings will last 96 hours in our salt spray corrosion test. When you compare this to the leading aftermarket ceramic bearings, which cost $800 for a hubset upgrade, they only last 24 hours in that same salt spray test. So we have a 4x improvement over the leading aftermarket upgrades for ceramic bearings,” adds Morse.
In the case of the 303 SW, a revised carbon lay also sees a 10% increase in impact strength, while sticking with the same hooked rims and 25mm internal width that’s optimized for 30-35mm tires.
However, the wheels only get Zipp’s ZR1 hubset with stainless steel bearing with the same modular end caps and classic J-bend spoke compatibility for $2,200.00.
“The 303 SW’s 40mm deep rim design takes design cues from the gravel-specific 303 XPLR to utilize a wide rim design for high aero efficiency and low rolling resistance on a wide tire platform designed for modern riding at lower tire pressures. The rim’s profile provides low drag and an improved transition between rim and tire, boosting aerodynamic efficiency with wider tires. A revised carbon layup and design also infused the already bombproof 303 SW with a 10% improvement in impact strength at a light weight,” boasts Morse.
