Zipp Super-9 Track Tubeless Disc Wheel Rear

The Zipp Super-9 Track Tubeless Disc Wheel Rear is where Zipp's history begins and where its engineering ambition still lives. The disc wheel was Zipp's founding product — not an afterthought or a category extension, but the original idea. Decades of wind tunnel testing, material refinement, and real-world track validation have gone into what the Super-9 is today: a rear disc built with a singular focus on aerodynamic efficiency and power transfer at track speeds.

On the boards or the velodrome banking, a rear disc wheel changes the character of the ride. There's a solidity to it — a feeling that every watt you put down goes somewhere useful rather than being absorbed or scattered. The Super-9 amplifies that sensation. Its stiff carbon laminate construction resists flex under hard accelerations and sustained efforts, so the connection between your legs and the track feels direct and unmediated. When you're chasing a kilo time or pushing through the final lap of a points race, that kind of mechanical honesty matters.

What separates the Super-9 from lesser disc wheels is the depth and rigor of the development process. Zipp didn't just build a flat carbon panel and call it fast — they tested the Super-9 against other top carbon disc wheels in controlled wind tunnel conditions, refining the aerodynamic profile based on comparative data. It was also evaluated on the fastest track frames available to ensure real-world compatibility with the bikes it will actually race on. The tubeless-ready construction adds a layer of performance and reliability that makes it a logical choice for riders who want every marginal gain accounted for.

Design Benefits

1. Aerodynamic Efficiency Backed by Data: Zipp's wind tunnel program for the Super-9 wasn't conducted in isolation — it involved direct comparison against competing carbon disc wheels. That process surfaces real differences rather than theoretical projections. The result is an aerodynamic profile designed to reduce drag at the speeds typical of track racing, where fractions of a second across a kilo or a flying lap determine outcomes.
2. Stiff Carbon Laminate for Direct Power Transfer: The Super-9's carbon laminate is engineered for stiffness, not just weight reduction. A laterally rigid disc wheel doesn't flex under sprint loads or in the sustained power output of pursuit-style efforts — it translates torque directly to forward motion. For track disciplines where drivetrain efficiency is everything, this structural integrity is central to the wheel's performance case.
3. Tubeless-Ready Construction: Running tubeless on a track wheel eliminates the pinch flat risk of a traditional clincher and reduces rotational weight compared to a tube setup. The Super-9's tubeless-ready design means you can set it up without a tube, allowing for lower pressures when the track surface calls for it — and a more consistent contact patch across varying conditions.
4. Optimized for 23mm Tires: The Super-9's aerodynamic profile is calibrated around a 23mm tire — a width that aligns with the current performance standard for track use. The tire and rim shape work together to smooth the airflow transition from the leading edge of the tire to the disc surface, maintaining aero continuity across the full rear wheel assembly.
5. Validated on Real Track Geometry: Wind tunnel numbers only tell part of the story. Zipp tested the Super-9 on leading track frames to ensure the wheel behaves as intended when paired with the tight clearances and geometry of purpose-built velodrome bikes. That real-world validation step means what you see in the data translates to what you feel under race conditions.

Final Take

The Zipp Super-9 Track Tubeless Disc Wheel is built for track racers who want a rear disc grounded in serious engineering rather than marketing claims. It suits competitive riders — from national-level pursuers to committed club racers — who demand a wheel that matches the precision of their event preparation. This is a wheel with a lineage and a purpose, and it shows in how it performs when it matters most.