Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc Front Wheel

If you're the kind of person who purchased a disc-brake-equipped bike for gravel-grinder riding or other hard road to no road riding, then the Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc is your wheel. It's a strong, light, aero wheel set that boasts six-bolt mounting for disc rotors.
 
Zipp makes the 303 discs in both clincher and tubular versions, so if your taste in tires runs toward convenience, the clincher is the choice for you. It possesses the same shape and aerodynamics as the tubular version, just built for wired-on tires. It's a small weight penalty but a massive convenience bonus. Not only can you take off the tires, but most come off tool-free and hold on to the rim like nobody's business.
 
The 303 Firecrest Clincher rim is the same you'll find on the rim-brake versions for an important reason. The rims were already light, and removing material would reduce strength and stiffness. 
 
The hubs are where most of the differences occur. There are 24 spokes, both front and rear. A cross pattern is necessary in front to counter the forces of braking. The flanges are slightly taller to work around the six-hole rotor mounts. And the left-flange spokes mount on the inside of the flange rather than the outside—this way spokes can be serviced more easily. While you can see that the spokes have a two-cross pattern, it actually possesses the lateral stiffness of a three-cross thanks to the size of the flanges and the orientation of the spokes. The benefits of the design are more aero and shorter spokes.
 
While finding a disc-brake equipped road frame with narrow chain stays is unlikely, we're duty-bound to inform you that on some rim brake-equipped road bikes, the Zipp 303 rim is too wide to fit between the stays. Measure first.
 
The wheels come with quick releases, rim strips, valve extenders, and Zipp Tangente tubes. Zipp has taken innovation in their system to a new level with these tubes, which feature an aluminum, rather than brass, valve core. Lighter, better machined, and possessing a removable valve core. It also improves the balance of the spinning wheel. The wheels are not designed for compatibility with tubeless systems.
 
The Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Disc is an adventurous wheel set that is also cutting edge for road racing.