The recent introduction of hookless rims added a layer of complexity (and confusion) when choosing the right tubeless tire.
Hookless rims (also known as straight sidewall or straight side) entered the mainstream after Zipp introduced the Zipp 303S in mid-2020, followed by the 303 Firecrest, 353, and 454 NSW, all of which use a hookless rim design.
As the hookless rims are very recent, it’s important to note that not all tubeless tires currently in the market are compatible and/or recommended.
Here are some things to keep in mind.
- Tubeless road tires launched pre-2020 are likely not compatible/recommended.
- Use 28mm or wider tires for hookless rims.
- The maximum tire pressure is lower than traditional clincher rims; 73psi/5 bar. Sometimes the tire and rim can have different maximum air pressure. If in doubt, always adhere to the lower value.
- Consider sizing up the tire if you need to run an air pressure above 73psi/5bar.
- Always check both the wheelset and tire manufacturers’ recommendations. Details are limited for some brands. Some brands such as Zipp, Enve, and Schwalbe are more proactive and have published a compatibility chart that is constantly updated.
Importance of hookless tire compatibility
The main reason lies in safety. The tire is the sole contact between the bike and the ground.
Tubeless tires started to gain traction in road cycling around 2018, but hookless rims only came about in 2020. The hookless rims are not designed with the existing tubeless tires in mind with their straight sidewall, so they didn’t go through extensive testing.
Although there is evidence that they work just fine according to many cyclists, I’d prefer to stick to the recommended tires by the wheelset manufacturers. These recommended tires are launched after 2020 and are more expensive (20-30% more). But for safety reasons, I think it’s something to consider.
Which tubeless tire can I use for my Zipp hookless rims?
The table below shows Zipp’s recommended tubeless tires for their latest wheelsets. If the tire model is not listed below, it’s not under the recommended list. Pay attention to the tire size as not all sizes of the same model are supported in some cases.
- Zipp 303 Firecrest, 353 NSW has a 25mm inner rim width. The minimum tire size is 28mm onwards.
- Zipp 404 Firecrest, 454 NSW has a 23mm inner rim width and are aerodynamically optimized for 25mm tires. However, only certain tire brands such as Goodyear, Schwalbe, Veloflex and Zipp are compatible. For other brands, the minimum tire size is 28mm.
- Zipp 303S with a 23mm inner rim width is a mixed bag.
Jump to :
American Classic
- The Timekeeper is a top-of-the-line road tire that is available in both black and tan wall colors.
- The Torchbearer is a tire for everyday riding which is more durable and offers better puncture protection properties at the expense of higher weight.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Classic Timekeeper | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Classic Torchbearer | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Continental
- The Continental GP 5000 STR is the latest tubeless-ready tire launched by Continental in September 2021. This is a different tire to the tubeless version, the GP 5000 TL which is not compatible with hookless rims.
- Note that although Zipp says that the 404 Firecrest and 454 NSW are optimized for 25mm tires, the Continental GP 5000 S TR is not compatible.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental GP 5000 S TR | |||||
| 700 x 25 | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Goodyear
- The Eagle F1 Supersport and Eagle F1 are Goodyear’s top-of-the-line road racing tire. The main difference lies in the weight where the Eagle F1 Supersport is the lighter of the two.
- The Vector 4-Seasons is an all-rounder tire suitable for everyday riding and high mileage.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodyear Eagle F1 | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodyear Vector 4-Seasons | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Pirelli
- The Pirelli P Zero Race TLR is a premium road bike tire offering by Pirelli. The SL (superlight) model has a lower weight thanks for its lighter (and thinner) casing.
- The Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR is more durable with better puncture protection and grip in the wet.
- Minimum compatible tire size is 28mm.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SL | |||||
| 700 x 24 | |||||
| 700 x 26 | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirelli P Zero Race TLR | |||||
| 700 x 24 | |||||
| 700 x 26 | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR | |||||
| 700 x 24 | |||||
| 700 x 26 | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 35 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Specialized
- The S-Works Turbo Rapidair 2Bliss Ready is Specialized’s only tubeless tire to date (March 2021).
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-Works Turbo Rapidair 2Bliss Ready | |||||
| 700 x 26 | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Schwalbe
- The Pro One TLE is Schwalbe’s premium road racing tire used by teams such as Trek-Segafredo.
- The Pro One TT TLE is among the top 3 tires with the lowest rolling resistance according to Bicycle Rolling Resistance.
- The Pro One TLE is a mid-tiered, everyday riding tire.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwalbe Pro One TLE | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwalbe Pro One TT TLE | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwalbe One TLE | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Teravail
- The Teravail Rampant is a very durable road bike tire suited for commuters with its thicker center thread and durable casing.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teravail Rampart Black | |||||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Veloflex
- The Veloflex Corsa Race and Corsa Evo TLR are the only tubeless tires in the market compatible with Zipp that have a 320 TPI casing. The other alternative is the Vittoria Corsa G2 TLR, but it’s not in the recommended tire list.
- The main difference between Corsa Race and Corsa Evo is the former being lighter 230g vs 265g for 28mm.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veloflex Corsa Race TLR | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veloflex Corsa Evo TLR | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
WTB
- The Exposure and Expanse fall under WTB’s adventure road riding tires. They have a thicker casing, durable compound, and tiny knobs (Expanse) on the sides for off-road riding and rougher surfaces.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTB Exposure | |||||
| 700 x 30 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTB Expanse | |||||
| 700 x 32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Zipp
- The Zipp Tangente Speed RT tires have gone under the most extensive testing with Zipp wheels.
- If you’re considering running a 25mm tires on the Zipp 404 Firecrest or 454 NSW, the Tangente Speed RT is a strong candidate besides Goodyear, Schwalbe and Veloflex.
| Tire Model | 353 NSW (25mm inner) | 303 Firecrest (25mm inner) | 303S (23mm inner) | 454 NSW (23mm inner) | 404 Firecrest (23mm inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zipp Tangente Speed RT | |||||
| 700 x 25 | Y | Y | Y | ||
| 700 x 28 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |