Zipp 101 XPLR gravel wheelset review

A gravel wheelset designed for riders seeking more gnar than far

Zipp 101 xplr
(Image credit: Future)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Zipp's 101 XPLR wheelset is one of few options on the market for riders tackling more technical terrain, and prioritising control over weight and aerodynamics. For a tester used to carbon rims of around 45mm, where the differences are often more nuanced, it was a joy to hop onto a set of hoops that provided a discernibly different ride quality. The target audience is a fairly narrow but demanding demographic, but if you want a bombproof set of gravel wheels for traversing rocks and roots, these are a good bet.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Confidence-inspiring control

  • +

    Gravel needs more bombproof options

  • +

    Tech has passed the test of time in the MTB world

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Single-use focus

  • -

    Heavy vs competition

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Everything ‘gravel’ product-related comes with a very major caveat: the definition of gravel varies significantly from country to country, region to region, and rider to rider. For some, ‘gravel’ is about gravel racing, going hard and fast on paths strewn with worn-down flint. For others, it means natural rock gardens, and for a lot of UK riders, it means mud. 

For those chasing speed across relatively untechnical gravel, a wheel with a robust but aero rim is going to be the name of the game; that’s not the Zipp 101 XPLR. Pinching the title from Zipp’s previous 101 - an aluminium, shallow section rim - the new iteration is an intentionally flexy construction created to meet the needs of those who like their gravel with a side order of gnar.

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