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Aug 18, 2023

Best road bike wheels 2023

The best wheels for road cycling This competition is now closed By

The best wheels for road cycling

This competition is now closed

By Simon von Bromley

Published: May 13, 2023 at 9:00 am

Once you’ve got a quality frame, a set of the best road bike wheels is arguably the best upgrade you can give your steed.

As the means to keeping you rolling, wheels must offer smooth and dependable hubs for drive; high stiffness for accurate tracking; be able to hold a tyre at great pressure; provide a surface for consistent braking if your wheel is rim braked; support ever-wider tyres; and achieve all of this while still being as lightweight and aerodynamically efficient as possible.

Upgrading to a wheelset that hits these marks more accurately than what you’re currently riding can inject some serious new life into a road bike or gravel bike.

Improvements can include improved ride quality, faster average speeds or just a lower weight – something that helps with both acceleration and deceleration.

Furthermore, the switch to tubeless tyres and disc brakes has also shaken up the market substantially, with new designs pushing the boundaries of what was previously possible on road bikes. Wider rims support wide road bike tyres and gravel tyres a lot better and improve aerodynamics by smoothing the interface between the tyre and the rim.

But with hundreds of bike wheel brands offering thousands of options, buying new wheels can be a confusing task. Fortunately, our expert testers put dozens of wheels through their paces every year so you don't have to.

If you’re weighing up aero vs climbing wheels, this list contains both types.

For road and gravel, we’re generally talking about 700c wheelsets and to make things easier, we’ve split them up into disc brake and rim brake options. However, take a look at our round-up of the best gravel wheels for some 650b options.

And while there are some phenomenally expensive wheels in this list, we’ve also included a few top-rated cheaper options.

Below, you can find the best road bike wheels in 2023, as rated and reviewed by our expert testers. While disc brakes are becoming increasingly common on road bikes, further down the list we have the best rim brake road bike wheels.

Below the best list is our extensive buyer's guide to road wheels, too. It will help you with what to look for in wheels, understanding the various features and what some commonly used terms mean.

The Bontrager Aeolus Elite 50 wheelset will appeal to riders who value performance across road racing, triathlon and even gravel racing.

The 50mm-deep rims are 28mm at their widest points with an internal width of 19.1mm. This shows the wheels are at the leading edge of aerodynamics and ensures the tyre will form part of the aero profile.

Despite the depth of the carbon rims, the wheelset has plenty of vertical compliance, making it comfortable to ride. This might lead you to think the wheelset would feel less than optimal when heading into turns, but in testing we found ourselves cornering with greater confidence.

The wheels were true out of the box and come with Bontrager's TLR Rim Strip so you can set them up tubeless.

The 303 Firecrests are a premium choice for gravel and cyclocross as well as a good 40mm-deep option for road riding, with a 25mm internal hookless rim that's easy to set up tubeless with just a track pump. This latest version weighs just 1,409g with valves, tape and disc brake rotor lockrings.

We really rated the ride quality, which is firm without flex, and the 66 engagement points on the freehub. Zipp's price has come down too and you now get a lifetime warranty, while Zipp publishes a list of tyres it's tested for compatibility.

Measuring 37mm deep, 25.2mm wide internally and a whopping 32.6mm wide externally, Bontrager's Aeolus Pro 3V TLR wheels are right on the cutting edge of road bike wheel design.

Naturally, then, they’re also tubeless-ready, with Bontrager supplying tubeless rim strips and valves with the wheels.

All you’ll need are tubeless tyres and some sealant, and our tester found it easy to set them up with Continental's popular GP5000 TL tubeless tyres.

They’re not cheap wheels by any means, but you can find plenty on the market at double the price that don't offer this kind of spec or performance.

DT Swiss updated its ERC wheels in 2022 and this version tops the new range.

The wheels are suitable for riding on rough roads and light gravel and can be set up tubeless.

The carbon rim is significantly wider than the previous version, internally and externally. DT Swiss says the wheels are more stable in crosswinds than before and, anecdotally, they feel faster than other wheels in this depth.

The wheels have a high build quality. They are accurately machined and the bearings are well sealed but easily serviceable.

DT Swiss specs the wheels with hybrid ceramic bearings, meaning ceramic balls in metal races. These are claimed to improve performance but some will question whether they are worth it.

These ERC 1100 wheels are £500 more than the ERC 1400 wheels, with the main difference being the ceramic bearings. So if the advantages of these bearings are equivocal we reckon most riders will be just as having with the marginally heavier 1400s.

At 1,327g, the 42 Disc wheels from Giant's performance Cadex brand are light for deeper section carbon wheels. There's outstanding stiffness and a very rapid ride feel with fast acceleration and the lack of weight making for fast climbing.

The aero-tested rims are 42mm deep and the width is 23mm external/19.4mm internal. The wheels are designed to work with 25mm or 28mm tubeless tyres, and Cadex sells tyres to match.

Campag's first carbon gravel wheelset, the Shamal comes with the N3W freehub body, so it will work with the Ekar groupset, and there are also Shimano/SRAM and XDR options. They’re 21mm wide internally, quick to set up tubeless and come with easy-to-service, super-smooth cup and cone bearings, which can cope with plenty of abuse.

At 1,585g, they’re reasonably lightweight and come with differential 35mm front and 40mm rear rim depths to add firepower without sacrificing steering agility.

The ENVE SES 4.5 is aimed at achieving ‘real-world speed’ and our tester found the wheelset to be quite possibly the best-performing mid-depth carbon wheelset they had ever tested.

The wheelset feels smooth and efficient. The wide rims make riding over less-than-perfect tarmac easy and consequently quicker. They also inspired confidence on descents because they help create a wider contact patch between your tyre and the ground.

The rim profile seems almost impervious to crosswinds – even with the 55mm-deep rear wheel and 49mm-deep front wheel. The rear hub with its 40t ratchet system engages quickly, which pays dividends on climbs.

Overall, the wheels are incredibly easy to ride. Unfortunately, they come at an eye-watering price.

The HED Ardennes RA Pro is a high-value alloy wheelset, suitable for less-than-perfect tarmac, cyclocross and all-road riding.

The wheelset uses HED's own hubs. These are easy to service if you’re so inclined, and the rear hub offers positive engagement, accelerating almost intuitively.

The alloy rims mean these wheels aren't as stiff as carbon wheelsets but they do have a sharper feeling than other alloy wheels we’ve tested recently.

The slight flex in the rim pays dividends on rougher terrain and fast descents: you are able to take on bumps with greater confidence than with rigid carbon wheels. Rapid direction changes feel smooth and composed.

The Hunt 54 Aerodynamicist Carbon Disc wheelset offers looks with performance to match at a competitive price and weight.

The carbon wheels can be set up with clincher or tubeless road bike tyres and we found this to be hassle-free in testing. The rims have hooks, meaning you can use pretty much any tyre – even gravel tyres up to 50mm, according to the brand.

The wheelset feels fast and responsive out on the road. Hunt's own-brand hubs are fairly loud, but the noise does seem to have been toned down compared to the brand's older wheels.

At 54mm deep, you do have to be a bit more careful on windy days, should a gust catch your front wheel. However, we didn't experience any problems with handling.

The wheels are covered by Hunt's 60-day return policy and a free lifetime crash replacement policy for the original owner.

The Reynolds ATRx all-road wheelset offers a smooth ride, excellent handling and high-quality construction.

The wheelset sits in the middle of Reynolds’ range, with upgraded spokes and hubs over the ATR wheelset. It has 40mm-deep hooked rims.

While there are faster and lighter rims available, the ATRx is competitive and composed across different types of riding. It's impressive when subjected to hard climbing and riding fast along the flat, with the rear hub's 10-degree engagement angle providing sharp pickup.

The ATRx can be used for gravel riding as well as road, but the 23mm internal rim width limits the size of gravel bike tyre you’ll be able to fit.

Now tubeless-compatible, the Roval Alpiniste CLX II wheelset weighs just 1,265g including tape and valves. Roval has shed weight from the original Alpiniste wheels with modifications to the hub, while reinforcing the 21mm internal width rims. These remain hooked for broad tyre compatibility and can be run tubed as well as tubeless.

As well as the low weight, we were impressed with the ride quality of the Alpiniste wheels on rough Colorado roads. At 32mm deep, they’re not designed to be aero though. There's only a two year crash replacement warranty, which lags behind other expensive wheel brands.

The Roval Rapide CLX II is a speedy aero disc-brake wheelset that now works with tubeless tyres.

Hooked rims mean the Roval Rapide CLX II can accommodate a wider selection of tyres than its hookless rivals.

The wheelset has a low weight of 1,520g including tubeless valves and tape.

Despite the aerodynamic profile – the rear wheel rim is 60mm deep and the front is 9mm shallower – the Roval Rapide CLX II is among the most composed of its class in blustery conditions.

Pace and poise come with comfort, making the wheelset suitable for longer road rides, as well as racing and fast training.

The Swiss Side Hadron² Ultimate 500 Disc is a reliable, fast and all-conditions wheelset. But the carbon wheels do come with an impressive price tag, costing £1,958.

The wheels have an internal rim width of 20mm, which the brand says is optimised for 25mm and 28mm tyres. The wheels are supplied with tubeless tape and we fitted 25mm Schwalbe Pro One tyres with no fuss.

The DT Swiss hubs are reliable and provide rapid freehub engagement. The rear hub comes with a Shimano or SRAM 10- and 11-speed freehub as standard, but if you run an alternative groupset you’ll have to buy a compatible freehub body separately.

While in the past 50mm-deep rims could be a handful in the wind, we didn't suffer any white-knuckle moments on gusty autumnal rides.

For all-round riding, these wheels are an ideal blend of aero and efficiency with enough stiffness for sprinting and short, sharp climbs.

Swiss Side's wind tunnel tested 62.5mm deep section wheelset isn't too heavy for its depth, coming in at 1,687g taped up. They’re 20mm wide internally and built up on DT Swiss 180 Dicut hubs with SINC ceramic bearings.

More aero than the original Hadrons, they’re also more stable than many other deeper section wheels we’ve tested and their lateral stiffness makes for a keen ride.

With superlative ride quality, impressive levels of stiffness and wonderfully smooth hubs, Zipp's 202 NSW wheels have a lot to offer.

The tubeless-ready rims, with their 21mm internal width, offer a great tyre profile with the recommended 28mm rubber.

This not only improves grip and smooths out the ride, but also apparently optimises the aerodynamic performance of the wheel/tyre combination.

The relatively high price is likely to be a stumbling block for some, but our tester felt the 202 NSW's excellent performance lived up to the billing.

The Zipp 404 Firecrest wheelset is a superb wheelset for fast road cycling, offering low weight and a great ride feel that belies the 58mm-deep rims.

The deep rims mean the wheelset is tangibly fast on the flat while still being controllable in blustery conditions. Weighing 1,527g on our scales, these deep-section wheels aren't a disadvantage on climbs.

The 404s have a hookless rim with an internal width of 23mm. The hookless rim can make finding compatible tubeless tyres difficult. But find a tyre that fits and the wide rim combined with the low pressures you can run with a tubeless setup means this version of the 404 is much more comfortable than its predecessor.

These wheels are ideal for road purists looking for speed, but if you want something a bit more versatile you might want to consider the shallower Zipp 303 Firecrest wheelset.

Available for either disc or rim brakes, the Prologue wheels are 44mm deep with a 27mm external/19mm internal rim with the same profile as the brand's premium Podium wheels. There's a 28mm-deep disc brake version available too. They’re tubeless-ready and laced with J-bend spokes to hubs with a 10-degree engagement freehub.

At 1,745g, they’re not light but feel more lively than that, with enough give to be comfortable without dulling the ride.

The Cannondale HollowGRam R45 is an excellent carbon wheelset that defies its price tag.

The wheelset shares its tubeless carbon rim with Cannondale's pricier KNOT 45 SL wheelset – just with more spoke holes.

While the wheelset might be just over 200g heavier than the KNOT 45 SL, it gains speed with ease thanks in part to the 21 points of engagement in the rear hub. Our tester found them to be quicker than expected when coasting.

A 28mm tyre was easy to coax onto the rim and measured 30mm wide when inflated.

DT Swiss describes the CR1400 as an all-road wheelset. It's built around DT's lightweight, aero 240s hub with its sophisticated freewheel ratchet. The 25mm-deep, 22mm internal/26mm external alloy rim works well with wider tyres.

Tubeless setup is easy, with a secure seal to the rim, and the 1,746g a pair weight is good for a wide alloy rim. We rated the ride feel, it had no lateral flex under load and not too much rigidity for a comfortable ride.

These are pricey for aluminium wheels, but when you consider they have a similar rim profile and weight to carbon options, they start to look like much better value.

Our tester found this wheelset to have excellent rigidity, meaning they accelerate and climb brilliantly.

Tubeless setup was a breeze too, though the hookless rims (something that's more common on MTB wheels) means you need to be careful in selecting compatible tyres.

ENVE's 65mm-deep wheelset offers you the prestige brand at a (relatively) lower price than its SES wheels. Unlike the SES wheels, the ENVE 65s’ 21mm internal/28mm external width rims are identical front to rear. They’re tubeless-ready with hookless beads.

The ENVE 65 wheels weighed 1,640g, which is only 160g heavier than the SES wheels and the hub internals are the same, just with steel bearings in place of ceramic ones. We reckoned that was a fair trade-off for the £1,500 saving.

The wheels are really fast on still days, holding their speed well, although the depth makes acceleration slightly slower than shallower wheels. There was some buffeting once the wind got up, but ride comfort is good, particularly for such deep wheels.

Another first-for-the-brand gravel wheelset, the Drifts’ aero 36mm deep hookless carbon rims are 24mm wide internally to handle tyres up to 60mm wide. They’re easy to set up tubeless, although the supplied rim tape is fragile and we needed to replace it.

They’re built up on DT Swiss 240 EXP hubs with extra-sturdy DT aero spokes for durability, but still weigh a respectable 1,525g.

The 48 Limitless UD Carbon Spoke Disc is Hunt's top-of-the-range aero wheelset, with the brand's latest Aerodynamicist rim profile and carbon spokes for good measure.

The wheelset is available with either 48mm or 60mm-deep rims. We tested the 48mm version, which proved wickedly fast and tipped the scales at 1,548g. The wheelset performed impressively in crosswinds and blowy conditions, meaning you don't have to be too attentive to weather conditions.

The wide internal rim maximises the nominal tyre size, and this improved descending and reduced road buzz.

The carbon spokes help save weight and provide loads of lateral stiffness, which makes these wheels good for climbing, despite their depth. However, Hunt says it's best to return the wheels for truing.

Hunt has wind-tunnel tested its 60mm-deep (which we tested) and 48mm-deep wheelsets against its competitors and says it equals or betters their performance.

Hunt uses special non-structural inserts to keep the weight down to 1,770g with tape, valves and lockring. There's the option to upgrade to CeramicSpeed bearings.

They feel super-fast and come with a 7.5-degree engagement freehub for fast pick-up and noisy freewheeling. We loved the build quality and taut, responsive handling, although they are a bit twitchy in stronger crosswinds. Value is impressive too.

Hunt's alloy wheelset is budget-priced, but still manages a competitive 1,410g weight. There's a 25mm-deep, 19mm internal width asymmetric rim profile with tubeless compatibility. The 1mm trueness of the rear wheel was within tolerances, but a bit more than we’d expect out of the box.

The Sprint SL hubs have straight-pull spoking and 7.5 degrees of engagement. Their new design shaves 35g off the previous-generation Sprint hubs’ weight and they’re available for all different freehub standards.

The Hunts felt particularly snappy for an alloy wheelset and blended stiffness and comfort, although climbing and compliance over rough roads aren't quite the match of a carbon wheelset. However, they’re a lot cheaper than carbon.

The Fulcrum Racing 5 DB has a £399 price tag but a ride feel akin to a far costlier wheelset.

The build quality of the wheel is high, with laser-etched rims, fully sealed bearings and rim tape that has neatly punched valve holes.

The wheelset uses the same two-way fit rim design as Fulcrum's pricier wheels, making it compatible with tubeless tyres. The rims could be wider to future-proof the wheelset as road bike tyres get wider and wider.

Out on the road, the wheelset feels sprightly, getting up to speed quickly and feeling very responsive to power input. It also tracked well in corners and avoided a vague feeling, which can be the downfall of other budget wheelsets.

Having said that, the wheelset feels compliant enough to deal with longer rides where extra comfort is welcome.

The Fulcrum Speed 25 wheelset is a disc brake climbing wheelset with ceramic bearings, the brand's MoMog rim design and a very low weight of 1,336g.

That low weight is achieved through the shallow rim depth as well as a finish that removes the need for any weight-adding extras such as protective lacquer. On the road, this helps the wheels accelerate quickly, with the stiff and responsive design responding quickly to your input.

The wheelset is also impressive on descents. This is in part due to the 21mm internal rim width, which enables you to fit wide tyres. On the flat, the wheelset isn't as fast as a deeper-rimmed alternative, but anyone looking at climbing wheels should be well aware of this.

Despite the climbing ability, the Speed 25 would still be a great choice as an all-round wheelset, with the overall design and ceramic bearings providing a smooth ride. Just watch out for the 120kg rider weight limit.

The result of 12 months of development, including wind-tunnel testing, the Strade wheels have different front and rear rim profiles because Parcours’ research showed that front and rear wheels experience different average wind yaw angles.

The 49mm-deep, 32mm-wide front wheel has a more U-shaped profile, while the 54mm-deep, 30mm-wide rear is more V-shaped to compensate for this. Weight is a claimed 1,520g.

You can set up the Strade wheels tubeless, although they don't ship with the necessary hardware. You can also upgrade from the standard steel bearings to ceramic and specify other custom options.

The ride feels fast and they handle well for their depth, being relatively unaffected by crosswinds. They look smart too.

The Prime Primavera 32 wheels feel sprightly to ride on the flat and excel on climbs despite coming in a few hundred grams overweight at 1,436g against a claimed 1,272g. Although some of this is from the fitted valves and tape, there's still quite a bit more unaccounted for.

With 32mm-deep rims, they’re not the most aerodynamic, but they remain stable in gusty conditions. The hooked rims have an internal width of 23mm, which best suits 700x28mm tyres, according to the brand.

The Prime Primavera 32's performance impresses for a wheelset at this price. However, if you use a SRAM XDR or Campagnolo drivetrain, a compatible freehub costs extra.

At 1,630g, these aren't the lightest wheels in their category, but you needn't be afraid of a few extra grams because they are well spent on this wheelset.

You get versatile 41mm-deep rims with a bulbous 30mm external width (21mm internal width), meaning they’re faster in most conditions than most shallower wheels without being so tall you get buffeted by the wind.

They’re also built with Sapim Sprint spokes – a stiffer version of Sapim's legendary CX-Ray spoke – and more durable brass nipples, which makes for a wheelset that can handle a lot of abuse.

A gravel or all-rounder wheelset, the Roval Terra CLXs are 25mm internal width and 32mm deep and handle gravel tyres as well as 28mm road tyres with aplomb, with the width adding stability to wider tyres.

They’re laced up with alloy nipples, which contribute to the low weight of 1,296g. The hubs are Roval's own, but have DT Swiss Ratchet EXP hub internals, which should be readily serviceable.

We baulked at the £2,200 price tag though, when Roval makes significantly less expensive wheels with a similar spec but a little heavier and there's significantly cheaper competition.

The VeloElite Carbon Wide 350-50 wheelset is a great choice if you’re looking for your first set of deep-section wheels or on a budget and you don't want to shell out for a big-name brand.

At 50mm deep, the wheels offer an aerodynamic advantage but are still versatile enough for a range of riding.

With a maximum width of 30.1mm, the rim on these wheels is one of the widest currently available. This means any tyres you’ve fitted to the rim widen, and grip and braking are improved as result, leading to a confident ride.

Despite the depth of the wheels, the stiffness of the wheels doesn't quite match the performance elsewhere. There is a slightly vague feeling to the wheels when accelerating out of the saddle, but this doesn't impact cornering.

VeloElite provides these wheels with a range of different hubs, including Industry Nine and Chris King. We tested the wheels with DT Swiss hubs and these are easily serviceable.

Zipp is a brand often associated with high-end bikes, but at £1,031 the 303S wheelset brings the brand's tech to a lower price point.

The 303S is aimed squarely at those wanting to go fast, but the wide 22.7mm internal width and recommended low tyre pressure bring gravel riding and cyclocross within the wheelset's remit.

Despite being wide and with relatively deep 45mm rims, the wheelset weighs a sensible 1,558g. Paired with a rear hub that offers a solid 10 degrees of engagement, this helps the 303S achieve a snappy and direct ride with no obvious power loss on climbs or when sprinting.

The wheelset is easily serviceable and is supplied with a wheel bag, which is a nice extra. Also included are disc-brake rotor lockrings and the rims come taped for tubeless installation.

Zipp says that the wavy profile of the 45mm-deep rim gives it the aerodynamics of a deeper wheelset, with the variable-sized, clustered dimples helping with crosswind stability. The hookless design also leads to a weight of just 1,304g a set. They roll on Zipp's Cognition V2 hubs with a magnet-engaged freehub.

We rated their stable yet speedy and smooth ride, while the light weight means they climb really easily, and their aerodynamics and stability make them fast on the downhill side too. They’re expensive though, especially when compared to the already excellent Zipp 303 Firecrest.

Priced at just £335 (and often found cheaper online), DT Swiss's P-1800 Spline wheels have a lot going for them.

At 1,630g, they won't weigh you down and the 17.5mm internal rim width is wide enough to provide a nice round tyre profile with 23 to 28mm tyres.

Pick-up from the standard pawl system is a little slow, but this is splitting hairs on a wheelset at this price point.

Hunt's 4 Season Aero wheelset is a dependable, relatively affordable and unfussy alloy rim brake wheelset that is great for all-season use.

Built with a sensibly high spoke count, up-specced winter-proof bearings and a wide-ish rim, the wheels presented no issues in testing.

The latest version of the Vision SC55 has a new 19mm internal/27mm external rim profile that's been wind-tunnel tested and is tubeless-ready.

We were impressed at the wheels’ ability to smooth the road and add comfort to our rides. Rim-brake performance has had an upgrade too, with progressive action. There's a fast ride feel that's unaffected by gusts.

Weight for the Vision SC55 came out at 1,566g, which is competitive. Although we tested the rim-brake version, both the 55mm-depth and the 40mm-depth SC wheels are available with disc brakes too at the same price.

As usual with Giant, these carbon wheels are reliable and solid without being too flashy.

They’re pretty lightweight at 1,463g (including rim tape and tubeless valves) and have a respectably modern rim laced to high-quality DT Swiss 360 hubs.

Tubeless setup was pleasingly easy and braking is good in the dry too, though it does suffer in the wet somewhat (as often with carbon wheels).

Yes, there are cheaper aluminium options that will fulfil a similar purpose, but if you’ve just gotta have carbon wheels then these are a reliable option at a competitive price.

Even with only 35mm-deep rims, these wheels offer an aerodynamic performance advantage without being affected by side winds.

They’re also lightweight (1,450g for the set), tubeless-ready and braking is great too, with the supplied SwissStop Black Prince brake pads combining with the rim for powerful and consistent braking.

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Just as road bikes are now increasingly being designated according to their use (race, endurance, aero, gravel and so on), wheels also fit into similar categories.

Knowing what type of rider you are and what you want out of your wheel upgrade will simplify and narrow your choices.

Weight is felt most when ascending, so a wheel suited to climbing is usually designed with low weight in mind. Such wheels generally feature a shallow-profile rim and a low spoke count.

Another benefit of such a wheel is seen in ride quality. Typically, the deeper a rim gets in its shape, the harsher the ride – therefore climbing wheels are often more compliant.

Where a wheelset is below 1,500g and doesn't claim to be aerodynamic, it can often be put into the climbing category. When budget is no issue, a super-light climbing wheelset should weigh between 900g and 1,300g.

Aerodynamic wheels have quickly become a popular choice for adding some free speed and creating that ‘pro look’. An aerodynamic wheel will usually feature a deeper section rim, with a rim depth of around 35mm being the typical starting point. They’re typically made of carbon, although there are alloy options available too and the majority are designed for disc brakes.

As aero designs have improved in recent years, there has been a big uptake in these mid-depth wheels which, unlike some deep-section models (see below), now provide a sensible balance between low weight, ride quality and improved performance against the wind.

When speed is a priority, a deep-section rim of 50mm or more can potentially cut through the air with less aerodynamic drag.

However, the additional depth can cause problems if riding in high crosswinds and often adds weight, which is why mid-depth wheels have become a popular compromise outside of time trials and fast sprint courses.

Riders who race on deep aerodynamic wheels will often own a set of training wheels for use outside of racing.

While speed, low friction and low weight are a priority for racing wheels, training or ‘everyday’ wheels must be durable and able to take a beating.

Because rims on rim brake bikes wear out over time with braking, particularly if you’re riding through winter, having a cheaper set of wheels for training can extend the life of your race wheels.

A custom, handbuilt wheelset – where replacement spokes and rims are relatively cheap and easy to source – is a good choice (see below for more on these). Other options are budget wheels from major brands, which can be well built and have parts that aren't too expensive to replace.

For this type of usage, expect a wheelset weight of 1,500 to 1,800g for something that is well priced. A budget wheelset is likely to weigh 1,900g or more.

There are three types of tyres for road bikes and each type needs a specific rim. For more details, read our explainer on the differences between tubes, tubeless and tubular.

The term ‘clincher’ refers to standard tyres that use separate inner tubes to hold the air, which pushes the tyre bead into a hooked rim to hold it in place.

This is the most common wheel type on road bikes. Generally, where tyre type isn't mentioned, it's safe to assume it's a clincher.

Tubeless tyre technology has been a thing in mountain biking for a long time, but it's now making serious inroads on road bike wheels too.

As the name suggests, tubeless tyres don't require an inner tube – just like a car tyre. Instead, sealant and tubeless-ready rims are used to create what is essentially an airtight clincher system.

Manufacturers claim that removing the inner tube can decrease rolling resistance, banish the risk of pinch flats at lower inflation pressures and that the sealant can seal small punctures while riding.

For more info on road tubeless technology, check out our podcast episode where some of our most knowledgeable writers sat down to discuss the what, why and how of road tubeless tyres.

Tubulars (often shortened to ‘tubs’) are the oldest type of road bike tyres. They usually consist of an inner tube sewn into a fully enclosed tyre casing, which then has to be glued or taped onto a compatible rim.

Tubeless tubulars do exist (i.e. an airtight tubular with no inner tube), but these are relatively uncommon.

The advantage of tubular tyres largely lies in the fact that a tubular wheelset can be made relatively lighter. This is because the material used to create a rim that can withstand the high internal pressure of a clincher or tubeless tyre adds significant weight.

Tubular tyres can also be ridden flat for short distances, which can be advantageous in a race.

It's for these reasons, and tradition, that tubular tyres and wheels are still dominant in the professional peloton (where riders don't have to fix their own punctures or pay for new tyres) and hill climb events, though this is beginning to change, albeit slowly.

Aluminium is typically found in any wheel below £800 / $1,200 / AU$1,500, with carbon wheels generally being priced above that (although we are starting to see brands offer carbon wheels below that mark).

Just like with road bike frames, carbon fibre has become the standard material for performance race wheels, where stiffness, weight and aerodynamics are the priorities.

Aluminium still sets the benchmark for braking performance on rim brake wheels, especially in wet conditions. Carbon rims have made massive strides in this area in recent years, though. However, if your bike has disc brakes, this isn't a concern.

The standard road bike rim size is 700c, with the name coming from an approximate metric measurement taken from the diameter of the wheel including an inflated tyre.

Some brands will spec a 650b wheel on smaller frame sizes to improve their geometry and 650b is an important option for gravel bikes, but the vast majority of modern road bikes use a 700c wheelset.

If you look closely enough at your road bike tyre, you’ll likely see numbers such as 23-622 or 25-622. These numbers are the international tyre sizing standard, with the first numbers referring to the tyre width (23mm, 25mm) and the second series of numbers, in this case 622, referring to the bead seat diameter (BSD) of the tyre designed to fit a 700c rim.

While the 622mm bead seat diameter is an industry standard, the width of the rim is not.

Recently there has been a trend towards wider rims because they offer greater tyre volume and a stiffer wheel, which in turn provides a more comfortable ride, improved bike control, lower rolling resistance and potentially fewer pinch flats.

The confusing part is that some brands quote external rim width, while others internal.

Looking at internal width, anything under 14mm is considered very narrow, 20mm and over is wide and anything between is sufficient for common 25mm tyres, although they’ll sit happily on wider rims too.

Internal width is important because of the effect it has on tyre profile. Narrow internal rim widths give tyres a ‘lightbulb’ cross-section which can narrow the contact patch and reduce grip, whereas wider internal rim widths cause the contact patch to flatten out and increase in size.

For those racing, wider rims have been shown to be more aerodynamic too, as the rim can integrate with the tyre more smoothly. This is because a wider rim can help form a smoother aerofoil shape with wider road tyres.

We’ve got a separate guide to road bike axle standards, but here's a quick run-down…

If your road bike was built in the last 20 years and has rim brakes, it most likely has a 130mm width quick release rear axle (written as 130mm QR or 130 × 9mm), and a 100mm (100 QR, or 100 × 9mm) quick-release front.

However, the introduction of disc brakes greatly confused this and for a while there were multiple standards for bikes with disc brakes, most of which were thru-axle designs borrowed from mountain biking.

If you were an early adopter of road disc brakes, it's best to refer back to the manufacturer of your bike to find out exactly what standard is used on your model.

That said, it looks like the industry has finally settled on one unifying standard for disc brake road bikes: 12mm thru-axles with 100mm spacing in the front dropouts and 142mm spacing at the rear.

If only they could do the same for bottom bracket standards…

Situated on the right side of the rear hub, the freehub is what holds the drivetrain's cassette and allows drive to the rear wheel.

Although most 11-speed designs are now backwards compatible, you must be careful to match the freehub to your drivetrain brand.

This spline system hasn't changed a great deal in the last 20 years, with the exception of 11-speed forcing a wider freehub. Shimano-compatible 11-speed wheels usually include a spacer for use with 8-, 9- or 10-speed cassettes.

SRAM 11-speed cassettes use Shimano's spline system, so are cross-compatible. The exceptions are newer SRAM cassettes designed for its XD driver (more on this below).

Shimano's new 12-speed cassettes and wheels come with a new spline pattern too, with smaller more numerous splines, although it's not the same as the Micro Spline format used in its 12-speed MTB freehubs. The new pattern means that 12-speed Shimano road cassettes are backward compatible with 11-speed freehubs, but you won't be able to fit an 11-speed cassette to a freehub with the new spline pattern.

The freehub diameter and splines of Campagnolo freehubs are very different to that of Shimano/SRAM.

If you have Campagnolo gearing, ensure that the freehub body is matched. Many aftermarket wheel brands will sell freehub bodies as a replacement part – so it's possible to switch a Campagnolo wheel to Shimano and vice-versa (Shimano-branded wheels being a key exception here).

It's perfectly possible to use an 11-speed Campagnolo cassette with a Shimano or SRAM 11-speed drivetrain (and vice versa) though, so you might not need to switch the freehub at all in that instance.

When Campagnolo went 12-speed it simply reduced the width of the 12-speed chains and cassettes to fit on existing 11-speed Campagnolo compatible freehubs. Hallelujah.

The latest Campagnolo wheels use a new standard called N3W. This uses a freehub body that's shorter and compatible with the Ekar gravel groupset. Campagnolo makes an extender that fits on the N3W freehub, so that it will also accept its road cassettes.

The increasing popularity of 1× and the advent of 12-speed drivetrains (and the subsequent desire for cogs smaller than 11t) has thrown a spanner in the cross-compatibility charts.

SRAM's solution is the XD driver for off-road and the XDR driver for road use, which are essentially just new freehub standards that enable the use of cassette cogs down to a tiny 9t.

Rather like tubeless tyres and disc brakes, this tech began life on mountain bikes before eventually making its way over to road wheels with the introduction of SRAM's AXS groupsets. The XDR freehub is slightly wider than XD, so you can run an MTB cassette on an XDR body (with a spacer), but not vice versa.

A feature that's commonly overlooked in a hub is the ratchet speed, also expressed as points of engagement or the angle of uptake. Hubs typically don't have fewer than 18 points of engagement per 360-degree revolution, but hubs that offer more can provide the feeling of faster acceleration and pick-up out of corners. Typical values are between 24 and 48, but some hub designs go much higher.

Some brands quote points of engagement, while others tell you their hubs’ engagement angle, which is 360 degrees divided by the number of points of engagement.

Rim brakes have long been the standard for road bikes. But as mentioned above, disc braking, a technology proven with cars, motorbikes and mountain bikes, is rapidly taking over for road cyclists.

Disc brakes add another element to the decision-making process.

Disc brake wheels feature a hub with a mount for the disc rotor.

Because of the high forces these rotors exert on a wheel when braking, disc-brake wheels often feature higher spoke counts, which add a little weight.

The flip side is that rims on disc brake wheels can be made lighter and more aerodynamic because they aren't also required to act as a braking surface.

It's worth noting that fitting disc brakes to a road bike isn't as simple as swapping out the wheels; both the frame and fork must be designed to accept disc brakes too.

When buying disc brake wheels, it's worth being aware that there are two types of rotor mount: centrelock and six-bolt.

Centrelock is a splined system originally from Shimano, which is more-or-less standard on road bike wheels. It can also be used with six-bolt rotors with the use of an adaptor. Six-bolt hubs can only fit six-bolt rotors.

Many road bike wheels are still designed for use with rim brakes, which means the rim must offer a consistent braking surface.

This is why good quality aluminium rims claim to offer a ‘machined’ surface, which generally guarantees an even braking surface at manufacturing.

Over time, braking in gritty conditions will not just wear down the brake pads, but the rims too. A worn brake track can be dangerous because the high pressure of a road tyre can cause the rim to crack and explode.

Look for a small dimple or groove on the surface of your rim – this is a wear indicator. When it starts disappearing, it's time to get your rim or wheel replaced.

Carbon rims typically don't perform as well when braking, especially in the wet or in extreme conditions such as descending long, steep mountains and need specialist pads. Keep this in mind if you’re considering a carbon wheel for everyday use or are swapping between carbon and alloy rims, as you’ll need to swap the pads too.

Spokes lace the hub to the rim. Generally, wheels with higher spoke counts are stronger and more durable, but this comes with a weight and slight aero penalty.

Typically a spoke is made from a piece of stainless steel wire that's been cold-forged and then had a thread added to it. Some higher-end wheels may use spokes made from aluminium, carbon fibre or even titanium.

When it comes to a quality wheel build, correct spoke tension is critical. Too loose and the spokes can unwind, and the constant flex will eventually lead to broken spokes or cracked rims. Too tight and there's an increased risk of the rim cracking at the spoke attachment point or a nipple failing.

The merits of factory vs. handbuilt wheels are often argued.

Confusingly, factory wheels are, in fact, commonly built at least partly by hand. The key distinction however is that factory wheels are built to an exact specification and you buy them as an off-the-shelf item, often with proprietary spoke and rim designs.

Handbuilt wheels take a more classical approach, where the hubs, spokes, nipples and rims can be bought separately and chosen to best suit a rider's individual needs.

Generally speaking, race wheels are mostly sold as factory options. The big wheel brands dominate this space due to their research, development and marketing through sponsored teams.

Handbuilt wheels are commonly kept for training, long-distance and everyday uses. However, there are of course examples where the opposites are true.

Wheels can be expensive and second-hand items are commonly available for sale. Just as with a bike, the actual use and repair history of the wheels is crucially important when buying used.

Your first step is to check how straight (true) the wheel is. Give it a spin and ensure it's not buckled. Also, check for any ‘hop’ within the height of the rim – nobody wants an egg-shaped wheel.

Senior technical writer

Simon von Bromley is a senior technical writer for BikeRadar.com. Simon joined BikeRadar in 2020, but has been riding bikes all his life, and racing road and time trial bikes for over a decade. As a person of little physical talent, he has a keen interest in any tech which can help him ride faster and is obsessed with the tiniest details. Simon writes reviews and features on power meters, smart trainers, aerodynamic bikes and kit, and nerdy topics like chain lubricants, tyres and pro bike tech. Simon also makes regular appearances on the BikeRadar Podcast and BikeRadar's YouTube channel. Before joining BikeRadar, Simon was a freelance writer and photographer, with work published on BikeRadar.com, Cyclingnews.com and in CyclingPlus magazine. You can follow Simon on Twitter or Instagram.

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