
They can take longer to get up to speed, so may not feel quite so nimble. Improved rim shapes, from a 'V' to a 'U' have certainly improved matters, but if you live somewhere super windy it's definitely something to consider before purchasing.ĭeeper wheels are usually more expensive too, given the added material involved. However, bombing about on 80mm deep rims in a gale can be a frightening experience, as there is more material to catch crosswinds. In general, deeper wheels will be more aerodynamic, and therefore faster. If you have a road bike that can accommodate wider tyres (32mm isn't uncommon nowadays) then a wider rim (21mm internal or thereabouts) should be on your shopping list.Ĭonversely, if you're still running rim brakes an ultra-modern wide rim may not clear your brakes, so make sure to consult the tech specs of your brakes before spending your hard-earned cash.

The trend in modern road bikes is moving towards wider tyres, and as such modern wheels have developed wider internal widths to better support this wider rubber, all made possible by casting off the shackles of rim braking in favour of disc. Rim width, tyre and tubeless compatibility, and braking options are going to be considered alongside the usual budget constraints to make sure you get the most for your money. Whether you're after a set of bombproof winter wheels, a race day only set of deep sections, or something in between that you can venture off down a gravel track on then there are going to be a few universal considerations that will inform any choice you make. Our Parcours Strade disc wheelset review will answer any questions you may have. The wheels come ready-to-ride as a tubeless application out of the box with pre-installed rim tape and valves, and freehub spacers for 8/9/10-speed cassettes. Both hubs employ EZO cartridge bearings and centerlock disc threading and have been optimised for 12mm thru-axles front/rear (adapter kits are available for other axle standards). The hubs can be optioned with ceramic Kogel bearings on request. The wheels use machined Parcours-branded alloy hubs laced in a 24 front/rear, two-cross pattern with Sapim CX-Ray aero spokes - the freehub body comprises a four-pawl, three-degree engagement system.
LIGHT ALLOY RIMS BIKE UPGRADE
With the backing of the world's largest online cycling retail group, you can bet they'll make a great upgrade from your bike's stock alloy wheels.Ĭheck out our Prime BlackEdition 38 carbon wheelset review to learn more about these wheels.Ĭan only accommodate tyre sizes of 25c and upĪs a robust, disc-equipped option, the Strade wheelset is versatile in that it can be used for both training and racing, and can be run using traditional tubes or tubeless tyres, the latter will, of course, provide a far more engaging and granular riding experience. They are from an open mould - as many are these days - so while the aero performance is unconfirmed, they seem to hold speed well at 30km/h and above. They come tubeless-ready straight out of the box, and we've managed to set them up with various tyre models with little more than a cheap track pump. They're competitively light at 1,540 grams, and while the 19mm isn't at the cutting-edge of design, they play nicely with both 25mm and 28mm rubber, spreading the casing smoothly across the rim and providing plenty of sidewall support for lower tyre pressures. You'll need cone wrenches if you wish to switch hub end capsĪs with everything from Wiggle-CRC's own component manufacturer Prime, these BlackEdition 38 wheels help to change perceptions of carbon fibre's premium price point. However, it's worth noting that even the best wheels can be rendered lacklustre by bad rubber, so once you're done here, make sure you're rolling on the best road bike tyres to get the best out of your purchase. We've ridden with them, raced with them, weighed them, fitted countless tubeless tyres and even taken a load to the wind tunnel, in a bid to work out which are fast, easy to live with, lightweight and serviceable while riding well with responsive handling.Īll that testing means we're pretty confident that the list below covers the best road bike wheels for all cyclists looking to upgrade their ride.

Here at Cyclingnews, we've tested dozens of wheelsets. You don't have to sacrifice low weight for aerodynamics either with the latest crop of deeper section aero wheels, although we've also got a guide to the best lightweight wheels if you want to focus solely on saving a few grams. We've also tested three new sets of aero wheels head-to-head. Aerodynamics are to the fore with the best road bike wheels and we've taken ten sets of the top aero wheels to the wind tunnel to test their aero credentials.
