Few things affect your riding performance more than the wheels and tires on your bike. Whether you’re looking for a replacement for a bent rim or bad hub or want to completely replace your wheelset for maximum performance, here are our favorite picks for fully built road wheels.
When looking for new wheels as opposed to just a rim or hub for your bike, there are a few important considerations to make before committing. While you can easily spend thousands on high-end road wheels, you can also get great road bike wheels that will seriously improve your ride for just a few hundred dollars.
Rim Material
Here you generally have two choices: aluminum or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is lighter and more expensive and offers a stiffer ride. Aluminum absorbs more shock but also goes out of true faster. If you’re riding rough roads or gravel, aluminum may be a better choice.
Brakes
The type of brakes your bike has will also impact your rim and wheel choice. Most modern high-end bikes use disc brakes now, but if your bike has rim brakes, you’ll need a rim that can handle the pressure of being squeezed to stop.
Tire Type
There are three main types of tires used in road bikes: clincher, tubeless, and hookless. The wheel you buy needs to accommodate the types of tires you plan to use. Clincher tires have a bead that hooks into a rim and you need to use inner tubes to keep the tire inflated. Tubeless tires may still have a bead that hooks into the rim, but more companies are building hookless rims. Though hookless and tubeless rims both seal air between the rim and tire, the two are not necessarily compatible.
Component Compatibility
Make sure your wheel is compatible with your component group, whether it’s SRAM, Shimano, or Campagnolo. Most are compatible with each, but ordering the right wheel, with the right freehub, gears, and disc rotor at the onset is important.
Rim Width and Depth
If you’re riding on rough surfaces, you’ll want a wider rim. If you’re looking for more aero advantages, you’ll want a deeper rim. Deeper V-shaped rims are more prone to being buffered by cross-winds; some companies are manufacturing more U-shaped aero-rims to reduce the impacts of cross-winds on your riding.
Wheel Size
The majority of road bikes use 700c rims and tires. Some gravel bikes use 650b (27.5-inch) rims and tires.
How We Selected
Over the years, we’ve ridden just about every type of rim from various component groups. We’ve landed on these picks based on our experience, as well as taking into consideration reviews from professional testers and customers alike.
Zipp’s 303 Firecrest wheels are available both in 700c and 650b sizes and are favorites of riders on the road, gravel, or those who prefer cyclocross. This wheel is incredibly light, designed with wind in mind, and is fast and nimble despite its aero features. While roughly $1,000 for a wheel isn’t cheap, the wealth of features makes this high-end wheel well worth its price point.
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Best High-End
Wake 6560 Wheelset
Resistant to crosswinds
Multiple width options
Low sound levels for an aero wheel
Highly customizable
Expensive
No hookless version
Key Specs
Rim Material: Carbon
Weight: Front: 675g; Rear: 870g
Wheel Size: 700C
Tire Type: Clincher, tubeless
Rim Depth: 65mm to 60mm
Internal Rim Width: 18.5mm (Corsa), 20.5mm (Strada)
Brake Compatibility: Disc
Hubs: White Industries
Spoke Count: Front: 16; Rear: 24
If you’re willing to spend more than most people’s monthly mortgage payment on a set of high-performance aero-style wheels, the Princeton Carbonworks Wake 6560 are well worth considering. The innovative, wavy shape of the rims varies between 60mm and 65 mm thick, which helps make them quick for an aero wheel but more resistant to crosswinds.
As listed, this set runs close to $2,800, but you can also customize these wheels to your exact needs, bringing their potential costs up to more than $4,000.
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Best Value Carbon Road Wheels
Aeolus Pro 3V TLR
Tubeless compatible
Wide inner rim dimensions
Disc brake ready
2-year replacement warranty/lifetime warranty
Still expensive
Not a lot of customization options
Key Specs
Rim Material: Carbon
Weight: Front: 720g; Rear: 855g
Wheel Size: 700c
Tire Type: Clincher, tubeless
Rim Depth: 37mm
Internal Rim Width: 25mm
Brake Compatibility: Disc
Hubs: Shimano/SRAM
Spoke Count: 24
If you’re looking for carbon road bike wheels on a budget, the Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V TLR is an excellent choice for disc-brake bikes with Shimano or SRAM components. With a 25mm internal rim width, they can accommodate wider modern tires with lower pressure ratings, making for a more comfortable ride. A set will run you about $1,500, but they offer excellent value and will help you cruise past your fastest friends.
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Best Durable Aluminum Wheels
Zonda C17 Wheelset 700 C
Durable
Lightweight
Disc and rim brake versions available.
Not tubeless compatible
Stiffness can make rides harsh
Key Specs
Rim Material: Aluminum
Weight: 1540g (set)
Wheel Size: 700c
Tire Type: Clincher
Rim Depth: Front: 24mm; Rear: 30mm
Rim Width: 22mm (external)
Brake Compatibility: Rim, disc
Hubs: Campagnolo, Shimano, SRAM
Spoke Count: Front: 16; Rear: 21
Campagnolo’s components are known for quality and style—and the Zonda is no different. This wheelset is significantly less expensive than its carbon counterparts and typically costs around $600. It’s compatible with all the major component groups and can be used with either disc or rim brakes.
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Most Versatile
GRX WH-RX570 Disc Wheelset
Relatively inexpensive
Durable
Available in multiple wheel sizes
Not flashy
Heavier than other options
Key Specs
Rim Material: Aluminum
Weight: 1810g (700c set)
Wheel Size: 700c, 650b
Tire Type: Clincher, tubeless ready
Rim Depth: 22mm
Rim Width: 21mm (internal)
Brake Compatibility: Disc
Hubs: Shimano
Spoke Count: 24
An inexpensive aluminum wheelset, the GRX WH-RX570 is one of the best values for a dependable wheelset that can be used on either the road or on gravel. It’s not as flashy or as light as a carbon wheelset, but it’s also well under half the cost.
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Best Classic Road Bike Wheels
Ultegra WH-RS500 Wheelset
Classic style
Inexpensive
Shimano/SRAM compatible
No disc brake compatibility
Not as fast as other options
Key Specs
Rim Material: Aluminum
Weight: 1690g
Wheel Size: 700c
Tire Type: Clincher, tubeless ready
Rim Depth: 24mm
Rim Width: 15mm (internal)
Brake Compatibility: Rim
Hubs: Shimano
Spoke Count: Front: 16; Rear: 20
If you’re looking for a classic looking aluminum wheelset for your road bike, the Shimano Ultegra WH-RS500 is both inexpensive and time-tested. Designed for rim brakes, these Ultegra wheels are tubeless ready and ideal for training and narrow road bike tires.
These wheels from the largest component manufacturer offer a high-end rider experience and are ready for Shimano’s latest 12-speed hubs. Compared to other wheels at this level, the Dura-Ace 9170 C40 carbon offers an incredible value. They also represent Shimano’s first foray into full carbon rims.
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Best Hookless Rims
65 Disc Wheelset — Tubeless
More affordable than other Enve options
Retains speed
Not the best in cross winds
Slow to speed up
Expensive
Key Specs
Rim Material: Carbon
Weight: 1640g (set)
Wheel Size: 700c
Tire Type: Tubeless ready
Rim Depth: 65mm
Rim Width: 21mm (internal)
Brake Compatibility: Disc
Hubs: Industry Nine
Spoke Count: 24
Enve’s 65 wheelset is a less expensive (comparatively) set of quality wheels intended for road, time trials, and triathletes. The deep dishes on the rims are quick to speed up for and keep speed well. At the same time, the carbon wheels are much cheaper than many of Enve’s other options, but they’ll still make your cycling buddies envious.
Chris Meehan Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience.
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