Best road bike wheels 2023 — transform your road bike with some shiny new hoops

The Vel 60 RL Carbon Tubeless Disc is a really great set of carbon wheels that would be fantastic to use on a regular basis for both training and aesthetic gains. At only £590 at the time of writing and still under £800 at RRP they’re hard to say no to, which is why they're our best value pick. 

Even though they are an absolute steal of a price, they happen to handle really well. For example, sometimes deep-section wheels can feel fast in a straight but then once cornering can often feel sluggish, but these don't. These wheels offer brilliant handling as well as noticeable aero advantages.

All in all, the Vel 60 RL Carbon Tubeless Disc Wheelset offers a quality package for an incredible price. Admittedly, there are lighter and faster options out there, but you would have to pay far more. Therefore, it's worth investing in this pair if the pricier carbon deep sections are beyond your budget. 

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If you're looking for a set of solid and reliable training wheels, then the Mavic Ksyrium 30 Disc Wheelset is a solid option for your consideration. They offer a quality feel thanks to their strong build quality, and while it's not a wheelset that you would choose for racing, we feel that these are the best wheels for training and off-season mile munching. 

These Mavics roll very smoothly, and are also impressively stiff under acceleration. They are on the heavier side, but for the price and what they're for, that's acceptable. 

Overall, the Mavic Ksyrium 30 Disc Wheelset really offers a good all round package. The wheels are of a solid quality and are reliable, making them a top choice for those looking for a solid set of training wheels.

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Next up, the Princeton CarbonWorks Wake 6560 wheelset may look quirky but they without a doubt deliver on performance, handling and weight.. that's if you can justify the price! Coming in at well over three grand, they are for sure an expensive investment, but they are our best money-no-object wheels for a reason.

Although deep section, these carbon wheels cope surprisingly well in all kinds of conditions, making them more than suitable for racing and riding in any weather. The 1,504g weight is impressive for such a deep section wheelset, which also means that they climb impressively well; ensuring you're getting a boost on the way up and of course reap the aero advantage on the way down too.

All in all, these hoops are both light and aerodynamic, making them a brilliant weapon of choice for those who race or for anyone just wanting a seriously luxurious pair of wheels to finish off their bike. 

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The BORG31 Disc wheels have been handbuilt with durability and versatility in mind, ensuring that minimal servicing is needed for this robust option. Although not the lightest, these wheels will take an absolute battering without flinching, which gets them our recommendation as the best wheels you can use for navigating the cratered city streets between home and work. 

The 31mm-deep alloy rim does give a small amount of an aerodynamic gain over a basic box section rim; however, the biggest positive is just how stiff they are. The moment you stamp on the pedals, they just go. They feel tight, like nothing is being wasted at all: that helps them feel lighter than their 1,720g weight might suggest.

Overall, these are a quality set of wheels. While they might not look massively exciting, but the combination of quality components and the skill of a knowledgeable and skilled wheelbuilder means they're an absolute joy to ride. Admittedly, they aren't the lightest nor the fastest, but if you want a set of wheels you can use on your road bike no matter the conditions to commute into work, or alternatively to stick on your CX or gravel bike without much consideration for the abuse they may receive, then, this is the wheelset for you.

Note: the deal link is for the rim brake wheelset. If you want the disc brake set that we reviewed, contact Borg's distributor. 

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The Swiss Side Hadron2 Ultimate 625 Disc Brake wheelset is a serious bit of kit for those wanting proper gains from their racing or riding. We found these wheels to be exceptionally stiff,  fast and virtually unaffected by crosswinds.

Not only are they impressively stiff but the stability offered by these wheels is the stand-out bonus in comparison to many others. It will be a push to find a wheelset more competent at dealing with crosswinds than the Swiss Side Hadron2 Ultimate 625 Disc brake wheelset. They also produce a very noticeably smooth ride quality. 

All in all, if you do happen to have a bigger budget and want to invest in some deep section carbon wheels that offer unmatched stiffness as well as aerodynamic gain, then the Swiss Side Hadron2 Ultimate 625 Disc brake wheels are a really great option.

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A carbon wheelset that is easy to recommend, due to the sensible price and having pretty much everything a modern wheelset should have for that price. 

The Primavera 44s are wide at 23mm internally, aren't heavy at 1,530g and offer impressive performance for the money. Tubeless set-up is simple and they handle very well on hills, on flats and in crosswinds alike.

Our reviewer said he would happily use this wheelset year-round, and the investment also goes further due to the easy maintenance with readily available parts such as common bearing sizes and DT Swiss spokes and nipples.

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At 65mm deep, Enve's Foundation race wheels are best for very fast days on the road or triathlon. While our reviewer found them to be stable and fairly easy to handle in crosswinds, you won't have to worry if you do take a tumble for any reason, because Enve has one of the best crash replacement policies in the bike industry: a Lifetime Incident Protection warranty, three years' free rim replacement for any 'ride-induced' damage, and a five-year warranty against manufacturing faults. 

Surprisingly good all-rounders, the freehub on the Foundation 65's picks up fast when you start building speed, making a reasonably quiet sound that will ensure you're heard but not click or squeal madly. They're aero-optimised for 25mm and 28mm tyres, and with both sizes our reviewer found the transition between tyre and rim seamless. Tyres are pretty easy to fit too. 

The 'Foundation' name refers to these wheels being more affordable than Enve's SES range; and although they're still not cheap by all means, the warranty and quality construction from Enve's Utah-based builders make any Enve purchase a sound investment. 

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