Best road bike wheels 2026 — transform your road bike with some shiny new hoops

While they are mighty expensive, if you want some of the best wheels for the mountains without sacrificing speed then the Hyperon Ultra wheels from Campagnolo are probably about the best you can get at the time of writing. 

The rims are 37mm deep with a 21mm internal width, weighing in at 1,240g for the pair (there’s an even lighter tubular version for the pros). They feature the 2-Way Fit System found on most high-end Campag and Fulcrum wheels which allows for tubeless or tubed tyres to be used without the need to use additional rim tape. 

On the road, our reviewer found them a joy to ride. The aerospace-grade carbon fibre and resin combined with a one-join construction makes for very stiff wheels, and punchless spoke holes also work to reduce lateral flex. Asymmetric rims improve stiffness according to Campag, and the spoke nipples are below the sealed rim to save weight.

If you can afford them, you will not be disappointed with these excellent race wheels… a “work of art”, said our reviewer!

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We’ve banged on a lot about how good all of our selections are in this guide but, let’s be honest… most of us want to upgrade so our bike looks cooler, obviously! Luckily this carbon disc brake wheelset from Italian component maestros Campagnolo not only looks great, but is actually pretty damn good too. 

Described as fast and stable by our reviewer (and “beautiful”, but you can see that for yourself) the Shamals will spin quickly and corner confidently. They’re easy to set up tubeless, and the 21mm internal width is on trend. They also come with a handy set of tyre levers, which happen to be very good indeed according to our reviewer. 

Go for these if you want to ooze class on the club run or in a race, and give your bike a serious upgrade too. 

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The Deda Elementi RS4DB Carbon Disc Tubeless wheels look very classy with their gloss finish – but they’re not just about being pretty, because the option to run all current freehubs from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo means you can run these with pretty much any road groupset made in the last few years for disc brake bikes. 

On the road they proved stiff and sturdy for our reviewer, coping with harsh winter conditions in the UK admirably. There’s a two-ratchet system for the hub engagement which locks in very quick and gives just a mild click when you’re freewheeling, so these wheels are great if you’re not a fan of noisy freehubs.  

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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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The Fulcrum Speed 25 is one of the lightest disc-brake carbon wheelsets on the market, designed to improve climbing efficiency and all-round performance.

With a relatively shallow depth compared to all-out aero wheels, the focus is on stiffness and compliance here rather than straight-line speed – though the front wheel is symmetrical for aero gains, while the rear is asymmetrical for improved lateral stiffness and stability.

They look no-nonsense, all black with just small red logos, and the wheels feature Fulcrum’s two-way fit hooked system, which allows for the fitting of tubeless or tubed tyres out of the box with no need for rim tape. You also get ceramic bearings and a reassuringly noisy freehub. 

While not the cheapest, the Speed 25 wheels are great for all-round, fast riding with no weight penalty.  

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Starting off our list of the best road bike wheels are the Hunt 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheels, which we’ve crowned our best overall thanks to their very good ride and build quality. The wide rims are constructed from a mixture of uni-directional T24 and T30 grade carbon fibre and include reinforcement around the spoke holes.

In comparison to other 40mm and 50mm-deep wheels, the Hunts make any bike feel like it doesn’t need as much power to maintain a given speed, especially when that speed is around 20-25mph. They also roll very nicely, producing a very smooth and pleasant ride, and the rounded profile of the rim doesn’t get battered around by crosswinds or when being passed by large vehicles at speed. 

Overall, these are a really great set of road bike wheels that are on the pricier side in comparison to similar wheels on the market, such as the Scribe Aero Wide+ 50-D Wheelset, but well worth the money for the high quality you receive. These would definitely be a solid all-round option for anyone wanting to invest in carbon deep section road wheels for racing or training for their disc brake road bike.

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It’s another entry for Hunt in the form of its Aero Wide wheelset for rim brake bikes… and, if this wasn’t a sign of the times, it’s currently our only rim brake wheelset in this guide! 

Our reviewer described the Aero Wide wheels as an excellent aloy wheel upgrade for your rim brake bike, that will last you for many thousands of miles in all weathers. The ‘aero’ part of the name is name only, as the shallow depth and materials don’t really make for a significantly aero-focused wheelset, but the ‘wide’ bit is true as they work very well with 28mm tyres. 

Overall, these wheels are well built, stiff and light, and all most of us need unless you’re a very serious racer. 

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If you’re after a set of dynamo wheels for commuting, bikepacking or long rides then the Hunt Superdura Dynamo Disc wheels are our best dynamo wheels pick. They also offer charging for your devices, ensuring that you won’t ever have to do your nighttime commutes in the dark due to dead lights nor find yourself in a compromised situation because your phone has died. 

The system that Hunt has used to build these wheels is the SONdelux hub dynamo, which is pretty much the best out there if you want low resistance and care about the wheels not being too weighty. Not to mention, given the dynamo hub cost alone, the whole wheelset cost is very reasonable.

Overall, the Hunt Superdura Dynamo Disc wheels are without a doubt a solid option to consider. For what they are, they are lightweight coming in at 2,035g, offering a near faultless all-round performance and they are also great value. What’s not to love?

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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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Despite their depth of 68mm at the front and 75mm at the rear, the Chrono wheels from Parcours are surprisingly stable according to our reviewer, who tried them out in on the windy plains of Lanzarote and was impressed… and more importantly, stayed completely upright. 

The wheels are on-trend as they’re optimised for 28mm tyres and are compatible with tubeless. Our reviewer found them to be fast and predictable in high winds, reducing that snatching sensation you could get with lesser wheels when there’s a strong gust of wind. 

Parcours has a lengthy engineering white paper to back up its speed and crosswind performance of the Chronos if you’re not convinced – but we can vouch for these being excellent and relatively affordable deep wheels, ideal for fast road racing or time trials. 

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The Ronde wheelset from British brand Parcours is for a bit of everything, capable on tarmac or gravel. They came in at 1,410g (with rim tape) on the road.cc Scales of Truth before being sent out to our reviewer, which is pretty impressive.

The price is fair and competitive, and our reviewer found these wheels to be stiff, responsive and quick to engage. They handled everything that was thrown at them, and uphill they’re sprightly. With rim depths below 40mm, they do not suffer from skitters in the wind either. 

Go for these if you want to see improvements across the board compared to your stock wheels. 

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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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The Roval Rapide C38 wheels are handbuilt for durability and quality, being designed to be used on both road and gravel surfaces, making them a very versatile choice. 

These carbon fibre wheels are a great dependable option, and the choice of DT Swiss components, including brass spoke nipples, mean durability should be excellent, although this arguably has slightly compromised the weight. They are also very stiff which is evident when climbing or putting down power.

Without a doubt, these really are a brilliant versatile wheelset and a great all-round package. Therefore, the Roval Rapide C38 are a top choice for anyone looking for a genuine year-round wheelset that can be used on either a road or gravel bike.

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While still a big investment, the Roval Rapide CL II Tubeless Wheelset provides almost all of the performance of the top-of-the-range CLX IIs for £1,000 cheaper, hence they bagged a road.cc Recommends award and whizz into this guide. 

Designed to focus on real-world riding dynamics, the front wheel is much wider than the back at 35mm as opposed to 30mm at the rear to address the differing demands – the rear is also 60mm deep and the front is 51mm deep. They work with tubeless or tubed tyres, and are designed to work best with 28mm rubber or even wider. 

Our reviewer said these wheels were “just fast” on the road, carrying speed on the flats and down rolling hills admirably. It was noticeable how much faster they were compared to shallower 32mm wheels, and the climbing performance is reasonable for an all-round wheelset. 

While you can go lighter and cheaper, if you want speed, stability and stiffness from a brand with its own ‘Win Tunnel’ to back up the performance claims, then the Rapide CL II wheels should be on your wishlist. 

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Proving that alloy wheels can work for more than just training, the Race-D Wide+ wheelset weighs in at just 1,448g and is super stiff and durable. 

Tubeless-ready and with a 27mm-deep aluminium rim, they’re wide as the name suggests with a 21mm internal width, which is useful for running wider tyres. The endurance bearings our reviewer opted for coped well in all weathers, but you can upgrade to race bearings if you’re using them mostly in drier conditions. The noisy freehub might not be for everyone, but when freewheeling people will know you’re coming, at least!

If you decide to invest, Scribe wheels come with tubeless tape and a bag of additional goodies including tubeless valves, spare spokes, spare nipples, a six-bolt adapter, a lockring for 15mm axles, a slim-fit lockring for forks with tight clearance and a 10-speed spacer, making them even better value. You can eve opt to have tubeless tyres and sealant fitted for you free of charge. 

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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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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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Wheel giant Zipp has always been known for its impressively lightweight wheels. Therefore it won’t be a surprise to most readers to know that the Zipp 353 NSW Tubeless Disc Brake Wheelset takes our best lightweight crown in this guide, weighing in at a very impressive 1,340g; perfect for hill climbers or anyone looking to invest in light weight racing wheels, if you are prepared to fork out some serious cash. 

They also deliver with regards to stiffness, which is often lost when wheels are made to be anywhere near this light. This translates into their ability to perform to a very high level, regardless of conditions. Moreso, due to them being so lightweight, their acceleration and responsiveness is seriously impressive: effortlessly getting you up to speed, be it on the flat or on a climb. 

Overall, the Zipp 353 NSW Tubeless Disc Brake Wheelset is undeniably light, but the biggest downfall has to be the price. At an eye- watering £3,376.00 for the full wheelset, they will understandably not be within budget for most. But, if you don’t mind your wheels being hookless and the limitations that causes, nor the price, then this set of superlight wheels is for you. 

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