Want to shed some weight? Lightweight wheels are a good upgrade to improve performance
Changing the wheels on your bike can make a big difference to the way it rides and handles. It’s also a good place to save some weight, especially if you want to tackle hills and mountains.
In this video, we’ve rounded up six of the best lightweight wheels from Shimano, Lightweight, DT Swiss, FFWD, Fulcrum and Mavic.
Our pick of the best light wheels
| Weight | Market price | Review | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shimano Dura-Ace C24 | 1,421g | £698.99 | Read our review |
| Lightweight Mielenstein C Disc | 1,370g | £3,410.00 | Read our review |
| DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut OXiC | 1,500g | £659.99 | Read our review |
| Fast Forward F3R | 1,430g | £949.99 | Read our review |
| Fulcrum racing Zero carbon | 1,348g | £1,199.00 | Read our review |
| Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL | 1,433g | £1,421.10 | Read our review |
Which would you choose from this list? Let’s hear your thoughts below.
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David has worked on the road.cc tech team since July 2012. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds.
6 comments
Of all the wheels presented here I know I will never buy the Lightweights - not only because of the price, but due to its construction. I really see no reason in building a wheel that cannot be repaired in case of a crash (during one races I wittnessed one guy who scrappped his wheel for this reason) or even a pothole slam.
They replace them but I don'tthink I'll be finding out how good the service is either
1372g for £474.99 (or £427.49 with BC discount). Carbon, tubeless, decent width, hubs & top end spokes.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prime-rp-28-carbon-clincher-road-wheelset/rp-prod142945
I own a set of Enve SES 2.2 clincher wheels with Enve carbon hubs. They weight just 1309g which is lighter than all of the wheels picked in this article. I have Schwalbe Pro One 25mm tyres fitted tubeless and it is a magic combination. None of the wheels in the article are better lightweight climbing wheels than the Enve 2.2s.
If you have time, patience and good advice have your own built in winter. Take advantage of discounts.
farsports rims (25mm), Novatec disc hubs, Sapim CX-Ray + CX-Sprint spokes
Weight: 1408g
Cost: £550
P.S. Very stiff disc wheels.
Easton SLX tubs are circa 1100g for 40% of the price, 32mm Corima wheels 60% the price with top end hubs and handbuilt, sub 1100g and superb wet braking.