Wheels

Wheel by Robert Couse-Baker CC-BY 2.0 Flickr

A change of wheels can make a big difference to the performance and feel of your bike. It’s no surprise that they’re one of the most popular upgrades.

Even some quite expensive bikes come with fairly basic wheels. Manufacturers reason that you will use them for training and fit something lighter or more aerodynamic for events and sunny days.

The biggest performance gain you can get is to switch to aero wheels, but choose carefully: they vary a lot in how much they’re affected by sidewinds.

All road.cc articles on wheels

Buyer's Guide to road bike wheels, plus 20 of the best
Buyer's guide to tubeless wheels
Your complete guide to Mavic road wheels
Your complete guide to Fulcrum road wheels
Your complete guide to Zipp wheels
The pros and cons of carbon fibre wheels

Reviews Of Wheels

Syncros Capital SL 40 Wheelset

Syncros Capital SL 40 Wheelset

Testament to what is possible when the rule book is torn up

8

£4,000.00

14

DT Swiss ARC 1400 Dicut DB 38 wheelset

DT Swiss ARC 1400 Dicut DB 38 wheelset

Complete package of stiffness, low weight, and all-round versatility

8

£1,949.98

5

Giant SLR 1 50 Disc WheelSystem

Giant SLR 1 50 Disc WheelSystem

A very stable wheelset that handles excellently, though the hookless design limits tyre choice somewhat

8

£1,199.98

8

Cadex 50 Ultra Disc Tubeless

Cadex 50 Ultra Disc Tubeless

Impressive stiffness and overall performance with the right tyres fitted

8

£2,649.98

0

Parcours FKT gravel wheelset

Parcours FKT gravel wheelset

A notably fast and compliant gravel wheelset designed for racing.

8

£1,199.00

0

Token G23 Black 700C Gravel Wheelset

Token G23 Black 700C Gravel Wheelset

Light but still rugged alloy wheels at an attractive price, if a little uncompliant over the rough stuff

7

£499.99

6

Miche Kleos RD 50mm Tubeless Wheelset

Miche Kleos RD 50mm Tubeless Wheelset

Not the lightest, but a stunning ride quality and a high-end build

8

£1,699.00

3

Enve SES 4.5 wheelset

Enve SES 4.5 wheelset

The best hookless wheels on the market right now – for a price...

9

£3,350.00

15

Reynolds AR 25 disc brake wheels

Reynolds AR 25 disc brake wheels

Perfectly good to ride, but there are lighter options with deeper rims for the same price, and tubeless setup can be tricky

6

£1,350.00

1

Ryan Builds Wheels Club Gravel Disk Brake Wheelset

Ryan Builds Wheels Club Gravel Disk Brake Wheelset

Strong, reliable wheels with a great ride quality and a bit of bling for no extra cost

8

£418.00

4

Velocite Hyperdrive Carbon 50mm Disc Wheelset

Velocite Hyperdrive Carbon 50mm Disc Wheelset

Well built, light and aero – all for not a lot of cash

8

£699.00

15

Fulcrum Speed 42 wheelset

Fulcrum Speed 42 wheelset

Superb wheels that balance aerodynamics with lightweight performance – one of the best options, if you look after them

8

£1,999.99

6

Princeton CarbonWorks Peak 4550 Evolution wheelset

Princeton CarbonWorks Peak 4550 Evolution wheelset

Stunning performance and quality from these all-rounders, but you pay for it!

8

£4,899.99

7

Hunt 25 Carbon Gravel Race Wheelset

Hunt 25 Carbon Gravel Race Wheelset

Impressively light for performance gains, while tough enough for plenty of gravel abuse

9

£949.00

1

Roval Alpinist SLX Disc wheelset

Roval Alpinist SLX Disc wheelset

Very good alloy wheelset that proves you don't need carbon for high performance

8

£760.00

3

Ere Research Genus II CL45 wheelset

Ere Research Genus II CL45 wheelset

Great all-round wheelset with low weight and impressive stability in all wind conditions

9

£1,399.00

1

Scope R5.A All-Road wheelset

Scope R5.A All-Road wheelset

Highly durable wheelset that delivers on the performance front and is capable of dealing with crosswinds better than most

8

£1,386.45

0

Reserve 40|44 wheelset

Reserve 40|44 wheelset

Versatile and aero without the compromises of a traditional deep-section rim

8

£1,599.00

2

Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disk Brake Wheelset

Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disk Brake Wheelset

High-quality handbuilt wheels with a stunning ride

8

£455.00

0

Scribe Gravel Wide++ 40 CD Carbon wheelset

Scribe Gravel Wide++ 40 CD Carbon wheelset

A fast and responsive wheel hampered by the overly stiff and harsh ride

7

£799.00

0

Corima Essentia 40 wheelset

Corima Essentia 40 wheelset

A great choice if your riding is performance focused on multiple terrains

8

£1,301.00

1

Reynolds Blacklabel 60 Expert DB wheelset

Reynolds Blacklabel 60 Expert DB wheelset

A very impressive set of wheels, though I found that profile took some getting used to

9

£1,800.00

2

Princeton CarbonWorks Alta 3532 Tactic Hubs wheelset

Princeton CarbonWorks Alta 3532 Tactic Hubs wheelset

Impressive lightness and performance, but at a huge cost

8

£4,799.99

15

Enve AG25 Gravel wheelset

Enve AG25 Gravel wheelset

One of the best gravel wheelsets currently available

10

£1,800.00

0

Just Riding Along Mahi Mahi Core disc brake wheels

Just Riding Along Mahi Mahi Core disc brake wheels

Quick and sturdy do-everything wheels; a sound choice in the 'less expensive carbon wheels' category

8

£700.00

0

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