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

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

0

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

Seido Acceleron gravel wheelset

Seido Acceleron gravel wheelset

Great wheelset for upgrading your gravel performance, but with narrow rim

8

£950.00

0

Parcours Chrono wheelset

Parcours Chrono wheelset

Deep wheels just got a lot more stable!

9

£1,199.00

5

Campagnolo Hyperon Ultra wheelset

Campagnolo Hyperon Ultra wheelset

Expensive yet incredibly well-constructed and efficient wheelset

9

£3,200.00

1

Cadex 65 Disc Tubeless Wheels

Cadex 65 Disc Tubeless Wheels

Absolutely rapid wheels, but stiffness in all directions costs comfort

7

£2,499.98

1

Black Inc Thirty wheelset

Black Inc Thirty wheelset

Stiff, quick and light while still being strong enough for gravel racing

8

£1,876.85

11

Halo White Line 700c Wheels

Halo White Line 700c Wheels

Not exactly light, but their strong build provides plenty of reliability and they're also attractively priced

7

£249.98

5

Just Riding Along Monitor Carbon wheels

Just Riding Along Monitor Carbon wheels

Durable, light, stiff and good value – the Monitors prove that you can have it all

9

£879.00

8

CES Sport Draig 50 wheelset

CES Sport Draig 50 wheelset

Solid wheels suitable for year round training, if uncompetitive on price and weight

6

£865.00

11

Prime Orra 700C Carbon Gravel Wheelset

Prime Orra 700C Carbon Gravel Wheelset

A well-built set of wheels that are robust, a good weight and at a smidge under £600 they're an absolute bargain too!

9

£599.99

5

Giant SLR 2 50 Disc WheelSystem

Giant SLR 2 50 Disc WheelSystem

Stable and confident wheels with wide, hookless rims – the freehub is on the slow side, though

7

£899.98

1

Halo Carbaura RCD 35mm Wheelset

Halo Carbaura RCD 35mm Wheelset

Good set of wheels with an excellent set of hubs at the centre of them

7

£999.95

1

Fulcrum Speed 25 wheelset

Fulcrum Speed 25 wheelset

A lightweight disc-brake-only wheelset that can compete with the best in the market

9

£1,999.00

0

Halo Carbaura RCD 80mm Wheelset

Halo Carbaura RCD 80mm Wheelset

Impressively stiff deep-section wheels that should give you a great aero boost – and they're a decent weight too

8

£1,099.95

0

Roval Rapide CL II Tubeless Wheelset

Roval Rapide CL II Tubeless Wheelset

Excellent wheels with hand-built aero rims that are speedy, stable and great fun to ride

9

£1,500.00

4

HED Vanquish RC6 Performance wheelset

HED Vanquish RC6 Performance wheelset

Excellent handling and aero attributes regardless of the conditions, and an impressive warranty, but up against tough competition

7

£1,625.00

0

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