We tested 19 of the best road bike wheels on the market and have recommendations to suit your needs and meet your budget.
Click to email a link to a friend When it comes to road bike components, a quality set of wheels is one of the biggest performance upgrades you can make
Whether you’re a climber looking for a snappy and feathery set of low-profile rims, a breakaway addict looking for a set of “deeps” to save every watt of drag possible, or a roadie with an uncanny knack for getting lost on gravel, we’ve tested many of the most popular models and some lesser known newcomers to help you decide on this crucial upgrade.
Straightpull spokes are another great choice for this wheelset, allowing for very high spoke tension, which creates plenty of responsiveness during accelerations and lateral stiffness during aggressive maneuvering. Beyond the build, the performance of the 44 Aerodynamicist is also great. They feel lighter than their weight suggests when climbing and getting on the gas, yet reassuringly stable at speed and generally unfazed when subject to crosswinds. They also provide a good amount of comfort over less-than-perfect road surfaces like weathered pavement or the occasional detour down a gravel road.
“Big gains” is something that can be felt from the first pedal stroke. The Cadex 36 spin up very easily and hold speed incredibly well uphill. Stomping on the pedals, the lateral rigidity reminds one of a deeper rim, but with the responsiveness and zest of a wheel this light. Whether tapping out a deliberate, measured cadence or dropping the hammer, these wheels are happy to do whatever you please.
Setting up the Alpinist SLX tubeless was fairly easy, with both tape and tubeless valves supplied inside the box. We did need to use an air compressor to pop the tire beads into place, but once that was done, the tires held air perfectly. Those rims are laced to HED HU216 and Sonic 545 hubs with Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes. The front wheel uses straight pull spokes and radial lacing while the rear uses J-bend spokes in a 2x cross pattern. These spokes are light, aerodynamic, and provide a great ride quality in addition to being relatively easy to find should you need to replace one. And, in our experience with HED Ardennes wheels, you may never need to replace one or even true your wheels.
The EP30 SL’s 19/25mm internal/external width is a bit narrower than most road wheels being developed at present. Keeping in mind that the tires must safely clear rim brake calipers and narrow parts of the frame and fork, 19/25mm is a smart choice from a compatibility standpoint.
In the case of major incidents, HiFi offers a generous crash replacement policy that provides a 50% off MSRP discount on any wheel and necessary parts that are structurally damaged in a crash or accident. HiFi also guarantees their wheels to be free of manufacturing defects for 24 months from the date of purchase by the original owner.
One of the standout features of the ARD44 wheels is the Fusion Fiber rims. Made in Utah by CSS Composites, Fusion Fiber has been used by Forge+Bond and in Chris King’s other recent complete GRD and MTN wheelsets. Using a thermoplastic resin, Fusion Fiber is not only recyclable but claims to absorb vibration better than traditional carbon fiber as well. On the road, the comfort is readily apparent as they soak up road buzz and impact as well as any other wheels we’ve tried.
At $2850, the ARD44 wheelset is well within premium-priced wheelset territory. While they aren’t the lightest, they offer a beautiful ride quality through their Fusion Fiber rims, bombproof Chris King hubs, excellent craftsmanship, and attention to detail. They are also great looking, with a raw carbon finish and subtle, matte King logos.
Climbing, the 303’s low weight was readily apparent, and they made easy work of even double-digit gradients. The rear hub’s 66-point engagement helps here as there is no lag when your cadence drops or pedaling gets choppy. At high speed, the 40mm deep rim was surprisingly efficient, reminiscent of a rim with greater depth.
Next to the Aeolus RSL 51, the Aeolus Pro 49V has a less refined finish, but it’s certainly still a classy-looking wheelset. As someone who likes to occasionally throw fast wheels on my gravel bike for a race, the extra 2mm of internal rim width and the extra $1000 in my bank account would choosing between the two super easy.
Until a few competitors updated their wheels recently, the SES 3.4 were the most comfortable wheels we had ever tested. While they are no longer alone at the top in terms of ride quality, they’re still at the top. The SES 3.4 has an uncanny ability to ride pitch-perfect relative to whatever tire size and pressure is installed.
We thoroughly enjoyed riding the Dura Ace C50, which is something that isn’t always the case with wheels this deep. While it’s nice knowing on a scientific level that wheels are fast because they are deep and aerodynamically optimized for slightly wider tires, often wheels of this depth feel cumbersome to spin up and less than eager to change direction quickly, and can be less than plush throughout long rides on rough roads.
The Anywhr 40 were a breeze to set up tubeless, thanks to OTHR mounting and seating Vittoria Corsa Pro Control 30c tires before shipping the wheels. If you’re not a fan of doing tubeless setups at home, we recommend purchasing new tires with your Anywhr 40, to enjoy this convenience and get on the road quickly.
Only at high speeds above 30 mph does it become obvious that the Shimano C32 are not as aero as some slightly deeper options in the 40mm range. That said, the C32 feel so stable and easy to maneuver at speed that it lends confidence which will in turn enable you to maneuver the bike more efficiently and go plenty fast. And, for those seeking a slightly more aero version, Shimano also makes the C46 with a 46mm rim depth.
The AR 58 rim measures 58mm deep, positioning the AR 58 in the class of aero wheels that don’t just look fast, but offer a tangible feeling of free speed. The rim is optimized for 23-28c tires, although with a relatively narrow 19mm internal width, we found they handled and rolled best when shod with 25c tires.
At 1700g, with a narrower-than-average width, the AR 58 is ideal for a powerful rider who wants to turn a big gear quickly. If keeping the weight of your bike down is a priority, Reynolds also offers the AR 41, which offers significantly less aerodynamic advantage but sheds over 250g.is a narrowly focused wheelset for a specific type of riding on roads that allow the speed to remain high at all times.
The benefit is a rim that is not only better in calm conditions but also more stable in the wind and offers lower tire rolling resistance. Reduced rolling resistance is now the primary driver of increased speed, and while a lot of the gains are from tire compounds, rims like the Aeolus RSL 51 TLR Disc have grown wider – 23mm internally in this case – to spread and support the tire so it can work as efficiently as possible.
At 21mm internal and 25mm external width, The 45 rim also supports the larger 28c and beyond road tires that have become the norm since the advent of disc brakes. Since the rim is micro-hooked, The 45 is compatible with any clincher or tubeless-ready tire on the market. The micro-hook offers the tire security of a traditional hooked rim but also smooths out the rim-tire interface for better aerodynamics and impact protection.
The Classic Zeta Disc features a shallow aluminum rim that is compliant, easy to maneuver, and quick to spin up. The rim width is a conservative but reasonable 19.5mm internally, and 24.4mm externally, which means that the Classic Zeta Disc will work best with tires ranging from 25-28c. The Classic Zeta disc will safely accept tires larger than that but will create a bit of the lightbulb profile that wider rims prevent.
The hubs use sealed cartridge bearings which run smooth and are easily replaced when the time comes. Brass spoke nipples won’t corrode and lend a stout reliability to the build of the Classic Zeta Disc. To test wheels, we received each model and set up each wheelset tubeless. For the vast majority of the wheels included here, we used the Vittoria Pro Control TLR in 28mm as a control tire, although a few models were tested with otherfor various reasons. We used Silca’s Tire Pressure Calculator to ensure that tire pressure was optimal and in most cases rode the wheels over the same test route to compare them in the same scenarios and surface conditions.
The primary downside to carbon fiber is that it is expensive, with carbon wheels often costing double that of their aluminum counterparts. And, until very recently, carbon fiber rims haven’t been the most environmentally friendly given the difficulty of recycling the material.
With many aftermarket road bike wheels being made for purposes like aerodynamics or climbing/lightweight, the rims themselves are being designed differently for their specific use cases. One of the most obvious and visible differentiators is the depth of the rims which range from deep to shallow, and everything in between. In general, the deeper a rim gets, the more aerodynamic it becomes, so aero wheels typically have a taller rim profile, usually 40-50mm and above.
Hooked tubeless-ready rims feature a small bead “hook” that is intended to provide added security with the bead of the tires. Hooked tubeless rims offer compatibility with any tire, but areaero penalty at the rim-tire interface in some cases. Clincher rims may still be available but have dwindled with the industry-wide transition to tubeless. Clincher tires are compatible with tubeless-ready hooked and micro-hooked rims but require a tube.
Many of you reading this may have bikes made from 2013-2018 that use disc brakes but also have dropouts made for traditional quick-release skewers to hold the hub axles in the frame and fork. Therefore, you’ll need to confirm that any wheel you purchase to upgrade this bike can be converted to quick-release axles with different end caps. This is done by changing the end caps and is an easy job, assuming that quick-release end caps are included or available for the wheels you are choosing.
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