The results positively surprised me because both wheels were perfectly true (lateral and radial-wise). For those racing, wider rims have been shown to be more aerodynamic too, as the rim can integrate with the tyre more smoothly. This is because a wider rim can help form a smoother aerofoil shape with wider road tyres. Axle sizes Carbon rims typically don’t perform as well when braking, especially in the wet or in extreme conditions such as descending long, steep mountains and need specialist pads. Keep this in mind if you’re considering a carbon wheel for everyday use or are swapping between carbon and alloy rims, as you’ll need to swap the pads too. Spokes The VeloElite Carbon Wide 350-50 wheelset is a great choice if you’re looking for your first set of deep-section wheels or on a budget and you don’t want to shell out for a big-name brand. Aluminium still sets the benchmark for braking performance on rim brake wheels, especially in wet conditions. Carbon rims have made massive strides in this area in recent years, though. However, if your bike has disc brakes, this isn’t a concern. What diameter are road wheels?

Dish: The relative position of the rim to the hub. On nearly all frame designs, the rim must be perfectly centred over the hub But, seating them was also easy with an air compressor. I didn’t try seating them with a floor pump, though. For all-round riding, these wheels are an ideal blend of aero and efficiency with enough stiffness for sprinting and short, sharp climbs. Stiff wheels aren’t always the best and these lose just a little in ride quality because of it. What you won’t find here is any kind of unwanted flex.Disc brake: Brake technology that’s now common in cycling that fixes a thin metal plate braking surface (rotor) at the hub with a caliper attached to the frame that clamps onto it to slow the bike down However, the Hunts did present a new nuisance in that the rim was too wide for my Shimano Ultegra R8000 brake calipers. I've not had this problem before and solved it by removing the spacer behind the brake pad housing – not ideal. Even then, the pads barely lifted off the rim and the modulation of the levers was non-existent. What was more bizarre is I didn't have to go to the same extremes on the rear wheel. Riding the Hunt 50 Carbon Wide Aero wheels Having said that, the wheelset feels compliant enough to deal with longer rides where extra comfort is welcome. Generally speaking, race wheels are mostly sold as factory options. The big wheel brands dominate this space due to their research, development and marketing through sponsored teams.

Stiff, responsive, and lightweight wheels suitable for hilly and mountainous terrain. Not too fast on flats. Below, you can find the best road bike wheels in 2023, as rated and reviewed by our expert testers. While disc brakes are becoming increasingly common on road bikes, further down the list we have the best rim brake road bike wheels.The build quality of the wheel is high, with laser-etched rims, fully sealed bearings and rim tape that has neatly punched valve holes.