A new set of road bike wheels is top of most riders’ upgrade lists. It can totally transform your riding experience, making for a faster, more responsive and possibly more comfortable ride.
Aerodynamics are to the fore with the best road bike wheels and we’ve taken ten sets of the top aero wheels to the wind tunnel to test their aero credentials. We’ve also tested three new sets of aero wheels head-to-head. You don’t have to sacrifice low weight for aerodynamics either with the latest crop of deeper section aero wheels, although we’ve also got a guide to the best lightweight wheels if you want to focus solely on saving a few grams.
Here at Cyclingnews, we’ve tested dozens of wheelsets. We’ve ridden with them, raced with them, weighed them, fitted countless tubeless tyres and even taken a load to the wind tunnel, in a bid to work out which are fast, easy to live with, light weight and servicable while riding well with responsive handling.
All that testing means we’re pretty confident that the list below covers the best road bike wheels for all cyclists looking to upgrade their ride. However, it’s worth noting that even the best wheels can be rendered lacklustre by bad rubber, so once you’re done here, make sure you’re rolling on the best road bike tyres to get the best out of your purchase.
Best road bike wheels available today
Pushing the boundary of road wheels, Zipp’s 303 Firecrest offers phenomenal performance both on- and off-road.
They offer razor-sharp handling and outstanding smoothness on-road, complemented by the low weight – just 1,410 grams with tubeless valves – when the road picks up. That weight becomes astonishing when you consider the impressive impact strength on offer, making the 303 Firecrests an outstanding wheel for fast-going all-road use.
The only potential downside is that you’re limited – according to Zipp’s recommendations – to 28mm tyres and up, although, in reality, that’s the way the trend is going, so our advice is to embrace it. Being hookless, you’re also limited to tyres that are hookless compatible, and that rules out everything from Continental beside the GP5000 S TR.
To find out more about why we think they’re so good, read our
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