Best Bike Wheel Reviews 2018

The cost of a new bike wheel varies and also depends on a number of factors. A superlight bike wheel that can improve the aerodynamic benefits of the bike would cost more than an ordinary light weighted wheel while carbon fiber rims are usually more expensive than their alloy counterparts. Also, wheels with higher bearings and hubs, especially on the rear wheels, tend to be more expensive.

Most people would be forgiven for thinking they need to break the bank to replace/upgrade the wheel of their high-end bikes, but that’s not always the case. Between $200 and $1000, you should be able to get good bike wheels that are light, durable and built with great quality. During our research, we also came across some cheap bike wheels but we decided not to feature them because we felt they were cheaply made and wouldn’t offer excellent value for money.

Bike wheels are capable of taking your bike to the next level and they can affect your ride quality either positively or negatively. In order to ensure you’re getting the right set of wheels for your bike, there are several features that must be considered. These features include:

• Type of wheels
• Wheel hub
• Wheel rim
• Braking system
• Wheel size and dimensions
• Spokes
• Hub bearings

Before purchasing a bike wheel, note the type of bike you use because a wrongly matched bike and the wheel would either not work at all or perform poorly. This is because several factors such as the aerodynamics, weight, engagement speed and bearings would differ greatly.

All bike wheels have a hub and it’s the mid part of the wheel, consisting of the bearing, axle and hub shell. The axle is fastened to the frame by either a nut, bolt, thru axle, female axle or a quick release skewer. No matter the mode of attachment, you need to ensure it’s compatible before purchasing one. Quick release skewers can be found on most mountain bike and modern road bike hubs while nuts and bolts can be found on track and single speed bike hubs. Please note it’s possible for some bikes to make use of a quick release skewer on one wheel and an axle (thru, female) on the other.

The function of the bearings is to aid free movement of the hub shell and the rest of the wheel about the axle. There are 3 types of bearings that can be found about an axle and they include ceramic/steel ball bearings, cup and cone bearings, and cartridge bearings. Bike wheels with cup and cone bearings have an advantage of little friction and ease of dissembling for lubrication, whereas cartridge bearings cannot be serviced.

The hub shell is the region of the hub to which the spokes attach. A spoked wheel’s hub shell has 2 flanges in general that radially extend outward from the axle. The spokes are attached to the hole/slot on each flange. Some bike wheels may come with an extra flange in the mid-section of the hub while some do not come with a noticeable flange. On the wheels that are spoked, the spacing of the flanges affects the wheel’s lateral stiffness – the wider the flange spacing, the stiffer the wheel. The diameter of the flange also affects the wheel’s torsional stiffness and the quantity of spoke holes that can be accepted by the hub.

The bike rim is one of the most important features of a bike wheel and it is responsible for so many characteristics. Let’s get started with the rim material first. A rim may be made of either carbon or aluminum. Aluminum rims are more popular and less expensive than the carbon fiber rims. Carbon fiber rims are mostly used in race wheels where light weight and stiffness are desired.

There are 3 types of rims. These include:

• Clincher Rims - These are the most common rims and they make use of clincher tires. The clincher tire features a wire or Kevlar fiber bead that locks an inner tube inside the rim. This type of system can be found on road bike wheels and it offers the advantage of ease of access, especially when there’s a leak that needs to be replaced or patched.
• Tubular Rims - Also known as sew-up rims, these are compatible with tubular tires. They have an inner tube, but in this case, they are first stitched to a casing that’s fully enclosed before being glued to the wheel rim. The tubular system can be found mostly in racing bike wheels because of its reduced weight.However, replacing a flat tire in a tubular system is laborious and applying the tire to the rim in the first instance is time-consuming.
• Tubeless System - The rim for this one is airtight and requires a compatible tire and spokes holes. When compared to clincher rims and tires, they are considered to be superior. This is because they offer improved rolling resistance and puncture protection. However, they are hard to mount on the rims.

The dimensions of the wheels are also important.The diameter of the wheel and the width of the rim are two key parameters that cannot be overlooked. The modern international standard for sizing rims and tires lists the diameter of the rim and the width of the inner rim, separated by an (x) and both in millimeters (mm), together with the rim’s type letter code. An example is 622 x 19C.

Sometimes, instead of the rim diameter, the inflated tire’s outer diameter is used e.g. 700 x 35C. Most racing and road bikes make use of 700c wheels. However, there are 3 wheel diameters that are prominent, namely 26, 27.5 and 29 inches wheel diameters. For mountain bikes, most bikers prefer the 27.5 inches wheel diameter because of its lightweight nature and improved stiffness. Road bikes with 650c are suitable for junior riders and ladies. When it comes to matching the size of your wheel rim and tire, always ensure you check for the ISO/ETRO number.

The 2 popular braking systems for bike wheels are rim braking and disc braking. For bikes with rim brakes, the nature of the rim will affect the braking performance. Aluminum rims offer a better and long lasting braking surface when compared to carbon rims. If you're also going to bike on wet surfaces, aluminum rims are capable of offering a braking surface that’s even. Disk braking wheels have a hub that comes with a mount for the disc rotor. For racing, rim brakes are more popular while disc brakes are popular for other biking. Other less common braking systems include drum brakes and coaster brakes and they can be used to provide additional braking power for wheels with rim brakes.

The spokes of a wheel under tension is what connects the rim to the hub. The rim is connected to the spokes by the means of a nipple. The nipple also adjusts the tension in the spokes. Most modern bike wheels have spokes made from steel. Others can be made from titanium, carbon fiber or aluminum. However, most manufacturers favor steel because of its durability, ease of maintenance, stiffness and ability to withstand damage. The number of spokes could vary from 28-36 on single rider bikes to 36-48 on tandem and BMX bikes. Generally speaking, bike wheels with a higher number of spokes are more durable and stronger. On the downside, they are generally heavier. Bike wheels with a lower number of spokes on the other hand usually leave a major part of the rim unsupported. Apart from this, a correct spoke tension is very important. If the spokes are too loose, it can lead to unwinding, which in turn can lead to a cracked rim or a broken spoke. If the spokes are too tight, it can also lead to harsh ride and cause the rim to crack.

If you are going to be climbing uphill, you should go for lighter wheels. Wheels that weigh between 900 and 1300 grams should be aerodynamic enough and more responsive (if more expensive). If you're a racer, you should get training wheels that should be used outside of racing. This would allow you to rest your high-end racing wheels and prevent the rim from wearing out faster. Quality bearings should also be the priority for riders that stay in muddy and wet regions. Before riding, always check your bike wheels. You can check the rim for any crack or wear, especially the spokes region. Ensure the spokes are straight and have the right tension. You can check this by squeezing two spokes at a time. Hold the hub axle and spin the wheel to ensure it spins freely. Ensure all parts are compatible before you take the bike out for use.