Wheels – From System Wheelsets to Carbon Tuning Models
Wheels are one of the most important components of a bike. This is because they not only have a significant influence on the handling of your bike, but also on its performance. So if you want to give your bike an upgrade, it makes particular sense to think about the wheels first. On this page, we explain the differences between wheels and what you should consider when buying your next wheelset. Find your perfect wheels now! Read more
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Bicycle wheels – you won't get far without them
Aerodynamic and light for the road, robust and reliable for off-road riding – these are just some of the properties that can characterize bicycle wheels. This list already shows very well why bicycle parts such as wheels are so important for the character of a bicycle: Together with the frame, they are largely responsible for how your bike rides. They not only influence the handling, but also the performance and comfort of a bike significantly.
In principle, wheels are the wheels of a bicycle. The term wheel covers the various components of a wheel – specifically the rims, spokes and hubs. The rims of the wheels are the outer parts that hold the tires and transfer the cyclist's power to the road. The spokes and spoke nipples connect the rim to the hub and give the wheel stability and strength. The hub, in turn, is located in the center of the wheel and contains the bearing on which the wheel rotates. And in the case of disc wheels for disc brakes, there are also mounts for the brake discs. Smaller components such as the qr (quick release) can also be part of the wheel.
By the way: If a manufacturer only assembles the wheel from self-developed (proprietary) and specially matched parts, it is referred to as a system wheel.
This structure makes it very easy to buy new wheels and upgrade them, because a wheelset refers to the finished wheel with all its parts. Provided the wheels are compatible, you only need to fit them to your bike – and off you go.
What types of wheels are there?
As mentioned at the beginning, there are wheels with a wide variety of properties. The most important property is certainly the type of bike for which the wheels are intended. A road bike needs different wheels than a mountain bike. A BMX bike uses different wheels than a trekking bike.
In the following, we have therefore listed the different types of wheels and areas of application
- Road bike wheels – are specifically optimized for use on road bikes. Subdivided into the following types: inexpensive aluminum wheels for training, aero and time trial wheels with maximum aerodynamics, lightweight carbon wheels for competitions and mountain stages, track wheels for top performance with only one gear. Typically with aluminum or carbon rims and in 28 inch
- Triathlon wheels – are specially designed for use on triathlon bikes. They are also known as aero wheels and almost always come with carbon rims. In extreme cases, the main part of this variant consists of only one carbon disc, which is why they are referred to as disc wheels.
- Gravel wheels and cyclocross wheels – are a variant of the road bike wheel that is specially optimized for use on gravel bikes or cyclocross bikes. These wheels are more robust and allow wider tire widths than road bike wheels. They are available as aluminum wheels and carbon wheels.
- Mountain bike wheels – are designed for off-road use, which is why they are correspondingly robust and come with MTB-compatible dimensions. They are available in a wide range of variants for different bikes and purposes. For example, for all-mountain, cross-country, downhill or as enduro wheels, trail wheels, freeride and fat bike wheels. Both with 26, 27.5 (650B) and 29 (622mm) inch rims made of aluminum or carbon.
- Electric bike wheels – are wheels specifically designed for use on electric bikes. These wheels are more robust so that they can better withstand the greater forces and transport weights of electric bikes. They are almost always made of aluminum.
- BMX/dirt/street wheels – specially designed for use on dirt and BMX bikes. They are extremely robust and can often positively influence the style of your BMX bike with different rim designs.
What else to look out for when buying?
The often decisive selection criterion for your new wheelset is compatibility with your bike. The axle mounts or dropouts on the frame and fork are particularly important here. Does your bike have mounts in which the wheel is attached, e.g. with quick releases, thru axles or axles with screw nuts? What over lock nut distance and axle diameter do you need? Once you have clarified this point, the next question is the brake system. Does your bike already have a disc brake or a rim brake? For disc brakes, the hubs must provide mounting points for brake discs. If braking is achieved by friction on the rim, rim rings with brake flanks are required. Then there is the compatibility of the tires – do you want to use a tube in a wire bead tire as in most cases, do you want to ride tubeless or even mount tube tires for high performance? Last but not least, it is important that the rear wheel works with your drivetrain. The mount for the sprockets is usually a freehub body. This must match your shifting system and number of gears, e.g. Shimano HG L 11/12-speed or SRAM XD 11/12-speed.
Buy bicycle wheels online
As a final overview, here are the most important factors you should pay attention to when buying bicycle wheels:
- Bike type: What type of bike are you looking for new wheels for? Whether it's for your road bike, MTB, gravel bike or a rare folding city bike, we have the right wheel
- Purpose: What do you want to use your wheels for? Everyday, training or competition? Mainly uphill or downhill?
- Material: What material should your wheels be made of? you want aluminum wheels or carbon wheels?
- Dimensions: What wheel size do you need? What over lock nut distance and which axle standards do you need to consider? What about the freewheel?
- Tire compatibility: Are you looking for wheels with rims for wire bead tires, tube tires or wheels with tubeless rims?
- Brand: Are you looking for wheels from a specific brand such as DT-Swiss, Zipp, Campagnolo or Mavic so that they fit your bike better?
In our online store you will find a large selection of wheelsets that are sure to suit your needs. We also have a large range of matching tires and accessories.
Practical: filters in the selection menu on the left make your search easier, and you can also find more information in the respective product descriptions.