Of all the cycling upgrades available, a new set of road wheels is one of the easiest ways of improving the manner in which your bike handles and reacts to different topography types.
This buyer's guide is one for the weight weenies; the grimpeurs or mountain goats who enjoy dancing on the pedals in a quest to overcome gravity as quickly as possible. Unlike their burlier, deep-sectioned brothers climbing wheels are lighter and feature shallower rim depths that help dismiss both climbs and crosswinds with ease.
Contrary to modern cycling doctrine which preaches prophetically about the feathery benefits of carbon fibre, aluminium has proven to be just as effective if not lighter in some applications and in many ways more resilient. Both Mavic and Campagnolo are pioneers of lightweight aluminium wheels and feature some impressive rolling stock options.
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To help you bag that elusive Strava KOM, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best climbing wheels currently available in both carbon and aluminium specification for rim- and disc-brake-equipped bikes.
Scroll down to see Cyclingnews’ roundup of the best climbing wheels you can buy for 2019.
Climbing wheels explained, everything you need to know
Before splashing out on the first set of wheels you set eyes on, it's worth looking at the various attributes that make up a good, lightweight climbing wheelset. Not only are the following factors fundamental in terms of compatibility with your bike (disc, tubeless, wheel width), they also have a direct impact on the strength, efficiency and longevity of a wheel.
Weight
Brake type
Rim depth
Material
Tyres
Best climbing wheels you can buy today
Scope R3
- Material: Carbon
- Depth: 30mm
- Brake: Rim, disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (23mm-30mm)
- Rim width (internal): 19mm
- Spoke count: 18/21 (rim), 21/24 (disc)
- Weight: 1440g (rim)
Mavic R-Sys SLR
- Material: Aluminium
- Depth: 24mm front, 26mm rear
- Brake: Rim
- Tyre format: Clincher (21mm-30mm)
- Rim width (internal): 15mm
- Spoke count: 16 front, 20 rear
- Weight: 1295g
Campagnolo Shamal
- Material: Aluminium
- Depth: 24mm front, 27mm rear
- Brake: Rim, Disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (25mm-28mm)
- Rim width (internal): 17mm
- Spoke count: 16 front, 21 rear
- Weight: 1449g (Shamal Ultra)
Shimano Ultegra RS-700
- Material: Carbon-laminate
- Depth: 31mm
- Brake: Rim
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (23mm-32mm)
- Rim width (internal): 20.8mm
- Spoke count: 16 front, 21 rear
- Weight: 1540g
Roval CLX 32
- Material: Carbon
- Depth: 32mm
- Brake: Rim, disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless, tubular and clincher (23mm-32mm)
- Rim width (internal): 20.7mm
- Spoke count: 16/24 (rim), 21/24 (disc)
- Weight: 1350g (Disc)
Zipp 202 NSW
- Material: Carbon
- Depth: 32mm
- Brake: Rim, disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (23mm-28mm)
- Rim width (internal): 16.25mm
- Spoke count: 18 front, 24 rear
- Weight: 1375g
Hunt Race Aero
- Material: Aluminium
- Depth: 27mm
- Brake: Rim
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (23mm-34mm)
- Rim width (internal): 18mm
- Spoke count: 20 front, 24 rear
- Weight: 1479g
Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST
- Material: Aluminium
- Depth: 22mm
- Brake: Rim, disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless and clincher (25mm-32mm)
- Rim width (internal): 17mm (rim), 19mm (disc)
- Spoke count: 18/20 (rim), 24 (disc)
- Weight: 1670g (Disc)
Black Inc Black Thirty
- Material: Carbon
- Depth: 30mm
- Brake: Rim, disc
- Tyre format: Tubeless, tubular and clincher (25mm-28mm)
- Rim width (internal): 17mm
- Spoke count: 20 front, 24 rear
- Weight: 1390g
Campagnolo Zonda
- Material: Aluminium
- Depth: 24mm front, 30mm rear
- Brake: Rim, Disc
- Tyre format: Clincher (25mm-28mm)
- Rim width (internal): 17mm
- Spoke count: 16 front, 21 rear (rim)
- Weight: 1540g (rim)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-lightweight-wheels-for-cycling-2019
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