If there’s one goal that all cyclists share, then it’s this one – get faster. There are a number of different ways to do this, but one of the quickest and fastest fixes is an aero wheel upgrade.
We’ve all heard of the aero benefits that a pair of deep-section wheels can give us, but how much faster will they make you and are they worth the large investment?
The science behind the speed
A pair of aero wheels on your carbon race bike don’t just look incredibly cool, they’re also insanely fast. But how can a pair of wheels with significantly more material be faster than a pair of lightweight climbing wheels? Superior aerodynamics, that’s how.
Most aero wheels support a tubeless or tubular setup, rather than clinchers. This allows the wheel rim to have a slimmer profile that cuts through the air a lot more cleanly than a box-section clincher rim.
On an aero wheel, the tyre also sits smoothly in the rim to create a seamless aerofoil shape. The tyre is the first point of contact between the air and wheel, splitting it cleanly and funnelling it down either side of the wheel. Behind the tyre a deep section rim controls the airflow, ensuring it comes cleanly back together again in the centre of the wheel.
This doesn’t happen with a shallow rim. When the air is split by the tyre on one of these wheels the rim struggles to control the airflow, creating a lot of turbulence that ends up hindering your speed.
This isn’t the only way a deep-section aero wheel increases your speed however, they’re also designed to help boost your speed by ‘sailing’ on crosswinds. Deep rims make the wind and airflow follow the shape of the wheel as it passes over it at an angle, creating forward thrust. It’s not quite as powerful as a push from a soigneur, but it does give you a slight buffer which all helps in your quest for ultimate speed.
Building your speed machine
One of the best components to upgrade on your road bike is your wheelset, the stock ones provided often not the best in terms of speed and performance.
People spend hours trying to choose the best aero wheels to adorn their new race bike with, but we’ll make it easy for you – here are our picks of the best aero wheelsets out there.
There are few wheel manufacturers that can rival the speed and quality of Hunt, their wheelsets renowned for being some of the best in the business. Wide rims with low-rolling resistance and rounded aerofoil designs make these wheels incredibly quick on the flats, but thanks to their impressively low weights they’re also super speedy on the climbs too, making them the perfect all-round wheelset for your race bike.
Hunt make a wide range of wheelsets, a number of which will be available on our site in the coming weeks. Each set is designed with a specific type of riding in mind, but thanks to Hunt’s versatile designs, you’ll be able to use them on any one of your road bikes and still reap a speedy, aerodynamic reward.
Mavic also make top-tier aerodynamic wheels, their Cosmic range some of the fastest aero wheels out there. Deep-section carbon rims and carbon spokes help these wheels to cut through the air like a hot knife through butter, while also remaining lightweight to help you scramble up steep climbs.
If you’re looking to channel your inner pro and ride the same wheels that your World Tour heroes are riding, then look no further than ENVE’s aero road wheels. They’re super-sleek, super-aero and super-fast, you certainly won’t be struggling to keep up with the pack while riding on these wheels.
These are just a few of the aero wheels that we stock here at Bicycle Chain; be sure to check out our entire range by clicking here. If you’re unsure whether you’re ready to make the aero investment, then why not head down to our store and try out a pair of these wheels for yourself?
