What bike wheel should i get

Steel spokes are by far the most common. The spoke count of front and rear wheels will vary, rear wheels having more spokes as more forces are applied drive forces and additional weight load. Typically a lightweight front wheel will have between spokes, while the rear wheel will have between spokes. This is in stark contrast to the early days of wheel building when front wheels would have over 30 spokes, and rear wheels would have over As materials and manufacturing processes have improved, spokes counts have gone down, reducing weight without compromising performance.

A flat spoke, often referred to as a 'bladed spoke', can provide some small aerodynamic gains over a rounded one. Although more expensive, bladed spokes also help to reduce weight without sacrificing strength. Normal spokes are either 'straight pull' or 'J-bend'. Benefits of the straight pull spokes are; more precise alignment, stiffer, more responsive wheel, and a decrease in weight.

The drawback of straight pull spokes is that many companies make proprietary spokes and hubs which means sourcing a replacement spoke can be time consuming and potentially expensive. J-bend spokes are often easier to replace and perform close to straight pull spokes in terms of quality and strength. Butting or 'butted' is a term you'll come across if looking at round spokes.

Simply put, butting is the process of varying the thickness, and so a double butted spoke would offer two different diameters along its length. Butted spokes are typically stronger and more durable than 'straight gauge one diameter spokes as they help dissipate stress fatigue better.

The freehub is found on the rear wheel hub and performs two functions: to drive the rear wheel and allow it to coast. A fixed hub also drives the rear wheel but doesn't have the ability to coast, requiring you to pedal the whole time the bike is moving. Manufacturers have different freehubs so be sure to check your gears are compatible.

Shimano and Campagnolo freehubs both use a spline system to connect the cassette to the freehub, but the diameter and spline-type differs, meaning they are not compatible. The majority of new wheels being sold are speed compatible which feature a wider freehub body to handle the wider spacing of speed cassettes. With the simple use of a washer, these are backwards compatible with 8, 9 and speed cassettes too.

As cost of the wheelset goes up so does the quality of components used. In the case of bearings inside the hub, they typically go from steel to ceramic. A good ceramic bearing is rounder, smoother and harder than an equivalent steel bearing, therefore reducing friction and improving performance as a result.

However, a good steel bearing will typically outlast and outperform a cheap ceramic bearing. As well as the material of the bearings, proper lubrication will influence how they roll and the amount of friction that is produced.

Friction in the bearings reduces performance and slows the wheels down. Excessive friction occurs if the bearings aren't appropriately lubricated, if debris or other substances get into the bearings, or if the bearings are flushed of their lubricant by high pressure washes. Here, higher quality hubs offer improved sealing from the elements, which keeps them rolling smoother, for longer. The lower the viscosity of the lubricant, the less friction, but durability may be compromised as a result.

Bearings are either cartridge sealed or loose ball cup and cone. The cartridge or sealed system features an inner and outer race, with the bearings sitting in between them, all enclosed within a single unit.

The cartridge bearing is then pressed into the hub shell with the axle going through the middle. A sealed bearing is a single unit, if it wears out, replacement of the whole bearing cartridge is required, but fairly cheap to do so. Loose ball or cup and cone bearings are most commonly found on Shimano products and entry-level wheels. Cup and cone bearings have multiple pieces and loose bearings. They are not enclosed like cartridge bearings, instead loose ball bearings are sandwiched between a fixed outer race usually part of the hub shell , with an adjustable cone shaped inner race threaded onto the axle.

Id like to go wider than the current as they look very pinched in on the stock rim Reply. Greg Bishop on June 13, at pm. Thank You! Montague Bikes on June 15, at pm. Gunawan on August 28, at pm. Ryan on August 31, at am. Montague Bikes on August 31, at am. Nathan on September 5, at am. Montague Bikes on September 9, at am. Hi Nathan. The inner width on the Allston rim is Montague Bikes on September 14, at am. Wayne on September 27, at pm. Montague Bikes on September 28, at am.

Xris on September 30, at am. Thanks Reply. Walter Funes on October 6, at pm. My tire size is 16 but a 16 inner tube didnt fit the rim. What could be the problem Reply. Alex on November 8, at am. Thanks for your help in advance Alex Reply. Montague Bikes on November 11, at pm.

Bee on November 20, at pm. Montague Bikes on November 24, at am. James Kinabalu on January 14, at am. Susan on February 10, at am. Montague Bikes on February 10, at am. Mario on February 25, at pm. Alberto on March 2, at am. Montague Bikes on March 2, at pm. Francis on September 1, at am.

Montague Bikes on September 2, at pm. Francis on September 7, at am. Anthony on March 4, at am. Jim Torley on March 9, at pm. Montague Bikes on March 10, at pm. Alan on March 25, at am.

Thank you for this informative article! Opik on March 28, at am. Montague Bikes on March 29, at am. John Grabiec on March 28, at pm. M Azhagananth on March 28, at pm. Anthony Rivieccio on March 29, at pm. Jagadish on April 28, at am. Jacqui on May 11, at am. Would I be able to put hybrid tyres on this bike and if so please could you advice what tyre i should buy and wheels too if I need them as well i am not bike technical savvy so as basic and instructive as possible please Reply.

Montague Bikes on May 18, at am. Peter on June 4, at am. Ractor on June 10, at am. Montague Bikes on June 11, at am. Montague Bikes on July 15, at pm.

Chris Grillo on July 30, at pm. It would save huge amounts of confusion… Reply. Jay on August 26, at pm. Paul Frayne on September 14, at am. Roiko on October 11, at pm. Thanks in advance Reply. Richard D on October 21, at am. Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. This table shows the various bike wheel sizes and the approximate ages they are suitable for, as well as the minimum height and inseam length for each wheel size. Please note, the important thing here is the size of the child, not the age.

These are the small push-along bikes that were made popular in Scandinavia. The laminated wood balance bikes do not last well when regularly exposed to cold or wet weather. A balance bike is a great introduction to riding bikes. Pedal bikes designed for younger children tend to have 14in or 16in wheels, and can be fairly heavy for their size. If your child has got the hang of balancing without pedals coasting along on a balance bike, they will likely be able to make the jump to pedal bikes without training wheels.

When Cyclist asked a few major UK retailers both online and high street what the most popular wheel upgrades were, it seems that their customers are happy to spend four figures and not always beginning with a 1 , with the preferred style being carbon rims with a depth of about 40mm. So is that the best type of wheel to go for? A shallower rim is lighter and also has lower side force, so you can use it in more varied conditions.

Where once aerodynamic rims were deep and thin, like blades, increasingly external rim shapes have become wider and blunter. Despite going against logic, these more rounded rims have proven to produce less drag as well as less side force in a crosswind. Hed and American Classic were early exponents of wider rim dimensions, and now the majority of high-end wheel rims are getting wider, both externally, with some ballooning out to a bulbous 27mm, and internally, widening from a once standard mm to over 20mm in some cases.

The knock-on effect of these wider internal dimensions is that it encourages the use of wider tyres, which in itself is having a significant impact on wheel performance. That means wider 25mm or 28mm tyres can be more aerodynamic than traditional 23mm tyres, as well as having the benefits of improved grip and greater comfort.

So is it just a case of opting for the widest rim with the widest tyre that will fit in your bike? Wider rims could lead to heavier rims, resulting in higher inertia. Mavic is a believer that the way forward involves developing wheels and tyres in conjunction, and indeed it has been doing just that since Braking performance and going faster are more important for the consumer now.

We often find that consumers buy based on being aspirational.