One of the reasons for buying triathlon bikes is to go fast. Good quality, aerodynamic wheels play a big role in that. In the last few years, we have seen bike manufacturers switch to carbon wheels as they are lighter, faster and more aero-dynamic.
Carbon wheels are also cheaper and more affordable for casual riders making them the perfect choice in many cases.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
The 4 Best Triathlon Bike Wheels
In this article, we review some of the best triathlon wheels that you can buy on Amazon.
1. ICAN Time Trial Wheelset for Triathlon
As with any other sport, using the best equipment you can afford in triathlon racing may not make you better, but it does make the experience much more enjoyable.
A pair of the ICAN Time Trial wheels will be a huge step up in your race performance. The wheels are now tubeless ready (hence the UST) at the point of purchase.
The 86mm deep and 27mm wide rim is the most aerodynamic rim offered by the company. It is ideal for long flat rides, triathlons, and time trials.
The wheels come with a standard ICAN hub that is a lightweight alloy hub shell with 6 pawls, and smooth rolling durable steel cartridge bearings.
The center piece of the spokes is bladed to achieve aerodynamic properties. It is possible to combine butted with bladed to meet even higher demands on strength and low weight.
The wheels have a 2 year warranty and pretty good reviews on Amazon.
2. Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Disc Brake Wheel
Zipp is a newcomer in the business but quickly becoming synonymous with speed and performance. They offer wheels for bikes across all cycling terrains.
The Firecrest range is their next generation of tubeless-ready wheels. The 404 Firecrest continues to meet expectations of professional and serious triathlon competitors.
The wheelset is equally useful if you need an aerodynamically optimized wheel to smooth out your daily commute to the office.
Built with a fast lunch-ride breakaway rim, these wheels can handle wide-open crosswinds and excel on climbs and descents so you can leave competition at a distance.
The wheels are equally impressive off road and offer a smashing performance when the pavement ends. This makes them effective for winning in cyclocross and gravel events.
To achieve this high level of versatile performance, Zipp uses a medium-depth 58mm rim profile that is optimized for headwind speed and crosswind stability. Continuing from previous generations of the 404 line are the dimpling effects on the rim surface to smooth air flow over the rim.
The 404s offer enhanced modularity and stopping power of disc brakes. The wheels are paired with the 19mm internal rim width that accommodates a range of 700c tubeless tires. A top performer in modern cycling.
3. Superteam Carbon Fiber Road Bike Wheels 700C
Renowned for their aerodynamic testing and design, Superteam has made a good name for their products in a short amount of time.
They have consistently improved their technology and the results are some super-aero wheelsets, including the Superteam 700c clincher that is used by many professionals.
The rim depth is 50 mm, and the height is 23 mm. If you are looking for an aero rim, 50 mm is not the best depth that you can get, but it’s not the worst one, either. The models sport 20 front holes and 24 rear holes.
The best thing about the rim is that it’s made out of carbon fiber, which gives it a sturdy feel without adding lots of weight. In addition, the rim comes with a 6-layer carbon on rim body and a 12-layer carbon on brake track, allowing for an improved level of braking performance.
The wheels are made for affordability and more flexible, but they are slightly heavier than other brands in this category.
4. VCYCLE Nopea 700C Road Bike Carbon Wheelset
VCYCLE is a global brand that serves thousands of of cycling enthusiasts and manufacturing companies around the world. The company excels in fast, high quality and durable carbon wheels.
Each new model is carefully designed to offer the perfect balance between durability, stability and weight.
The Nopea 700c is lightweight and offers better stability and road sense. It improves aerodynamics for the rider by creating a more uniform airflow over the 700c carbon wheel.
The basalt braking surface offers higher temperature resistance and reduces the probability of burning sides. The wheels have good braking power to improve the braking effect.
What Are The Key Components of a Triathlon Wheel?
The major components of a road bike wheel consist of the following.
- Hubs: Hubs are the central component (literally) of the bike wheel structure. They are the parts on which the wheels rotate. Hubs house the wheel bearings and axle inside.
- Bearings: Wheel bearings are installed inside the hub and allow the wheel to rotate on the axle. Hubs consist of two types of bearings, cartridge based or cup and cone bearings. Cartridge bearings are becoming more popular in hubs these days as they are easy to install and require no maintenance. Cup and cone bearings are easy to service, but you must adjust them very carefully to ensure adequate friction.
- Spokes: Spokes offer support to the rim and distribute pressure evenly around the bike wheel structure. They are either round or aero/flat/bladed in structure. The spokes are generally kept in tension on virtually all but the most expensive wheels with small nuts, called nipples.
- Nipples: Nipples add tension to the spokes and can be squeezed or loosened to apply the right tension. They must be serviced regularly to keep the spokes suspension correct.
- Rim: Rim is the outer surface area connected to the spokes. The tire fits over the rim. Rims are made of metal alloy like aluminum or carbon fiber.
Are Carbon Fiber Wheels Good?
Carbon fiber wheels offer many benefits over alloy wheels.
The biggest benefit of carbon fiber wheels is the aerodynamic advantage over an aluminum wheel. There is plenty of research that proved carbon wheels can significantly reduce drag
Carbon wheels are also lighter than metal wheels. The offer better stiffness and improve riding performance for the rider.
Our Final Thoughts
Carbon fiber wheels are very popular in triathlon racing these days. There are plenty of good choices you can buy and the prices are lower than ever before.
If you’re planning to race and can afford them, carbon fiber wheels are easily some of the best triathlon wheels you can buy.
