What are the advantages of carbon wheels on a racing bike?
Carbon fiber has become one of the preferred materials for high-performance road bike wheels. Compared to traditional aluminum wheels, carbon wheels offer several compelling advantages that can take your riding to the next level. Here are some of the key benefits of upgrading to carbon wheels.
lightweight
One of the biggest advantages is the weight saving. Carbon wheels are extremely light without sacrificing strength. Top wheelsets often save 500g or more compared to aluminum counterparts. Less unsprung rotating mass means faster acceleration and longer sprint distances. Lighter wheels make it easy to climb hills and mountains.
AERO 40 disc brake carbon wheelset
aerodynamics and speed
Carbon allows for the production of deeper rim profiles with tapered spindle shapes. These aero wheel designs cut through the wind more efficiently to gain free speed. On flat or sloping routes you will feel a noticeable increase in speed due to the reduced frontal area. Combined with the lower weight, carbon wheels allow you to achieve more speed even when cornering.
stiffness and power transmission
The material properties provide just the right balance of stiffness for maximum power transfer and lateral control when cornering. You can pedal or sprint out of corners without losing power to flex.
braking performance
Advanced epoxy resins dissipate heat faster than aluminum rims, which can overheat under extreme braking. Carbon maintains braking performance in all weather conditions and on long descents, ensuring confident confidence.
Compliance and Comfort
Although laterally stiff, carbon has vertical compliance for fatigue-free long-distance riding. Road bumps are gently absorbed rather than jarring your spine, keeping you fresh in the saddle all day long.
Given the significant performance improvements over traditional wheels, carbon is an excellent investment in improving your riding. With the top models you can exploit the full speed potential of your bike.