Leaderboard 2023: wheelsets for gravel bikes
Gravel has long been mainstream, and so pretty much every product in the bike industry is now also available in a Gravel version - wheels too, of course. The question of what makes a wheel suitable for gravel is easy to answer: First and foremost it is about the profile of the rims. They should have a certain minimum width and be compatible with tubeless systems.
The optimal inner width
Let's start with the width, or rather with the rim width, i.e. the distance between the so-called rim flanges: If this is too small in relation to the tire width, the tire bulges significantly beyond the rim flank. The wide tire doesn't sit well on the narrow rim; Especially with slightly lower air pressure, the result is a spongy driving impression, which is uncomfortable in the curve. Of course, the rim shouldn’t be too wide either – if you’re riding tubeless, there’s a risk of sudden air loss, or “burping”, in the event of strong lateral forces. During rough cornering with an inclined position, the tire can be pressed inwards and detach from the rim flank for a short time. Road bike wheels with a super-narrow internal width of less than 15 mm are practically non-existent. With aluminum rims, 17 to 18 mm are the minimum today; Aerodynamic carbon wheels sometimes have inner widths of 20 mm and more. Such rims are optimized for 28 mm wide tires, which are then about as wide as the rim itself, which reduces air turbulence.
Cyclocross tires with a width of 33 mm also harmonize well; for a real Gravel tire with a width of 40 mm, however, other rims are needed: here the music plays between 22 and 25 mm inside width. The latter is only recommended for tires from 35 mm, but on the other hand it also easily supports a two-inch roller; The former also packs a 28” racing bike tire – keyword “Allroad”. The so-called hookless rims have a smaller advantage when it comes to the tire fit, in which the inwardly protruding rim flange, under which the tire claws in conventional rims, is omitted. The hookless rim constricts the tire a little less and thus supports it even better. This means that a hookless rim can also be a bit narrower, which in turn has the advantage that it offers more room for tire width. However, this type of rim has lower maximum pressures - 5 bar is the limit, so tires under 28 mm wide cannot be used. But who wants that anymore? In any case, before buying a Gravel wheelset, you should consider what kind of tires you will be using: Will it stay with the typical 40 mm tires, or will narrow racing bike tires be used?
Tubeless is the new standard
The second important aspect concerns tubeless compatibility. While racing cyclists mostly still use tubes in their tires, tubeless has prevailed off-road. The advantages are the significantly greater puncture protection, as there is no longer the classic puncture - the tube is clamped between the rim and the road and is usually punctured twice. The lower risk of punctures allows driving with lower air pressure, which in turn improves traction, shock and vibration absorption and thus comfort; in addition, the rolling resistance decreases without a tube, and you also save some weight. Wheel sets that are not tubeless-compatible can only be found today as initial equipment on simple complete wheels. Such wheels are usually quite heavy, which is another sore point. You don't have to overestimate the weight factor - 50 grams on the rim or tire doesn't make a noticeable difference. But several hundred grams have a noticeable effect on handling and of course also make the bike heavier overall, which you notice when carrying it. Very light, robust and reliable wheels for gravel bikes are now also available made of aluminium. If you also want it to be aerodynamic, you need carbon rims; they can turn out fairly easily even with deep, wide profiles. Skeptics may object that gravel bikes are rarely ridden so fast that aerodynamics (of the wheels) matter. But it only has to be windy enough for the relative speed of the driver to the ambient air to be high for aerodynamically optimized components to bring an advantage.
specialists and all-rounders
Suitable for a wide range of tire widths, robust, light and aerodynamic - can you get everything at once? The eight wheelsets presented in our list of the best give hope. Some are specialists with a focus on one or two of these aspects, others are pretty good at just about everything. And with a price range of around 400 to 2.000 euros, there should be something suitable for all Gravel fans.
