Can you buy speed? In road cycling, you sure can. Yeah, it all comes down to the rider in the end, but good equipment makes it easier to reach your full potential. To get the most performance for the money, the best upgrade (after good tires of course) is carbon wheels.
Carbon wheels are lighter and stiffer than equivalent alloy wheels, and they can be formed into deeper, more aerodynamic shapes. By reducing rotating weight, flex, and drag, carbon wheels help you ride faster. Plus, they just look cool.
Cost, however, is the biggest downside. High-end carbon wheels sometimes cost more than an entire bike! Fortunately, carbon manufacturing advanced a lot and we now have a plethora of sub-$1,500 (some even sub-$1000!) carbon wheels. If you want to boost the performance of your road bike without breaking the bank, these are the budget carbon wheels worth considering.
[button]Shop Carbon Road Wheels[/button]
Roval Rapide C38
MSRP: $1,100
Internal width: 21mm
External width: 26.6mm
Depth: 46mm
Claimed weight: 1,600g
Tubeless compatible: Yes (Hookless)
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The Rapide C38 is Roval’s most affordable carbon wheel model, a versatile all-rounder. Roval states that its tough C38 rims are equally at home crushing gravel as they are summiting alpine passes. The carbon rim is hookless and optimized for use with modern wide tubeless tires. The wheelset is handbuilt with DT Swiss spokes, brass nipples, and 370 star-ratchet hubs, so they’ll be reliable for years. The aero shape is borrowed from Roval’s CL and CLX wheels, so the C38 can provide performance that comes close to Roval’s pro-level offerings at a fraction of the cost.
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Zipp 303 S
MSRP: $1,400
Internal width: 23mm
External width: 27mm
Depth: 45mm
Claimed weight: 1,530g
Tubeless compatible: Yes (Hookless)
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Zipp is one of the world’s top wheel brands and it's often considered the benchmark for carbon wheels. The 303 S wheelset takes the tech that has helped Zipp conquer the spring classics and puts it into a simpler, more affordable package. It uses a versatile 45mm rim depth but the key feature is the super-wide 23mm internal rim width. This wide hookless rim is aerodynamically optimized for a big 28mm tire, but capable of handling tires up to 50mm wide. This makes the 303 S perfect for riders that want to do more on their road bike, like explore rough roads and gravel.
ENVE Foundation 45 & 65
MSRP: $1,400.00
Internal width: 21mm
External width: 28mm
Depth: 45mm or 65mm
Claimed weight: 1,541g (45mm) / 1,641g (65mm)
Tubeless compatible: Yes (Hookless)
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ENVE is the king of blingy carbon wheels, and even though its Foundation wheels are technically too pricey to be compared to the other wheels on this list, they shave over $1,000 off ENVE’s top-of-the-line SES wheels. Foundation wheels are perfect for those who want ENVE prestige and engineering without the stratospheric pricing. Like all ENVE rims, the Foundation 45 and 65 and made in the USA. They're hookless and aerodynamically optimized for 25-28mm tires. Overall, they weigh only slightly more than an ENVE’s SES wheels and only sacrifice a tiny bit of aero efficiency for affordability.
Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V
MSRP: $1,499.98
Internal width: 25mm
External width: 32mm
Depth: 35mm
Claimed weight: 1,575g
Tubeless compatible: Yes
The Aeolus Pro 3V is Bontrager latest entry into the affordable carbon arena. Of the options featured here, it has the widest internal rim width at 25mm. This makes it ideal for riders who want to optimize aerodynamics with wider 30-32mm road tires. This extra width provides better tire support at lower tire pressures for extra traction, better cornering, and a faster, more comfortable ride. It's also perfect for anyone who might want wheels to pull double duty with bigger gravel tires.
Reynolds AR 41 DB
MSRP: $1,449.99
Internal width: 21mm
External width: 30mm
Depth: 41mm
Claimed weight: 1,630g
Tubeless compatible: Yes
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The Reynolds AR series uses the same high-performance Assault rims as Reynolds’s mid-range ARx series wheels but reduces cost with more affordable TR3 hubs. The rim shape is optimized for crosswind stability at a variety of yaw angles. The 41mm AR 41 is the most versatile rim, but there are multiple rims depths available (29, 58, 62, 80), and they also offer a smaller diameter option for 650c bikes or riders using 650b gravel tires. For riders interested in running higher tubeless tire pressures or old-school clincher tires, these are a great option thanks to their hooked design.
Hunt 35 Carbon Aero
MSRP: $849
Internal width: 19mm
External width: 27mm
Depth: 35mm
Claimed weight: 1,357g
Tubeless compatible: Yes
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Hunt is a UK brand that made its name building affordable tubeless-ready wheels. The entry-level Hunt 35 Carbon Aero is one of the most popular carbon wheelsets for under $1,000. It’s lightweight and has sufficient internal width to support modern road tires. If you’re looking for rims to fit wide tires, then Hunt also provides solid options like the Hunt 48 Limitless Aero (22.8mm internal, 35mm external, 1,618g - $1,349) which will match the specs of the most modern high-end competitors.
Light Bicycle Falcon AR46
One of our TPC sales associates chose Light Bicycle wheels for his Specialized Aethos.
MSRP: $702.40
Internal width: 21mm
External width: 28mm
Depth: 46mm
Claimed weight: 1,392g
Tubeless compatible: Yes
Light Bicycle owns its own factory in China where it has complete control over the wheelbuilding process. Wheelsets like the Falcon AR46 are highly customizable. When ordering from Light Bicycle, you can choose to upgrade hubs, spokes, and rim decals (though it will increase the price). There’s also a massive selection of different rim profiles, like the premium Falcon Pro rim which is stronger and lighter for only $100 more. Light Bicycle wheels are the best choice for riders who want a custom wheel build.
Used carbon wheels
If you’re looking for top-of-the-line performance at entry-level prices, then take a look at TPC’s huge selection of pre-owned carbon wheels. All our wheels are inspected and trued by our professional mechanics. Bearing condition and any scratches or damage is listed and photographed so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Filters make it easy to sort through wheels and find a set that will fit your bike. By shopping used, you can find high-end models like Zipp Firecrest, ENVE SES, Roval Rapide CLX, and Reynolds Blacklabel Aero wheels for the same price as new, entry-level carbon wheels.
[button]Shop Used Carbon Road Wheels[/button]
