Build quality
Build quality
Better build quality is one of the key elements behind more expensive wheelsets. You’ll get higher quality bearings in the hubs for a start, and that’ll improve how well the wheels roll.
One perfect example would be Fulcrum’s Racing Zero wheels (£799.99), that use Campagnolo’s excellent Ultra-Smooth Bearings (USB) in the hubs, the sort of luxury you won’t find in your bog standard set of alloy clinchers. They’re a claimed 30 per cent lighter 40 per cent more durable and 50 per cent smoother compared to the steel bearings featured in the Fulcrum Racing 3s, 5s and 7s. They’re also fully serviceable, so should something go wrong or the bearings need replacing/cleaning, you’ll be able to either do it, or get someone at your local shop to do the job, without too much fuss.
Another difference you’ll notice is in the spoke count/pattern. Not only will a lot of more expensive wheelsets use fewer spokes (which, let’s face it, looks cooler), but they’ll arrange them in different patterns too. Fewer spokes means lower weight, but pattern, to a certain extent, doesn’t matter as long as the wheel is tensioned correctly and appropriately stiff. However, as we said before, while a cheaper wheelset with a higher spoke count will be heavier, it does come up trumps in terms of durability.
Stiffness is another factor to consider. Although is a huge buzzword in the bike industry on the whole, stiffness in wheel terms is important because it affects how much lateral movement there is in the wheel as force is applied to it. A poorly tensioned or flexy wheel can cause brake rub and, in extreme cases, frame rub too, especially if your frame has a close cut out for the rear wheel. Ramping up the quality of the wheels almost certainly means improvement in this department, and any issues regarding ride comfort can often be solved by adjusting tyre pressure.