Best gravel wheelsets - The best wheels for off-road and aggressive riding
The best gravel wheelsets bring a lot to the table when you head off-road. Improving ride feel, traction and speed
1. Quick list
2. Easiest tubeless set-up
3. Best all round
4. Best value for money
5. Most dependable
6. Best for axle options
7. Best for weatherproofing
8. Most affordable
9. Easiest to service
10. Best vibration damping
11. Best tyre compatibility
12. How to choose
The best gravel wheelsets can help transform the ride and performance of a gravel bike. There are multiple different gravel bike categories now, but whatever type of riding you are doing a wheelset upgrade is one of the biggest purchases and upgrades you can make.
During the gravel category ascendancy before the equipment was as specific and well developed as it is now, even the best gravel bikes came with either road wheelsets that were really too narrow for wider tyres or cyclocross wheelsets that are built for a slightly different use case and type of riding. Now we have gravel-specific everything, from the best gravel bike shoes to the best gravel race bikes.
Fast forward a few years and there is a broad spectrum of gravel bike-specific wheelsets to choose from in both 650b and 700c sizes. Current gravel wheelsets are lightweight but strong and wide enough to cope with off-road abuse. They provide a far better fit for the best gravel tyres (particularly tubeless ones) than in years gone by.
If you are still not too sure where to start when it comes to choosing a new wheelset we've got a useful guide at the bottom of the page to help you make the right decision for your type of riding.
Quick list
As good on the road as off, the Roval Terra wheelset is stiff and lightweight. Tipping the scales at 1250 grams.
A wide hookless rim and 1,610g weight make for a good value Zipp wheelset.
Mavic's gravel wheelset has a wide, undrilled rim, so there's no extra weight from taping.
Halo's gravel wheelset has a robust build with quick 3-degree hub pick-up.
Spank's Vibrocore foam filling reduces trail vibration and there's instant hub pick-up.
With a 25mm internal rim width, Bontrager says that its wheels will support 55mm tyres.
The best gravel wheelsets you can buy today
You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.
Easiest tubeless set-up
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
According to our product tester Guy Kesteven, these are the most quietly rapid, comfortable, versatile, responsive and enjoyable drop bar wheels he's ever ridden, and they come with awesome warranty support.
Thanks to the new shape of the 700c rims and its hookless beads, Zipp was able to reduce manufacturing waste, and with it, the associated costs. Therefore, the cost of the 303 Firecrest comes in at a more reasonable price compared to Zipps of old. It's worth mentioning though that the 650B wheel still uses the older rim shape and therefore a hooked bead. This does open up tyre compatibility but at a fairly hefty cost increase of around $600.
Even compared to the wider rims and lower pressures flooding the best gravel wheels market, the Zipp 303 Firecrests are, according to our review, a "mic-drop moment". Pair that with a user-friendly setup, the top quality warranty and a more affordable price and the Zipp 303 really is one of the best gravel wheels around. Just ensure you adhere to the recommended tyre pressures when using the hookless versions.
To see why we loved them so much read our Zipp 303 Firecrest review.
Best all round
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Roval Terra CLX II's are billed as all road or gravel wheels. They combine lightweight performance with an ultra-stiff chassis for use across every imaginable discipline. As a wheelset upgrade, the Terra CLX II offer speed, cornering precision and a tailorable ride quality that will not just make you faster but improve the way you ride, especially on unpredictable surfaces like gravel.
Not only are they achingly beautiful, but they're also incredibly well-rounded and can be manipulated to dismiss anything you throw at them through tyre pressure experimentation, be it tarmac, gravel or even singletrack. As an all-around option, nothing we've tested thus far comes close to the value and versatility they provide in spades.
Check out our Rova Terra CLX review to see what makes them so good.
Best value for money
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Zipp 303S wheelset enables riders on a slightly tighter budget to take advantage of the wider-is-faster trend. They mightn't offer the same low weight, instant pick up and floaty feel of the more expensive Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels, but there's no arguing they're one of the best gravel wheelsets in the circa-£1,000/$1,000 bracket.
With a total weight of 1,610 grams in 700c with tubeless valves fitted, they're plenty responsive and fast over all terrains. The hookless bead design helps Zipp reduce manufacturing waste and keep costs down, but it does mean that tyre compatibility is limited and it's important you don't exceed the max recommended pressure. The 303 S isn't as light as the firecrest, but in the real world, the extra grams aren't going to cause you any problems.
The hubs have a maximum engagement gap of 10 degrees, which means they don't pick up quite as quickly as the Firecrest (three degrees), but you do get J bend spokes for simple maintenance and easy-to-find replacements.
Check out our Zipp 303 S review for more info.
Most dependable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Compared to some of the other gravel wheels on this list, the DT Swiss GR1600 Spline 25s are pretty affordable, but that doesn't mean they compromise on quality. Of course, you get what you pay for, and this wheelset does feel chunky compared to lighter models, the rim tape is fragile and the hub engagement is very slow, but you gain bombproof reliability that you'd expect from DT Swiss, wide rims that can take tyres as fat as your frame can handle, and a great ride feel, all for a price that's easy to swallow.
In terms of ride feel, they hit a sweet spot between harsh and soft, tough enough to cope with low-pressure bumping, and a pleasure to ride on even the most punishing terrain. If you're not keen on the slow-engaging ratchet drive, you can easily upgrade it. It's also easy to pop off and service at home.
Our DT Swiss GR1600 Spline 25 review will clear up any questions you may have.
Best for axle options
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
It's been a few years since Mavic dove into gravel and adventure riding, and the Allroad SL hoops have evolved to better suit what we're looking for from an all-road wheelset. With a 25mm internal rim width, Mavic recommends 28mm to 62mm tyres, although we would stick under 50mm. The undrilled rim bed means no tape or rim strips are needed to take advantage of the UST system so setting the wheels up tubeless is easy and quick.
The alloy rims can take a beating, and they are efficient and responsive. The Allroads spin on Mavic's Instant Drive 360 freewheel system which provides a 9-degree engagement pickup and features Centrelock brake mounts. The hubs will also take a standard or Road XD driver, opening up gearing potential.
Want to know more? Then head to our Mavic Allroad SL review.
Best for weatherproofing
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Cadex 35 AR Disc wheelset hits the sweet spot between lightweight and strong reliability. It has excellent, fuss-free hubs that in our testing, have managed to shrug off the worst that winter riding could throw at them, combined with ceramic bearings for a long-lasting smooth ride.
The hookless design shapes the tyres into the best possible shape for optimum traction, too. The only real downside for fans of all-out performance is that the wheels make no specific claims around aerodynamic efficiency, which will be a markdown for anyone with designs on being at the pointy end of a race nowadays.
To see how they held up over a nasty winter of testing, read our Cadex AR35 Disc review.
Most affordable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Halo established itself originally by making bombproof wheelsets for the mountain bike dirt jump scene but has since branched out to the road and gravel markets. The bombproof affordability that has made Halo popular has been brought over too and the GXC is a tough alloy wheelset. They’re laced up with enough compliance to make them feel surefooted and comfortable rather than uptight and racy, but that smoothness really helps conserve speed and energy on rougher sections.
Halo's Supadrive hub gives a rapid 120-point engagement so pedal pickup is an ultra snappy three degrees, and it comes in HG, SRAM XDR or Campagnolo options. The Supadrive has been around for a while too so reliability is well-proven. You can also switch axle ends to fit QR frames/forks or 15mm forks. The wheels also use J - bend spokes so finding spares if you ever need them will be easy and they come with tubeless tape installed.
If you're curious to know more about what we think of these wheels then take a look at our Halo Vapour GXC review.
Easiest to service
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 gravel wheels feature a wide internal width of 24mm, making them fat-tyre friendly and extremely versatile for all types of gravel cycling. With a hooked design, they're compatible with pretty much all the best gravel tyres.
They feature spoke tech derived from Fulcrum's e-bike range, as well as the brand's two-to-one build pattern that uses double the number of spokes on the drive side. This makes for a strong wheelset that delivers a smooth and almost silent ride for road and gravel riders alike.
Traditional cup-and-cone bearings make the hubs easily adjustable and serviceable, and they're available in all freehub formats including the latest Campagnolo N3W 13-speed compatible.
Admittedly this is a heavy alloy wheelset without any aero benefits, however, the ride feel is incredibly smooth, and the width allows for voluminous tyres that provide a momentum-extending roll as soon as they're up to speed.
Head to our Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 review to find out more.
Best vibration damping
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
These gravel wheels from Spank Industries come with the brand's unique Vibrocore damping foam filling, creating a smooth ride that quells vibrations from the trail. They also feature a 'Bead Nip' rim bed design that uses a ribbed profile to offer extra grip to tubeless tyres. The 28-spoke three-cross lace design makes them durable on rougher trails as well as riding with heavier loads.
Despite the Vibrocore filling, they aren't the heaviest wheels in this guide at 1,700g for the pair. Meanwhile, the Hex Drive freehub offers instantaneous engagement. Overall these wheels deliver a ride that feels smooth and compliant.
To read more on vibration damping, head to our Spank Flare 24 review.
Best tyre compatibility
10. Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37V TLR
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
These wide-rimmed carbon road and gravel wheels from Bontrager are affordable and durable while delivering a balanced ride feel that maintains momentum despite being a bit weighty for carbon.
The Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37V TLRs are a tubeless-ready wheelset with a wide 25mm internal rim width to accommodate voluminous tyres up to 55mm. They feature a Bontrager snap-in plastic rim strip to provide a tough and tight seal for tubeless readiness, which does, unfortunately, add a bit of weight and costs a little more than tubeless tape if and when you do need to replace one. Hooked rims, however, do accommodate almost any gravel tyre you want to use, while the Rapid Drive 108 system provides super-quick engagement and a satisfying freewheeling sound.
Overall they feel well-balanced, and allow for precise line choice, but are forgiving if you end up hitting the rougher stuff. Best of all, Bontrager carbon wheels are covered under a lifetime warranty, so throw them at as many rough descents as you like.
If you're interested in these wheels then our full Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V TLR review can give you more details.
How to choose
Look closely and you will be able to tell a difference between a gravel wheelset and a road-specific one, especially the best road bike wheels which will tip the scales at under 1400grams per pair. Gravel wheels will feature wider rims to accommodate wider, gravel-specific tyres as well as make them burlier to withstand the rigours of off-road abuse and riding.
There are different categories of riding that fall under the gravel umbrella now and this will influence your buying choice. If you are planning on competing in events and races on your gravel bike you may want to consider a stiffer, more aerodynamic wheelset that will offer some performance advantages in competition. If you want a wheelset upgrade that will cope with everything then perhaps consider an aluminium wheelset with a higher spoke count and look into spare part availability and ease of hub servicing. Gravel riding often involves a lot more mud and water and easily serviceable components will help protect your investment long-term.
What size wheels do I need?
This is going to be led initially by your frame; if it can only run either 700c or 650b wheels then you'll have to stick to what will work for your frame. Many framesets now have the option to run either size, so which one is right for you?
Generally speaking, 650b wheels can accommodate a wider tyre than the larger 700c size, with a small sacrifice in rollover (how easily the wheel itself rolls over bumps).
In simple terms, a 700c wheel will be the choice for fast riding on narrower tyres, especially with tarmac sections sprinkled in, whereas for rougher adventures we'd recommend you opt for 650b. Smaller wheels are also stronger, so if you are worried about strength for a loaded tour then perhaps opt for the smaller size too.
It's worth nothing that from an industry perspective we've seen fewer 650b tyres being available in recent years, perhaps indicating that 700c is being settled on as the de facto standard, so if you want to be totally futureproof we'd suggest going with 700c.
Centrelock or six-bolt discs?
This decision will be dictated by the disc brake rotors you already have on your bike. Most gravel bike groupsets are equipped with centre-lock rotors, so this is the more commonly found spec in wheels too, but it's worth knowing the difference.
A centre-lock system relies on a single lockring that threads directly to the hub of the wheel to attach the disc to the hub, the same kind that holds your cassette to the freehub in most cases. It's a simpler system and allows for a lighter hub too, but with heavier rotors themselves. If you are working on your bike you can use the same lockring tool to remove cassettes and rotors.
The six-bolt mounting system uses six T25 Torx bolts to mount the rotor to the hub shell and has been around for a few decades.
Neither is advantageous enough to warrant an intentional swap, so in our opinion, stick with what you've got and save yourself from having to buy a new pair of compatible rotors. You can also buy adaptors to get around any potential issues.
Are wider rims better?
And what about gravel deep sections?
Rim with, in terms of performance for a disc brake wheelset, will be referring to the internal width of the rim.
Road rims generally vary between 17mm and 21mm, but you can find gravel wheels much wider than that. to make the most of modern tyre widths you'll want to go for something around 21mm unless you're running particularly voluminous rubber.
External width does play a part in terms of aerodynamics, but given the variety of tyre widths that are possible to run on a single rim, it's hard to offer specific aero benefits without also quoting a specific setup.
As for deep-section wheels, the aero obsession from the road has yet to translate into truly gravel-specific deep aero wheels, especially as handling is more of a consideration here. For most riders, 30mm depth is a good point to aim for in this regard.
Are carbon wheels better than alloy?
'Better' depends on the metric you are using. In terms of absolute performance then the best gravel wheelsets are invariably going to be made of the black stuff, but they will also be significantly more expensive. Also, while they're stronger in testing, when they do fail it's usually catastrophically, rather than alloy rims which tend to bend or buckle.
If you're on a tighter budget, there are a myriad of fantastic alloy options out there, so don't be put off by the material they're made of.
Should I go tubeless?
The majority of decent gravel wheelsets nowadays will be tubeless ready, as will the best gravel tyres, so even if you're still staunchly using inner tubes against the general industry trend then you can make the switch one day if you so wish.
While tubeless for the road is a hotter debate, gravel tubeless, like disc brakes, has become the norm for good reason. It offers better puncture resistance and allows you to ride at lower pressures without risking pinch flats. Sure, you might have to carry an emergency tube just in case, and they're more of a faff to set up, but the advantages while out riding more than make up for it in our view.
If you want to make the switch be sure to check out our list of the best tubeless sealant, so you don't have a bad time.
How do we test?
Testing gravel wheels requires testing over a lot broader a range of surfaces than road wheels. We give each set a thorough run out on tarmac and broken roads, through smooth tarmac, to terrain where you could justifiably say you should have bought a mountain bike.
Rocky descents test the longevity and strength of the components, and as we're out in all weathers we are also able to tell you if the hubs are impervious to grime over a whole winter or whether the rubber seals are as effective as a chocolate teapot.
Testing is the backbone of the tech department at Cyclingnews and how we test is taken seriously, so read on to find out more.
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Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
