Hello, this is ICAN. Are you looking for a cost-effective road bike wheel or a cool-looking wheel? Today, we will answer these questions.

There are three types of road bike wheels, and if you buy wheels without knowing their characteristics, you may regret it later. This article will explain the types of road bike wheels and recommend wheels that cost less than 50,000 yen. By reading this article, you will find the right wheels for your cycling goals.

[Under 50,000 yen] Recommended Road Bike Wheels by Budget

Here are our recommended road bike wheels by budget. We have selected wheels that offer excellent cost performance.

Road Bike Wheelset: Shimano WH-RS500 EWHRS500FRL (Tubeless/Clincher) 37,481 yen

This wheel is specifically designed for lightness. In fact, some users have commented on feeling "the lightness" when starting to pedal. This Japanese-made product is recommended for those who are looking to upgrade their wheels for the first time.

Road Bike Wheelset: ICAN CBW 38 (Clincher) 45,862 yen

This wheel uses "Toray T700," which is a durable type of carbon material, making it ideal for those seeking lightness, comfort, and sturdiness. The "CBW 38" also comes with a "2-year warranty." If it gets damaged after about a year of use, it will be repaired for free.

Road Bike Wheelset: ICAN CBW 50 (Tubular) 39,988 yen

The surface of this road bike wheel uses basalt, a type of volcanic rock that excels in friction durability. This means the braking performance is better than average. However, this wheel is designed for racing, so it's recommended for those who want to ride safely in competitions.

Basic Knowledge Before Buying Road Bike Wheels

Road bike wheels are categorized into three types: "tubular wheels," "tubeless wheels," and "clincher wheels." To avoid regret, it's important to understand the characteristics of each.

Tubular Wheels: Comfortable Ride and High Strength

Tubular wheels have a very long history compared to other wheels and are often used for competitive cycling. The reasons they are used for competition are that they have less rolling resistance than other wheels and allow for high rim strength. Additionally, these wheels offer an extremely comfortable ride and their high strength provides a sense of security while riding. However, because tubular wheels have a structure where the tire and tube are integrated, repairing a puncture can be difficult.

Reason for High Strength

Tubular wheels have a simple rim structure, which allows for lighter road bike weight and enables high strength with fewer materials.

Puncture Resistance

We've discussed how difficult it can be to repair a puncture in a road bike's tubular wheel. However, due to their design, tubular wheels are inherently less prone to punctures. Since the tire and the inner tube are integrated, punctures caused by hitting bumps are naturally avoided. Nevertheless, if a thorn or nail punctures the tire, you will still need to repair it.

Tubeless Wheels: Comfortable Ride and Puncture Resistant

Tubeless wheels, similar to tubular wheels, offer the advantages of a comfortable ride and puncture resistance. Moreover, tubeless wheels do not require an inner tube. This means you can ride your road bike with just the tire. This type of wheel has recently become more popular, and perhaps because it doesn't use a tube, if a puncture does occur, the air pressure doesn't drop abruptly. At first glance, riding with just a tire might seem like a safety concern, but it's not significantly different from other wheel types.

Clincher Wheels: Easy to Repair Punctures and Affordable

Many road bikes use clincher wheels, so many people are familiar with how easy they are to repair. Clincher wheels have separate tires and tubes. This allows for the flexibility of combining different tires and tubes. If the tube punctures, you can purchase only a new tube, and if the tire is damaged, you can purchase only a new tire, making repairs affordable. If you want to know more about the differences between clincher and tubular wheels, click here.

Road Bike Wheel Materials

Road bike wheels are made of two materials: "aluminum wheels" and "carbon wheels." Choosing between these will affect the bike's speed, lightness, and comfort.

Road Bike Material: Carbon

Carbon is a material made by bonding special resins with adhesive. Therefore, using carbon results in a lighter road bike than aluminum, but they are often more expensive.

Carbon Road Bikes Offer a Pleasant Ride

Road bikes made with carbon often provide a pleasant riding experience. This is because carbon is a material that absorbs vibrations. When a carbon road bike goes over a bump, the vibrations transmitted are weaker than with aluminum. Furthermore, some road bikes using carbon weigh under 9kg, which makes them accelerate more easily and maintain higher speeds. However, since carbon is made by bonding resin with adhesive, there is a possibility of cracking the frame depending on how the road bike is handled.

Road Bike Material: Aluminum

Aluminum wheels are heavier than carbon, but they are sturdier and last longer. Additionally, aluminum wheels start from around 30,000 yen, making them accessible and a good material choice for first-time cyclists.

How to Choose Wheels

Now let's go over how to choose road bike wheels. In conclusion, for road bike beginners, clincher wheels are recommended, and for racing purposes, tubular wheels are recommended.

Road Bike Beginners: Clincher Wheels

Clincher wheels are recommended for road bike beginners. This is because clincher wheels have a separate inner tube and tire, making puncture repairs easier. Many people actually use clincher wheels, and information about them is readily available.

Racing Purposes: Tubular Wheels

If you're buying road bike wheels for racing, tubular wheels are recommended. Since the tube and tire are integrated, they are lighter than clinchers and offer superior durability.

Summary: Clincher wheels are recommended for road bike beginners

That concludes our overview of road bike wheel characteristics and recommendations. For those new to road biking, clincher wheels are recommended. Our product, "CBW 38," comes with a 2-year free warranty, allowing even first-time cyclists to ride with peace of mind. For the latest bicycle articles, please click here.