I Tested 18 Carbon Wheels: These 3 Are My Favourite
BikeLabHQ
June 21, 2026
⚠️ UPDATE: Elitewheels are running their 20% Summer Sale - their biggest sale of the year. Use discount code MIKE15 sitewide for 20% off on all Elitewheels carbon wheels: https://www.elite-wheels.com/product/drive-65d-ii-disc-brake-carbon-spoke-road-wheelset/?ref=fgajrzgx/?coupon_code=Mike15
___
🎁 Access the Carbon Wheel Scorecard here: https://scorecard.bikelabhq.com
___
I’ve tested 18 different carbon wheelsets over the last 12 months, from budget AliExpress wheels all the way up to premium carbon wheelsets costing over $1,500.
After thousands of kilometres of riding, spoke tension testing, carbon fibre inspections, endoscope testing, weight measurements, and real-world riding, three wheelsets stood out above the rest.
Whether you're upgrading from aluminium wheels or looking for the fastest carbon wheelset for your next race, this video should help you decide where your money is best spent.
___
🎁 I hunt through hundreds of AliExpress cycling accessories, buy them with my own money, and then test them out so you don't have to.
I scored each product out of 100 based on durability, functionality, and value, and created the Cycling Gear Leaderboard.
👉 Access here: https://leaderboard.bikelabhq.com
___
🚴 AliExpress Cycling Gear Reviews playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgNjpLNe9iqNUofOYoo3O6gWvRQ8MmWe
🎯 Training for my Ironman 70.3 playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgNjpLNe9ipslDHwOcH3KQK2XVF1YtCx
___
⛅️ Join our Chinese Bike and Carbon Wheel Community on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikelabhq
🌤️ Follow Mike Dee on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/c/mikedeeofficial
☀️ Follow Mike Dee on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/realmikedee
___
#chinese #carbon #wheels
Keywords: carbon wheels,chinese carbon wheels,best chinese carbon wheels,best carbon wheels,carbon wheel reviews,which carbon wheel,carbon wheel review,best carbon wheels for road bike,best carbon wheel,best carbon wheelset,carbon wheelset,road bike wheels,bike wheels,bike carbon wheels,carbon bike wheels,top carbon wheels,top carbon wheelsets,best wheels,best carbon wheels for road,best carbon wheels 2026,carbon wheel reviews 2026,bike wheels 2026,cycling,bike
Parts Mentioned
Elitewheels Drive II
Vacation Sale
WheelsElitewheels Drive II
Created: February 11, 2026The reviewer names the Elitewheels Drive II as the winner in the best premium carbon wheel category. They note it costs around $1,300 with a 15% discount code bringing it to about $1,100. The reviewer highlights improvements over the original Drive, including a 50-tooth style ratchet for faster engagement, 23mm inner width and 31mm external width rims, and a weight of approximately 1,300 grams. They have ridden about 1,000-1,500 km on them and report strong performance across spoke tension, carbon fiber quality, rim finish, and build consistency, with no standout weaknesses. The reviewer also praises the rainbow colorway as their favorite-looking wheelset.
AI-Summary
Pros
- Improved freehub with 50-tooth style ratchet for faster, crisper engagement
- Modern rim dimensions: 23mm inner width, 31mm external width
- Strong spoke tension, carbon fiber quality, rim finish, and build consistency
- Consistent quality from Elitewheels across multiple wheelsets tested
- Overwhelmingly positive real-world reviews from other riders
- Attractive rainbow colorway available
Cons
- Weight of 1,300g is respectable but not class-leading; reviewer would prefer closer to 1,200g
Creator Links
