Aero gravel wheels are a popular upgrade for a gravel bike, if you’re looking to ride faster or maybe enter a gravel race. Over the last few years, the number of deeper gravel bike wheels has increased enormously, as more and more brands see an opportunity in gravel wheels with aerodynamic advantages.
But achieving aerodynamic efficiency in gravel bike wheels is different to what’s required for aero road wheels. The wider tyres dictate a different rim shape and the tread can impact aero performance. The tyre width should dictate an even deeper rim than on the road, but there’s a limit to how deep a wheel you might want on gravel to avoid excessive weight and awkward handling in crosswinds.
Brands have taken different approaches to addressing these issues, but in general aero gravel wheels are wider than aero road wheels, while rim depths of around 40mm are chosen to keep weight in check and handling predictable. There are exceptions though, and some of the best aero gravel bike wheels here go much deeper.
Here’s our pick of the best aero gravel bike wheels, including wheels we’ve reviewed and others on the market that you may want to consider.
Our pick of the best aero gravel bike wheels 2026
- 3T Discus 45 | 40: RRP £2,136
- Cadex AR 35: RRP £2,500
- Campagnolo Bora X: RRP £2,000
- DT Swiss GRC 1100 Dicut: RRP £2,300
- Enve G SES 4.5 Pro: RRP £3,100
- Fulcrum Sharq GR: RRP €1,990
- Hunt 40 Limitless Gravel Aero: RRP £1,479
- Newmen Streem G.62: RRP £1,499
- Parcours FKT: RRP £1,249 – Read our full review
- Reserve 40|44 GR: RRP £1,599
- Roval Terra Aero CLX: RRP £2,998
- Tune Nano Gravel 45: RRP €2,290
- Ursus Arya G 50: RRP €2,500 – full review coming soon
- Zipp 303 XPLR SW: RRP £1,600 – Read our full review
Why trust Cyclist‘s advice?
At Cyclist, we’ve ridden a wide range of aero gravel wheels, either for stand-alone reviews on the Cyclist site and in our monthly Cyclist magazine, or as a component fitted to one of the best gravel bikes. We also provide extensive coverage of new product launches, with deeper aero gravel bike wheels a frequent topic.
We understand what to look for in a great set of aero gravel bike wheels and the tech and R&D which goes into them. We’re not paid for product placement, so you can trust us for an unbiased opinion.
The best aero gravel bike wheels
3T Discus 45 | 40 LTD
£2,136 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,439g
- Rim depth: 45mm
- Rim width: 40mm ext, 29mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
3T claims its NoseTail rim shape offers aero gains comparable to deeper wheels without handling issues in crosswinds. The 29mm internal width is close to many other aero gravel wheels and, 3T claims, ensures an aerodynamically clean tyre-to-rim interface.
3T says the wheels are optimised for tyres from 40mm to 60mm wide, as measured, so they cater for the increasing width of modern gravel bike tyres as well as the trend to fit MTB tyres to gravel bike wheels.
There are 21 front and 24 rear spokes and the Scope R-Series hubs used by 3T include labyrinth seals to repel dirt and water and have a low weight 36-tooth titanium ratchet freehub.
Cadex AR 35
£2,500 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,270g
- Rim depth: 35mm
- Rim width: 31mm ext, 25mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W
The dimensions of Cadex’s gravel wheels are smaller than 3T’s but so is the weight. Cadex recommends tyres from 28mm to 45mm wide, making them an option for all-road use as well as gravel.
The 21 front and 24 rear aero carbon spokes help keep the weight down and there’s a fast-engaging 60T ratchet freehub and ceramic bearings. There’s no Micro Spline option, so users of 1×12-speed Shimano GRX will need to look elsewhere, but other cassette formats are supported. Cadex sells 40mm gravel tyres to fit, with two tread patterns with either a fast-rolling diamond central section or lugs for greater grip.
Campagnolo Bora X
£2,000 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,430g
- Rim depth: 50mm
- Rim width: 27mm int
- Rim type: Hooked
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W
Campagnolo uses its 2-Way Fit system for the Bora X wheel rims, so they can be used with or without inner tubes. More significantly, there’s no need for rim tape, helping to save weight and eliminating a potential source of leakage. The 1,430g claimed wheelset weight is competitive for the wheels’ depth and the hooked rim ensures broad tyre compatibility.
The hubs use Campagnolo’s classic G3 spoke pattern, where the spokes are clustered in groups of three, two drive side and one offside at the rear and reversed at the front, giving the wheels a distinctive look. Compatibility is claimed with tyres from 35mm upwards.
DT Swiss GRC 1100 Dicut
£2,300 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,567g
- Rim depth: 50mm
- Rim width: 36.5mm ext, 24mm mm int
- Rim type: Hooked
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
DT Swiss gives you plenty of choice with its GRC wheelsets. As well as the 50mm depth, there’s also a 30mm deep rim and you can choose between the pricier GRC 1100 wheels with 180 hubs with ceramic bearings and GRC 1400 wheels with 240 hubs with steel bearings, which shave around £250 from the wheelset price. Both have 36 points of engagement.
DT suggests the 50mm profile for gravel racing and the 30mm profile for gravel adventure riding. It says that the 50mm depth rims are less prone to crosswinds than competitors it tested.
Enve G SES 4.5 Pro
£3,100 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,480g
- Rim depth: 49mm F / 55mm R
- Rim width: 37.6mm ext / 30mm mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Enve’s latest gravel bike wheels have new aero profiles and come in mixed depth pairs, with the SES 6.7 Pro even deeper at 60mm front/67mm rear than the SES 4.5 Pro. The new wheelsets are claimed to be 13.6% more aero than Enve’s first generation AG25 gravel wheels. The SES 6.7s have a wide 35mm internal rim, while that of the SES 4.5 Pro is 30mm.
Enve recommends the deeper wheelset exclusively for gravel racing, while the SES 4.5 Pro is more of an allrounder aero gravel wheelset. Both have Enve’s wide hookless bead, which is 3.8mm wide and, Enve says, helps to avoid pinch flats. There’s also a slightly cheaper non-Pro version of the SES 4.5, which swaps to Innerdrive Premium hubs without ceramic bearings and different Sapim spokes.
Fulcrum Sharq GR
€1,990 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,550g
- Rim depth: 47/52mm
- Rim width: 36mm ext / 30mm int
- Rim type: Mini-hook
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
The Fulcrum Sharq range was launched with the mid-section all-road wheelset, which we’ve reviewed, but it has now expanded to include a deeper section all-road wheel and the Sharq GR, which is wider, so it supports 45mm to 50mm gravel tyres. There’s also the lower priced Soniq range. All share an asymmetric waved rim profile that Fulcrum claims provides aero gains and lowers crosswind vulnerability.
The Sharq GR also has the 2-Way Fit system that avoids the need for rim tape, 2:1 spoke lacing with aero bladed spokes and a mini-hook design that broadens tyre compatibility. Fulcrum publishes a list of compatible 45mm tyres, due to the wide 30mm rim channel, but there’s broader compatibility with tyres of 47mm and greater width.
Hunt 40 Limitless Gravel Aero
£1,479 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,431g
- Rim depth: 40mm F / 41mm R
- Rim width: 36mm F, 35mm R ext / 27mm F, 26mm R int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Hunt’s gravel wheels have differential front and rear profiles, which are wind tunnel optimised for 40mm and 45mm tyres. The rim combination is designed to enhance aerodynamics at the front wheel, while lowering weight at the rear. It uses the same Limitless tech that’s seen in Hunt’s road wheels and allows it to increase rim size without an undue weight penalty. The hookless bead ensures more vertical, more aero tyre sidewalls and helps to lower weight.
The freehub has 48 points of engagement, with a claimed 314g weight for the hubset pair. You can also upgrade to trueable carbon spokes, which reduces the spoke count and drops the claimed weight to 1,328g. There’s a CeramicSpeed bearing option too, in place of stainless steel bearings.
Newmen Streem G.62
£1,499 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,530g
- Rim depth: 62mm
- Rim width: 45mm ext / 27mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR
With their 62mm rim depth, the Newmen Streem G.62 wheels are comparable to the Enve G SES 6.7 Pro wheels in their outsized dimensions. Despite their depth and 45mm external width, they’re relatively lightweight though, thanks to carbon spokes. There’s a steel spoked alternative too, with a 1,600g claimed weight.
The ultra-deep, extra-wide rim is designed to pair with 45mm to 50mm gravel tyres for optimum aerodynamics, while the 27mm internal rim width has been chosen to retain flexibility in the tyre’s sidewall and ensure ride comfort. Newmen’s aero valve system conceals the valve within the rim to lower aero drag further. Newmen says that despite the wheels’ depth the profile ensures they handle well in crosswinds.
Parcours FKT
£1,249 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,500g
- Rim depth: 47mm
- Rim width: 40mm ext / 27mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Parcours wind tunnel tested its wheels with a range of tyres and found the best aero performance with 40mm Panaracer GravelKing X1 tyres, thanks to their lower side knobs, although you could go as wide as 55mm. The rim bulges significantly at its mid-point for best aerodynamics with the wider tyres. There’s a 36 tooth star ratchet freehub and it’s another wheelset with a ceramic bearing upgrade as an option.
We rated the ride quality and stability in winter crosswinds, thanks to the ‘hybrid truncated virtual foil’ rim profile. The rim is hookless and the rim profile is the same front and rear as Parcours found that front and rear wheels experienced similar yaw angles at gravel speeds. Impact+ tech incorporates more flexible resin at the rim edges to improve impact resistance.
Reserve 40|44 GR
£1,599 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,444g
- Rim depth: 40mm F, 44mm R
- Rim width: 36mm F, 34.4mm R ext / 27.4mm F, 27mm R int
- Rim type: Mini-hook
- Freehub: HG, XDR
Reserve 40|44 GR wheels come fitted to top spec gravel bikes such as the Cannondale SuperX and Cervélo Áspero-5. They have differential front and rear rim profiles, wider and shallower at the front, narrower and deeper at the rear, and reinforced spoke holes to increase strength.
Reserve rates its wheels for tyres up to 50mm and uses external nipples and steel spokes for serviceability. There’s a choice of DT Swiss 350 or 180 hubsets, both of which have a reputation for durability, low weight and easy maintenance. The pick-up can be tuned with swappable freehub ratchets. In both our SuperX and Áspero-5 reviews, we remarked on the wheels’ ride quality and, when riding the Áspero-5, felt that they were less harsh than many aero gravel wheels.
Roval Terra Aero CLX
£2,998 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,340g
- Rim depth: 50mm F, 45mm R
- Rim width: 38.5mm ext / 27mm int
- Rim type: Hooked
- Freehub: XDR
Roval brings its deeper front/shallower rear rim design to gravel with the Terra Aero CLX. As with its road wheels, Roval says that, with most aero gains in the smoother air at the front of the bike, it’s more important to ensure optimal aerodynamics here, whereas at the rear wheel air is already turbulent, so lower weight is more significant.
Its ‘chopped aero’ rim design truncates the inner edge of the rim and, Roval claims, offers the aero benefits of a 70mm wheel depth, while the 27mm internal width is optimised for 35mm to 60mm tyres. The rims are laced to hubs with DT Swiss 180 internals using Arris carbon spokes and have a 5.4mm wide bead to help avoid pinch flats.
Tune Nano Gravel 45
€2,290 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,355g
- Rim depth: 45mm
- Rim width: 36mm ext / 30mm int
- Rim type: Hooked
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Tune’s gravel wheelset offers low weight and a wide internal width rim that’s been tested with tyres from 38mm to 66mm. The Nano CL hubs have 69 points of engagement, which can be upgraded to 138 for hyper-fast pick-up and there’s also a ceramic bearing upgrade option.
The hubset has a 290g claimed weight, enhanced seals for off-road durability and can be specced in black, silver or red. 24 Sapim CX-Ray spokes ensure easy servicing.
Ursus Arya G 50
€2,500 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,340g
- Rim depth: 50mm
- Rim width: 31mm ext / 25mm int
- Rim type: Hooked
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Ursus fits Sapim RC1 composite spokes in its Arya G 50 wheels. Unlike traditional rigid spokes, these are flexible and help soak up vibrations and they’re also low in weight.
The 50mm deep rims have a 25mm internal width that’s a little narrower than many aero gravel wheels, but have been used to good effect by the Picnic-PostNL WorldTour pro team at Paris-Roubaix.
Zipp 303 XPLR SW
£1,600 | Buy here
- Claimed wheelset weight: 1,496g
- Rim depth: 54mm
- Rim width: 40mm ext / 32mm int
- Rim type: Hookless
- Freehub: HG, XDR, N3W, Micro Spline
Zipp was one of the first brands to launch an ultra-wide gravel wheelset, with the 303 XPLR boasting a 32mm internal channel that’s so wide that there’s a limited number of tyres that are certified to work with the rims. It claims that the low tyre pressure this width permits helps to absorb surface bumps, increasing comfort and reducing rolling resistance. Wide rim edges help avoid pinch flats at the low suggested pressures.
We tested the SW wheelset, while the 303 XPLR is also available at the lower priced S spec level. On our tests, we experienced a sidewall gash, which the wider stance of the tyre might make more likely. But the wide rim and the low tyre pressure that can be run do lead to fast progress and good grip on smoother gravel.
How do I choose the best aero gravel wheels for me?
Rim depth
Aerodynamics has become a critical element in wheelset design and every wheel brand will claim its deeper section wheels will save you watts. It’s more tricky in gravel wheels than in road wheels though, as tyre width and tread pattern have more of an impact. In addition, ride speeds are generally lower off-road than on, so the watt savings will be lower.
In the UK, where gusty conditions are not uncommon, you may find that twitchy handling has more of an impact on how fast you can ride than wheel aerodynamics. Around 40mm to 45mm is, in general, the sweetspot, but brands such as Zipp, Newmen and Enve do claim that their deeper wheels still offer aero gains and handling stability.
Rim width
Gravel rims need to support wider tyres than road rims, so in general their internal width will be greater. Internal rim width is usually at least 25mm, but many aero gravel wheels are much wider, close to 30mm. With many gravel bike tyres now available in 50mm or greater width, wider rims of around 30mm internal are likely to proliferate in aero gravel wheels.
If you’re running a wider tyre, the thinking in general is that your rim’s outer width needs to be greater to match, so aero gravel wheels are trending outwards. They’re often getting deeper too to preserve the wheel’s aerodynamics.
Just check that your gravel bike has the clearance for the wider rims and wider tyres, which will have an even greater actual width than their stated width on the wider rim.
Hooked vs hookless
The debate over hookless beads rages on for road bike wheels, but it’s less of an issue for gravel wheels. Gravel bike tyres should be run at significantly lower pressures than road bike tyres, both because they’re wider and also because a lower pressure should increase grip and reduce rolling resistance.
There’s much less chance that a tyre will blow off the rim, but burping air and, in extreme cases, dismounting of the tyre bead from the rim could be problems. Make sure you select a tubeless-ready gravel tyre and check for wheelset compatibility on wheel and tyre makers’ sites if your rims are hookless. Many brands still choose to design rims with hooks or mini-hooks to avoid the issue.
Weight
The move to wider, deeper wheels for gravel means more material in the rim, which could lead to extra weight. Wheel brands take various approaches to avoid this. Often, aero gravel wheelsets will be built on lightweight hubs, while carbon spokes (see below) can reduce weight over steel.
Steps may be taken to reduce rim weight too. This may be by reducing rim wall thickness, as in the Zipp 303 XPLR wheels. In the Hunt Limitless wheels, a lightweight non-structural polymer is embedded in the rim wall to add width with less additional weight than would be added were additional carbon fibre used.
Spokes
As with road wheels, carbon spokes are increasingly an option, replacing steel spokes. They can save around a gram per spoke in weight plus, since they’re less extensible than steel, a wheel can often be made as strong with fewer spokes, saving yet more weight and also improving the wheel’s aero performance.
The Vonoa carbon spokes typically used have separate threaded nipples, so they’re trueable and replaceable, a definite plus off-road.
Hubs
The majority of aero gravel bike wheels have straight-pull hubs and spokes, which provide extra strength and lower weight than J-bend spokes. They’re typically labyrinth sealed to help keep water and dirt from penetrating to the bearings and some are double-sealed for the same reason.
Most brands use sealed bearings in their wheels. Exceptions include Campagnolo, Fulcrum and Shimano, which usually have cup and cone wheel bearings. These are easier to service, but need to be checked for play and adjusted if necessary. Ceramic bearings may lower hub friction a little.
Almost all gravel bikes have 100mm front, 142mm rear axle spacing, so unlike mountain bikers gravel riders don’t have to worry about Boost and SuperBoost standards.
Freehub
The diversity of freehub standards used in gravel groupsets make this more of a consideration than for road bike wheels. Most wheelsets featured above offer a choice of freehubs to support the full range of Shimano Hyperglide, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo N3W and Shimano Micro Spline cassettes.
Micro Spline and N3W are less widely supported than Hyperglide and XDR though, so if your groupset needs one or other of these, your choices will be more limited. The Roval Terra Aero CLX is only available with an XDR freehub, so you’re limited to SRAM gravel groupsets.
Most freehubs use ratchet engagement mechanisms, but there are a few above with pawl designs. Ratchets should provide a larger engagement surface than pawls, which may be beneficial in high torque/low speed riding off-road. In practice, though a well-serviced freehub is unlikely to cause problems regardless of the engagement mechanism.
Minimum engagement angles are typically 10 degrees, corresponding to 36 points of engagement. Many freehubs have more points of engagement for quicker take-up and some can be tuned by swapping in a finer ratchet if you do want faster engagement and a lower engagement angle.