Undercover Mechanic: Cycling's wheel industry is riddled with marketing spiel, here's what you really need to look for in new wheels

I could launch a wheel company from my sofa in the space of 30-minutes, and many consumers would be hard pressed to tell the difference, claims our Undercover Mechanic

Man sits on sofa and dreams of own wheel brand
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s often said that after the frame, the wheels make the biggest difference to your ride comfort and performance. I would agree with that, to an extent. However, tyre volume and pressure probably have more influence on how a wheel feels than anything else. 

The biggest problem that consumers face when choosing a wheelset is the wall of marketing spiel that they are required to wade through, to get to their purchase. In recent years, there has been an explosion of start-up brands, all saying that they have spent months or years, quite literally, reinventing the wheel. The first thing we normally do when one of these new brands emerges is flick through the Taiwan Bike Source book (or app these days, take a look on the app store), to see if these have been plucked straight from the page. 

undercover mechanic
Undercover Mechanic

Cycling Weekly's Undercover Mechanic will be publishing his opinions on the state of the industry once a month. He's been working with bikes for over two decades, offering servicing on models from some of cycling's best (and worst) marques. You'll find him at all major trade shows and events, just don't expect him to make himself known.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1