background - triathlete participate in sprint/olympic, half ironman in near future. want to squeeze performance out of the bike. currently ride a 2015 cervelo R3, has rim brake and original wheel. want something light (carbon) and aero and put low resistant tire on, will use them for races and pre-race tune up trainings. questions include what are good places to look for used rims how do i know which wheels will fit my bike should i also get a cassette for the new wheel as well for easy swapping wheels any recommendation to what wheels i should look for (not looking to upgrade to disk brake) TIA

I don’t have a specific recommendation, but just a few comments. When you say “used rims” I assume you mean used wheels. A wheel is made up of a rim, spokes and a hub. In your case, the wheel size is 700c and you want wheels where the rim has brake tracks for your rim brakes. The hub will need to fit your frame’s dropouts which are quick-release 100mm wide in the front and 130mm in the rear. That’s the standard 700c wheel size quick release road wheels. If you’re going to be swapping wheels with some regularity, it is def worthwhile getting another cassette. Sometimes though, depending on the hubs, the gears won’t line up exactly the same. This will only take a few clicks of cable tension (or micro-adjustment if electronic) to fix. Once you have it dialed, it should be easy to remember, something like, “3 clicks CW for the race wheel, and 3 clicks CCW for the training wheel.” For TTs where there isn’t usually sustained big climbs, aero is almost always much more important than weight, so it’ll be best to look for deep aero section wheels and not be too concerned about the weight.

Given rim brake is becoming harder and harder to cater for as disc brake domination continues, it may be worth giving the more reputable chinese wheel manufacturers a look. On my third set of Elites (because of changing from a Rim to Disc frame) at the moment and to be honest, they run truer and appear atleast better made than the Giant SLRs & ZIPP 404’s I had previously.

[image] emma_rose77: Short summary Lol

[image] Helvellyn: Lol Are we developing a bot problem, because some of their replies ….

At least this one has the affiliate links so I we know what the motive is now :raising_hands:

I would add another positive recommendation for Chinese carbon wheels. With all the competition among the wheel brands the quality has gotten to where they compete very well with western brands. The fact that many western brands use Chinese manufacturing helps add confidence. I am on my 6th set of Chinese wheels, Light Bicycle, 9 Velo and Nepest. They are all fantastic and I have many thousands of miles on the various sets. Also have a pair on my gravel bike that have had the crap beat out of them off road without issue. If you consider this route simply choose from a reputable brand and you should not have any problems. Elite, Far Sports. 9 Velo and Light Bicycle are all quite good and do offer rim brake wheels but there are other brands as well. Best of luck

Has anyone in the US ordered Chinese wheels recently and dealt with tariffs? 9Velo has a deal I’m interested in, but I’m worried I’ll get hit with tariffs.

I had to replace a crash damaged wheel in June, so post tariff and I did not have to pay anything additional. 9Velo was fantastic in their support and great discount. Had a similar incident Easter of ‘24 and Light Bicycle did not do anywhere as good of a job discounting a replacement. Service was great but not as much for the wallet.

I know several people who have ordered from BTLOs and all tariffs have been covered in the price. I would ask 9Velo upfront, but their website says that duty is prepaid, so I would not expect to have to pay any extra.

TrainerRoad

Need guidance on wheel upgrade

Equipment

Mike_M November 27, 2025, 6:45pm 3

Here is a similar thread, wants best bang for the buck aero upgrades for a similar bike.Best bang for buck aero upgrades?

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