The first bicycle wheels were made from horse drawn cart wheels! Wooden wheels with a metal band around the bicycle rim were very hard and uncomfortable to ride. Cycling became much more fun when the pneumatic tire was invented and tarred roads came along. And after the first wooden rimmed wheels there came steel, alloy and now if you can afford it, carbon. When you’re getting some bike wheels these days you can choose between a heap of things including the material used, the shapes/cross-section and the hub construction ( spoked or solid ).
Out of all the bicycle parts the wheel rim can make a big difference to how your bike handles . If you’re into bike workouts where you’re moving fast, this can be important, and if you’re a sprinter or climber then you need light wheel rims so that you don’t get slowed down. With road biking, where the surfaces are flat and even, it’s easier to get the wheels rolling and then the weight gives you good momentum to keep moving .
Flat rims are best for climbing, as aerodynamics are not so important on a hill, while a deep section, aerodynamic wheel rim will help you cut through the air if you’re moving fast ( you can get some handling problems with these in strong cross-winds though ). So the shape of the rim can be important too.
The material used in a bike rim should be taken into account. Steel is heavy can be hard to repair if a wheel gets damaged, but it’s also quite difficult to bend in the first place and cheaper than all the other materials.
Alloy is probably the most popular now-days. It can be made into any shape and profile, flat or aero, but not too deep as it would then weigh too much. Most deep section rims have an alloy braking section nearest the tire which is then mounted to a carbon deep section for lightness and aerodynamics .
The best wheel rim would have to be an all-carbon one. Carbon is strong and very light, but in wet conditions their braking isn’t so good. so you need special brake blocks for carbon which are quite expensive. Also the rim has to be perfectly round and not have any bulges in the rim wall or the braking can become erratic. Carbon is a difficult material to work with and must be well looked after.
The type of tire you intend using also influences what rim you go after. There are two types:
So there’s a lot to decide on, but one good thing these days is that wheel are are manufactured in all these variations and in sets – Mavic, Shimano and Campagnolo are probably the best known, and there are other brands as well. The manufacturers produce the wheels as complete units so that you can buy them already set-up for whatever style of riding you’re into .