Bike Wheelsets: Carbon, Alloy, and Disc Options

Pick Your Ride. Pick Your Wheels.

HED has been hand-building bike wheelsets in Roseville, Minnesota, since 1984. This collection brings together the full range, from deep carbon aero sets for racing to wide alloy wheels for road, gravel, and fat bike riding. Find the wheelset built for how you ride, then upgrade with wind tunnel-tested performance.

Hand-built in Minnesota. Race-tested everywhere else.

Bike Wheelsets: Carbon, Alloy, and Disc Options
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How to Choose a Bike Wheelset 

Start with where you ride. Road and triathlon riders chasing speed want carbon aero depth, where a deeper rim holds speed on flat and rolling roads. Road bike wheels in this range balance aerodynamic efficiency with everyday ride quality. Gravel riders want wider rims that support bigger tubeless tires at lower pressure for grip and control on rough terrain. Riders upgrading from stock wheels usually feel the jump most in how the bike rolls and corners.

Brake standard comes next. Disc brake wheels suit most modern road and gravel bikes, while several HED wheels are still built for rim brakes. Rim profiles, internal rim width, and tire compatibility round out the decision, and HED lists those specs on every wheelset so you can match a wheel to your bike.

Carbon, Alloy, Road, and Gravel 

HED's carbon wheels cover the fast end of the range. The Vanquish is a carbon fiber aero road and triathlon wheel built in depths from 45mm to a full disc, while the Jet pairs a carbon aero fairing with an alloy rim base for a balance of speed and value. Both come from the same wind tunnel work that HED helped make standard.

The Ardennes is HED's road workhorse, available in rim and disc brake, and a strong first upgrade from stock wheels. For gravel, the Emporia runs wider internal widths tuned for high-volume tubeless tires that hold a line on loose surfaces and rough terrain. The Big Deal alloy wheels round out the range for fat bikes.

Rider-Trusted

FAQs

What bike wheelset should I buy?

It comes down to where you ride. Road and triathlon riders chasing speed are the right fit for carbon aero wheels like the Vanquish or Jet. The alloy Ardennes suits road riders who want high performance and value, and the Emporia is built for gravel and all-road with wider tubeless tires. Riders moving up from stock wheels often start with an alloy set. 
What is the difference between carbon and alloy wheels?

Carbon wheels are lighter and let HED build deeper, more aerodynamic rim profiles for speed, which is why they anchor the racing and triathlon lineup. Alloy wheels cost less and make a strong everyday and first-upgrade option, with the wide internal widths that improve tire fit and ride quality. Both are hand-built in Minnesota and tubeless-compatible.
Are HED bike wheelsets tubeless-compatible?

Yes. HED's current wheelsets are tubeless-compatible and ship with rim tape, depending on the model. Mount a tubeless tire and valve, or run tubes if you prefer. For tubeless setup questions on a specific wheelset, contact HED's team.
Do HED wheelsets work with rim brakes?

Yes, several do. The Jet RC Black, Jet RC Performance, Ardennes RA Pro, and Ardennes RA Black are available in rim brake versions. The deeper carbon Vanquish sets are disc brake only, and the Ardennes and Emporia also come in disc brake.
What tire width works best with HED road and triathlon wheels? 

Vanquish and Ardennes series wheels are wind tunnel optimized for 28mm tires (actual width). Jet series wheels are optimized for 25mm tires, though 28mm is also a solid option. HED's own testing puts the speed difference between 25mm and 28mm on a Jet at roughly 0.05 kph, or about 3 to 4 seconds over 40km. Across the Vanquish line, drag differences between tire widths are minimal, so you have real flexibility without meaningfully affecting aerodynamic performance.
What tire width works best with HED wheelsets?

It depends on the wheel. The carbon road sets are wind tunnel optimized around a 28mm tire, while the Emporia gravel and Big Deal sets take wider tires for all-road, unpaved, and fat bike use. A wider internal rim lets the same tire measure a touch wider and sit with a rounder profile. For a full breakdown of matching tire width to a rim, see our guide on how to measure bike rim size.
wheel in hands

Built for the Ride. Backed by 40 Years. 

Every HED wheelset is hand-built in Minnesota, wind tunnel tested, and covered by a 5-year warranty. Not sure which wheel fits your setup? Call (888) 246-3639 or contact the team directly.

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