Gravel riding was one of the best things to happen to cycling in years. It completely changed people’s ideas of what a do it all bike was. We saw so much new equipment hit the shelves to improve our cycling, leaving us with many questions, including those surrounding gravel bike wheels.
As gravel experts, one of the questions we get asked the most is, “Should I be using 700c or 650b wheels on my gravel bike?” This article will answer this question by telling you:
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What Are Gravel Bike Wheels?
Modern gravel bikes are designed to be ridden on multiple terrains. They have a very difficult job as many cyclists use a gravel bike as their only bike for on and off-road riding. They must be aerodynamic and efficient on the road and strong enough to take on rough terrain and trails.
Gravel bike wheels come in aluminum or carbon fiber. They are designed to suit a wide range of larger tires. Gravel wheels come in two sizes, 700c, equivalent to a 29” diameter, and 650b, equivalent to a 27.5” diameter. Tubeless technology is common on gravel wheels so they can run at lower pressure.
Are Gravel Wheels Different From Road Wheels?
Although they may share a similar wheel size of 700c, they are very different. Here are the main differences you will notice:
Rim Width
The first thing to mention is rim width. Gravel wheels are much wider internally, typically anywhere between 3mm and 7mm wider. This is so they can seat larger volume tires which are much more suited to gravel riding.
Road Bikes have a much smaller internal rim width. This is so they seat smaller tires better. You wouldn’t want to use gravel tires on road bike wheels. If you did it won’t corner very well.
Aerodynamic Profile
Road bike wheels generally have a more aerodynamic profile than gravel bike wheels. You will see road bike wheels from around 25mm to 80mm but gravel bike wheels from 25mm to 40mm. This is because gravel riding requires a lighter shallower wheel compared to a heavier aerodynamic wheel.
Spoke Count
In general, gravel bike wheels have a higher spoke count compared to road bike wheels. This is to make them stronger on rough roads compared to road bike wheels that generally sit on flat terrain.
700c vs 650b Gravel Bike Wheels
The best way to explain these wheel sizes is to tell you about each and then give you some examples of a budget, mid-level, and high-end wheel. Here’s what you need to know.
700c Gravel Bike Wheels
700c gravel bike wheels share the same bead seat diameter as a 29” mountain biking tire. They are the typical size of a road bike wheel. These wheels are larger than the 650b, giving them advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
- Less power is required at higher speeds to hold momentum
- Much easier to control at high speeds due to the size
- Much better at going over obstacles such as tree stumps
- A lot of wheel, tire, and tube choices
Disadvantages
- 700c wheels are less nimble and agile at lower speeds
- Slower acceleration than smaller wheels
- You can’t fit as wide a tire compared to a smaller wheel
Budget Option: Mavic Allroad Disc 700c
Size: 700c
Cost: $350
Depth: 22mm
Weight: 1890g
Internal Rim Width: 23mm
Tubeless: Yes
Mavic has been making wheels for decades and doing a great job of it. Although these are classed as our budget 700c option, they will give you a huge amount of miles and require next to no maintenance.
The Allroad is their version of a budget gravel wheel. Coming in at about $350, they are very cheap for the performance you get. They have an internal rim width of 23mm and will suit a wide range of tire sizes for your gravel riding.
They are made for the use of disc brakes and come tubeless-ready. There’s very little not to like about these wheels, and we highly recommend them.
Mid-Range Option: Hunt Carbon All-Road Disc
Size: 700c
Cost: $800
Depth: 30mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
Weight: 1479g
Tubeless: Yes
Hunt is a big name in gravel cycling and the Carbon All-Road Disc is one of the best mid-range wheels you will find on the market. Hunt wheels are internally quite basic, but it works. We are a huge fan of simplicity, and it’s key when it comes to wheels.
The Hunt Carbon All-Road Disc comes in at the cost of $800 and weighs 1479g which is very light. They are made of carbon fiber unlike many aluminum gravel wheels, hence they are so much lighter. The All-Roads have an internal rim width of 21mm and a depth of 30mm.
As expected, they are disc brake wheels and tubeless-ready straight out of the box. You even get a spares kit with spokes if a repair is needed.
High-End: Zipp 353 NSW
Size: 700c
Cost: $2200
Depth: 45mm
Internal Rim Width: 25mm
Weight: 1255g
Tubeless: Yes
If you said to 100 cyclists, name of the best carbon wheels, then Zipp would come up a fair few times. They make wheels of incredible quality and the performance is off the charts.
Coming in at $2200 they are not cheap wheels and you will struggle to find more expensive wheels. They are worth the money though. They are 45mm deep, giving excellent aerodynamics, and come in at only 1255g for the pair, making them incredibly light.
The internal rim width is 25mm, so it’s on the edge of mountain bike territory. They will be excellent for tires 40c and above. These wheels are hookless, so they can only run tubeless and require special tires.
Related Reading: What is a Gravel Bike Frame?
650b Gravel Bike Wheels
650b gravel bike wheels share the same bead seat diameter as a 27.5” mountain bike tire. They have a lot of similarities with mountain bike wheels in their design. These wheels being smaller does completely change the experience you will get from the bike.
Advantages
- Great for control at lower speeds
- Much better at going around obstacles
- Excellent when it comes to acceleration
- Can fit larger tires in a frame compared to 700c
- Typically stronger
Disadvantages
- Not great for high speeds
- Limited tire and tube choices
- Much less wheel choice
Budget Option: Scribe Wheels Gravel Wide++
Size: 650b
Cost: $450
Depth: 24mm
Weight: 1657g
Internal Rim Width: 25mm
Tubeless: Yes
Scribe is quite a new brand and has quickly become popular amongst cyclists worldwide. The Scribe Gravel Wide++ is a very cool wheelset that offers some incredible ability for off-road riding.
With a very shallow depth of 24mm and an internal rim width of 25mm, these wheels are great for large tires and will be excellent for those rocky trails. The weight is also good, and coming in at 1657g, they are not heavy and tubeless-ready.
At $450, they are not the cheapest set but do fall into the budget section for us. We recommend them as an excellent wheel for fun off-road riding.
Mid-Range Option: DT Swiss GR 1600 Spline
Size: 650b
Cost: $750
Depth: 25mm
Weight: 1727g
Internal Rim Width: 24mm
Tubeless: Yes
DT Swiss make great wheelsets. Gravel wheels are the choice of many manufacturers when they start bringing bike components together for their gravel bike builds.
We like them because not only are they a great mid-range performance wheel, but they also are very serviceable and they last. The Spline GR 1600 is 25mm deep and has an internal width of 24mm, so pretty standard spec for 650b wheels.
Weighing in at 1727g, they are not the lightest, but they are an incredibly strong wheelset ready for a tubeless setup and some incredible trail riding. They are $750, which is a great deal for a DT Swiss set like this.
High-End: Enve G27 650B
Size: 650b
Cost: $2500
Depth: 25mm
Weight: 1275g
Internal Rim Width: 27mm
Tubeless: Yes
Enve’s are probably the best wheels you can buy in cycling right now. The new G27 650b wheels are next level. You would expect the best for $2500 at their lowest price point. With upgraded hubs, you can see these wheelsets over $3000.
They are the choice of professionals, and weighing in at only 1275g, we can understand how they can be the difference between winning and losing a race. They have a wide internal rim width of 27mm and are only 25mm deep.
If you have a very large budget and can spare it, the Enve’s are a great way to go, but it’s also worth considering a second bike for that kind of money.
What Size Rims Are Best For A Gravel Bike?
It comes down to what kind of gravel rider you are. If you spend a lot of time on the road and only hit a light trail every so often, you will get more out of a 700c set with smaller tires.
If you spend a lot of time off the road and avoid the roads as much as possible, you will benefit more from a 650b wheelset. The 650b wheelset can take much larger tires and give you much more comfort when riding off-road.
Related Reading: Gravel Bike vs Road Bike
Is Upgrading Gravel Bike Wheels Worth It?
If you use a very basic gravel wheelset, you will benefit from a lighter set. A good example is if you use a 2000g wheelset and go to a 1400g wheelset, the difference is very noticeable. Riders see an extra 1-2 mph on their average speed from such an upgrade.
Related Reading: How to Build Your Own Gravel Bike
How Do You Choose Wheels For Your Gravel Bike?
When it comes to picking the perfect gravel bike wheels for you, it can be very difficult to know what to look for. Here’s what you need to be thinking about:
700c or 650b
It’s worth checking if your bike frame is compatible with both 700c and 650b. Most bike companies will use the same frame for both sizes. For off-road riding, we recommend the 650b wheelset. For road riding, the 700c wheelset is much better for you.
Cost
The more money you spend, the better the wheelset you will typically get. We recommend thinking about a budget prior to looking. It’s easy to go into searching and end up with the cheapest or the most expensive.
Internal Rim Width
It’s a good idea to look at the internal rim width of a set of wheels. Typically the larger the width better they will work with a wider tire. To find out more about rim width, check out this article.
Brand
We highly recommend going for a well known brand over a cheaper lesser known brand. More wheel research and development goes into the bigger brands’ wheels. Typically over the life of the wheelset, you get fewer issues.
Carbon or Aluminum
Gravel wheels come in carbon fiber and aluminum. If you can get carbon they will be stiffer, lighter, and much more responsive. Gravel riders who have used carbon wheels say they have had a much better experience.
Tubeless
Although most good gravel wheels are tubeless, it’s important to check. Tubeless lets you run lower tire pressures, can self-heal punctures, has less rolling resistance, and is lighter than using inner tubes. Modern mountain bikes typically only use tubeless ready wheels because tubeless is great.
A Final Note
When it comes to gravel bike wheel sizes, you have options. We hope you enjoyed our article and now know everything you need to know when it comes to getting the perfect wheels for your gravel bike.
Read More: 6 Best Gravel Bike Carbon Wheels