Updated 19 April 2024

Marginal gains. That’s what they call often small improvements that can add up to a big effect.

The disc wheel is one of the more significant marginal gains you can have.

Simply by having a rear wheel that slices through the air with less resistance means you will finish your race faster than otherwise, at the same effort.

While not as cheap as an aero helmet or just a good body position, if you want to eek out every last second you can, you need a disc.

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Intro to disc wheels

Simply put, they make you roll faster.

They sound cool and they look good.

A few things to consider:

Disc or rim brake – Although most bikes these days have disc brakes, many triathlon and time trial bikes still use rim brakes. With most disc wheels you can specify which you want, and they’ll be able to sell you the right one.

Rim brakes aren’t dead yet.

If clincher, tubeless or not – Tubeless setups have become more popular in recent years and most discs can accommodate a tubeless setup. If you plan on going tubeless, just make sure the wheel you’re buying can go tubeless.

Weight – You’re going to notice a significant weight difference once you add a disc. You may not feel anything while you ride, but when you lift the bike you’ll likely think it’s really heavy. Don’t worry – the aero advantage will beat the weight penalty across most triathlon courses (which don’t tend to be mountainous). Note that you would not want a disc on a course like Nice, France.

Test results – It seems like every manufacturer says their wheel is the fastest. And I bet you could create specific conditions to play to your product’s strengths and the other brands’ weaknesses. So, I don’t really put too much credence in these claims.

Pumping – With a spoked wheel, you put your pump between the spokes and over the valve, but with a disc there’s no way you can do that, so the designs usually have a recessed area where you can insert a small adapter, but that space is usually tight.

I like disc wheels with holes that go through for easier access to the valve.

Anyway, when you get a disc wheel, you will need to buy a valve adapter. This is a 90-degree thing that looks like a pipe which allows you to attach a pump to the wheel.

Don’t forget to bring the valve adapter to your races. This includes the morning before the race when you have to pump the tires in T1, and on the course, in case you get a flat.

The Best Disc Wheels

1. ENVE

If you are prepared to pay a bit more, I’d take a serious look at ENVE.

At least with ENVE, you can be assured you are getting top-quality, but of course it comes with a price.

Their SES Disc is awesome, and may be one of the faster discs out there:

ENVE claims, “The SES Disc wheel is the outright fastest rear wheel available.”

A big claim, for sure. But depending on the conditions they tested it in, it could be the fastest or not; other brands all tend to say similar things.

Either way, I wouldn’t doubt that it is indeed fast, and with a 5-year warranty and really solid reputation, I would totally trust these wheels.

And of course the ENVE SES Disc comes with a valve adapter.

Check out the ENVE SES Disc prices:

• On ENVE.com
• On Merlin Cycles

2. Zipp

No listing of disc wheels would be complete without mentioning Zipp.

The Zipp Super-9 may be many people’s top choice, if not for the brand name, the value.

Priced considerably less than the ENVE, this Zipp is a center-locking wheel ready for disc brakes or rim.

The clincher weighs less than 1200 g and the tubular is less than 1000 g.

Check out the price of the Zipp Super-9 on Amazon.

It’s notable that Zipp also includes a disc valve adapter.

3. Wheelscience

I use a disc from Wheelscience, and on their site here, they show that their disc can save nearly 9 minutes on a full, when paired with an 88 mm front wheel.

I run a 62.5 front, so on a full Ironman I’d save about 8:10, and in a half Ironman, 4:05.

See their testing data here.

They’re a really cool Aussie company, and when you email them, you may even get a response from the founder, Peter.

The wheels are UCI approved, and since they have direct factory shipping from China, they are cheaper and you probably get them faster.

When I received mine, the disc arrived quickly and was well-packed.

Plus, the shipping was free, and Wheelscience ships worldwide (and cover duties, too which is a new one to me).

When you choose your wheel, you get to pick rim, disc, or track; then clincher, tubleless, or tubular; then Shimano, SRAM, or Campy.

Then, you pick your hubs – either DT Swiss 240/350 or their own ELEMENTAL hubs.

I went with the ELEMENTAL and they are great. I’ve tested them in the tropical rain and heat of Malaysia and Vietnam, the dry climate of Utah, and the cold and wet in Finland and have had no need to service them or touch them whatsoever, and after 5 years, they’re still perfect.

Finally, you can choose decals of all sorts, including flags or your own custom designs. Very cool stuff.

And with a lifetime warranty that beats even Zipp and ENVE, you have good assurance.

In addition to the great warranty, they offer a 30% discount on damaged wheel from a crash, should that ever happen.

Finally, if you look on the website, you can often get discount codes.

I’ve used the Wheelscience Elemental (above) it in many races for years and couldn’t be happier with it.

4. Superteam

Superteam is a relatively new brand, since 2015, but has been around much longer as an OEM manufacturer for other wheel brands. Of course, Superteam is from China.

They are really cheap (check prices here), and probably totally worth it.

I wouldn’t hesitate to try these considering they are UCI approved, are a competitive weight, have a 3-year warranty, they come with spare spokes, and they look great.

Cam Nicholls, on YouTube, calls them the best value for money carbon wheels he’s ever seen (video here).

You can try this coupon for 2% off. I know it’s tiny but it’s the best I could find.

• Coupon code: 2% OFF
• Link to use it

Check out prices:

• On Superteam website
• On Amazon here

Summary

In conclusion, a disc is one of the best way of saving minutes off your 40 km or longer race.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the specs of the wheels mentioned above. Specs and prices may differ from what you see here depending on the options you choose, your market, and if the prices change over time.

	Wheelscience	Superteam	ENVE	Zipp
Weight	1,250 g	1,400 g	1,225 g	1,175 g
Width	23 mm	23 mm	25 mm	26 mm
Brake style	Disc or rim	Disc or rim	Disc or rim	Disc or rim
Approx price	~US $1,500	~US $670	~ US $3,450	~US $2,600

Note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links (not all!), so if you buy from them I may earn a buck or two, at no extra cost to you. Thanks.

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