How deep should your wheels be?

Every wheel brand will tell you their depth is the fast one. Here's the version without a wheel to sell you — well, without one wheel to sell you. We carry four houses; they disagree with each other, which keeps everyone honest.

The short version

28–38 mm — climbing and all-round. Light, calm in crosswinds, nothing to apologize for. This is the No.6 28/28, the Polymer Venture 38:38, the OVERFAST Ultra+ 37.

45–52 mm — the most-days answer. Most of the aero benefit, most of the manners. No.6 42/48, Polymer Enhance 50:52, Monókeros Ares 45/52 — note how many houses land here independently. That's not a coincidence.

58–65 mm — race-day aero. Faster on paper and in the wind tunnel; livelier in a gusty crosswind, so know your roads and your nerve. No.6 58/65, Polymer Eclipse 58:65, OVERFAST Aerion EVO.

Tri-spokes and discs — the race of truth. No drafting, no surges, just you against the clock: this is where the Monókeros Titan, No.6 Pulsar and OVERFAST Phantom earn their keep. Check your race's rules before you fall in love.

The honest caveats

Depth costs weight and crosswind stability, and buys aerodynamic drag — the trade is real at race speed and mostly cosmetic at café pace. Width matters as much as depth now: modern wide-rim profiles (look at what Polymer does with 25 mm internal) changed what tires the wheel wants. And a disc on an open windy course is a sail; the same disc on a calm course is free speed.

Building around a frame? The builder filters wheels to your discipline automatically — a TT frame won't offer you climbing wheels, and vice versa.

Systems of uncommon velocity.