38mm vs 50mm Carbon Road Wheels: How to Choose?

There are a few customers like to know the benefit of 38mm vs 50mm carbon road bike rims.

The shape is almost the same for carbon tubular/clincher 38mm rims & 50mm rims . They are both aero wheels/rims.

The 38mm is lighter, but the 50mm is stiffer. The .38 have a bit faster jump and the .50 hold speed better. If you live in a pretty windy place, the 50mm could prove to be a bit much to handle in any sort of cross winds.

But the differences are small between these two rims. Rim / wheel stiffness / spoke count & tension/air pressure/rider weight & rider skill does effect ride quality also.

It depends a little bit on the conditions you'll usually encounter. If it tends to be gusty, even 38mm carbon rims may be a handful at times. If it's pretty calm, you may be OK with 50.

Some would go with 38mm set if I could only take one wheel to a race / crit. They seem more manageable & therefore use-able in more conditions, therefore more bang for buck in the long run.

Some buys a set of 50mm and a 38mm front. Ride 50mm on calm days and swap in the 38 if it is too windy.

Ask yourself what kind of riding you do and how your current rims/wheels serve you and buy the rims/wheels that fill a need.

Welcome to comment if you have any other suggestion. This will be good for all of us.

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August 5th, 2012 | Light Bicycle

COMMENTS

Damenkoh 2021/09/24

I using 50mm carbon disc rims. Do i need a smaller 38mm wheelset for climbing? Any different? In term of,speed. 38 faster? What hill n flat road? 38 or 58?

LightBicycle 2021/09/24

Hi Sir, For normal climbing, 38mm and 58mm 700C rims won't make much difference in speed. But this also depends on the power you invest. But deeper section wheels do gain better aero benefits in flats or downhill. If you are doing steep climb more often, I would say shallower rims would make more sense. I hope this can help. The aero performance varies from rims because of the shape design and wheel weight. So the actual situation might be different if you are comparing 2 different design rims. Thanks, Lightbicycle

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Razi 2020/01/28

Hi, im razi from Malaysian I thinking upgrade form alu to carbon wheelset. whether 35 or 50mm? I like endurance ride, and more to audax trip. can u suggest which wheelset suitable for me currently my weight now is 110kg Thanks, Razi

LightBicycle 2020/01/29

Hi Razi, May i know your tire width that you are going to use? Do you like 700C wheelset with rim brake or road disc? Or do you like 29er enduro wheelset?Then we can check which wheelset is better for you. Thanks, Lightbicycle

LightBicycle 2020/01/29

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Mark 2018/07/06

Hi, I'm trying to decide between 38mm or 50mm, how windy would you consider windy enough to choose 38mm over 50mm? I'm 86kg so not a featherweight that would get blown around easy. Thanks for your help Mark

LightBicycle 2018/07/07

Hi Mark, Both 38mm and 50mm road clincher rims that you are looking at are with V-shape rim profile. For road bike rims, we would recommend U-shape rims. The U-shape profile spreads the force of impacts and creates a more robust product. Do you want disc or non-disc rims?, U-shape rims are with our new high TG resin brake track, which can bear over 240-degree heat. U shape rim provides better balance while there is side wind. By the way, your email address looks incorrect. The email failed to arrive your mail. Please check. Thanks, Lightbicycle

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Joey 2018/05/22

Hello, I'm have a 38mm pair wheels and my weight is 90kg height 5'8 and doing a duathlon, is it ok or 50mm is better? Thanks

LightBicycle 2018/05/22

Hi Joey, 1. Are you riding disc or non-disc? If you are about to go with non-disc for a run-bike-run duathlon. My suggestion is to go with our U-shape rims. Because of the new brake track technology. It can bear the 240-degree heat. Both 38mm and 50mm rims are with our old brake track surface. The braking performance won't be as good. Would you take a look at RRU35C02 (25mm wide, 35mm deep) or RRU45C02 (25mm wide, 45mm deep)? Attaching with the rim profile for your ref. 2. The lighter wheels might be better for climbing, but the deeper rims are more aerodynamic and stiff. What feature is more important for you? 3. What's the tire width you use? Our U-shape rims are compatible with 23~38mm wide tires. Thanks, Lightbicycle

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RJ 2018/05/02

Hi, is an 88mm rear and 60mm front advisable for long rides with climbs? i often see they don't use >60mm on century rides. appreciate your feedback.

LightBicycle 2018/05/02

Hi RJ, For century rides. a lighter wheelset might be better. Considering the long distance. Like you said, wheelset with over 60mm depth rim is not common for this. Could you tell me why you take 88mm for your consideration then? Are you a heavy rider or you prefer the aerodynamic feature of deep rims? Thanks, Lightbicycle

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Ronald 2018/02/14

Which wheelset would be recommended for me at 5'9" 155lbs?

LightBicycle 2018/02/14

Hi Ronald, May i know your tire width? Do you ride aggressively or not? Then we can check which wheelset is better for you. Thanks, Lightbicycle

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Joel 2016/08/11

Hi, Can I mix match size? Like 38mm front and 50mm for the back clinchers? What is the rider weight limits? Thanks, Joel

Light-Bicycle 2016/08/12

Hello Joel, Thanks for your inquiry. It is okay to build wheelset with front 38mm/rear 50mm. The rider weight limit is 120KG.May i know your weight please? We can check which wheelset is better for you. Thanks, Light-bicycle

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Darius 2014/08/26

For cyclocross applications where crosswind is less of an issue, is a 50 mm rim stronger than 38 mm?

Light-Bicycle 2014/08/27

Hello Darius, Thanks for your inquiry. The 50mm depth rim is stronger than the 38mm depth rim. Do you prefer clincher or tubular rims? Please find the attached cross-section drawings of the rims. Thanks, Light-bicycle

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Pedro 2013/01/21

Hello, I am looking for a 23mm wide carbon fiber tubular rim in 24mm height. Do you have something like this? Thanks Pedro

Light-Bicycle 2013/01/22

Hello Pedro,Thanks for your inquiry.Currently, we only have 23mm wide for 38mm tubular, 50mm tubular, no 24mm height. Please check attached cross-section.Is it ok for you?Thanks,Light-bicycle

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Robert 2012/10/23

Hi Nancy Looking to get a set of 38mm clincher disc cyclo cross wheels , Cant seem to find any details of these wheels on your site or cost so if you could please forward details that would be great . . . . regards Rob

Support 2012/10/23

Hello Rob, Thanks for your inquiry. Do you mean the no braking track on 38mm clincher rim? Is that right? Please check attached pictures. And we will have 23mm wide for 50mm rims next month, it will be good for cyclo cross. Thanks, Nancy

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RAFIUDEEN 2012/08/13

LOOKING FOR A 60MM AND ABOVE CARBON CLINCHER WHEELS

Support 2012/08/14

Hello Rafi, Thanks for your inquiry. For 60mm crabon clincher rim, yes, we have it. All our road rims are with new manufactured way, and the strength is much better than others. please find attached pictures and the cross-section drawing for the rims. Thanks, Nancy

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