High-performance wheels can greatly improve a bike's handling, aerodynamics, and overall ride quality. While there are many different types of race wheels for different types of races, triathlon race wheels are the best upgrade you can make to your existing bike.
Racing wheels should be designed to have an aerodynamic advantage, as wind is the majority of the drag faced by cyclists in non-car-based triathlons.
One characteristic of an aerodynamic wheel is that the rim is deeper than a standard wheel. Manufacturers use carbon fiber to create deep aerodynamic rims because it is strong, stiff, and lightweight. Creating super-deep rims with aluminum is not feasible because the rim would weigh a ton. There are two types of carbon fiber rims: those made entirely of carbon fiber and those that use aluminum rims bonded to a carbon fiber structure. Understanding some of the basic differences between aluminum and carbon fiber can help you determine which of these two types of wheels is best for your needs. Unlike aluminum, carbon fiber used to make wheels is made of two different materials, carbon and resin, which is why it is called a composite. The long strips of carbon fiber are very resistant to bending, giving the material its stiffness, while the resin acts as the glue that holds it all together. Carbon fiber is different from metal in several key ways.