AERA GR36 650B Gravel Wheelset

Aera has delivered a decent all-round package with its GR36 650B Gravel wheelset. They offer plenty of stiffness, will take a fair amount of abuse and aren't over the top when it comes to weight.

• Pros: Great build quality, durable
• Cons: Pricier than some of the top competitors

Sitting alongside the All Road (AR) 700C models in Aera's product line-up, this GR model is aimed at the gravel market. It's only available in this 36mm deep, 650B size and has a robust and durable build to stand up to the rigours of riding over rocks and rough trails.

> Buy these online here

There are plenty of configuration options on Aera's website, but the wheelset we have here is based around Hope RS4 hubs, 28 Sapim CX-Ray spokes front and rear, and a Shimano/SRAM freehub. Weight is a decent enough 1,660g.

After having issues with lateral flex when testing the 700C rim-brake version of Aera's AR55 wheels, I was interested to see how these 650B disc brake versions fared. Thankfully, things felt much better.

With no brake pads next to the rim, lateral flex is less of an issue when running discs, but these wheels felt tighter than their non-disc counterparts, especially when powering hard out of corners or hauling up steep hills.

Having a bit of a 'do it all' attitude, the GR36s are ideally suited to a gravel or adventure bike where your ride takes in a range of tarmac and rough tracks or trails. I ran the wheels tubeless with Vittoria Terreno Zero tyres in a 47mm width and it was a decent pairing considering the wheels are best suited to a size range of 28mm to 50mm rubber.

The tyres fitted easily to the 22mm internal rim width (29mm external) and sealed quickly with the help of a decent pump.

The wheels were running true straight out of the box and even after plenty of miles on gravel tracks there have been no issues with durability, even after taking some big knocks.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best gravel & adventure tyres

The tail-end of the test period has seen plenty of long, hot sunny days with lots of dust but it's had little effect on the smooth running of the Hope hubs, making them a good choice if you spend a lot of time riding off-road in the wet or dry.

Freehub engagement is quick and precise, which makes the wheels fun to hammer away from a standing start at the lights while track standing. Off-road you spend a lot more time going from freewheeling to pedalling, especially over technical terrain, so a rapid lock in of the pawls is great when switching from a steep descent to a sharp climb.

Price-wise, this configuration will set you back £1,600, for which you are getting some quality components and very good build quality.

However, although it looks pretty good value compared with the £1,850 Roval CLX 32 Disc 650B wheelset, the Rovals are also over 300g lighter without sacrificing durability.

Also, I keep banging on about the JRA Gecko wheels and was massively impressed when I tested the 700C version, and JRA also does a 650B offering built around its own hubs. A similar build to the Aeras will cost you just £850 and they have a claimed weight of 1,332g! That is some competition.

> Is 650B the right wheel size for you?

Overall, the Aera GR36 wheels are a decent setup, offering plenty of durability for hard rides on punishing trails while rolling well on the tarmac – if you are willing to pay for it.

Verdict

Solid and dependable wheels for gravel and adventure use, although they aren't the lightest or cheapest