Laufrads

Laufrad is the German term for a wheel, particularly the wheel of a vehicle such as a bicycle. The standard plural in German is Laufräder; the form Laufrads is nonstandard in ordinary usage, and may appear in some technical or loanword contexts. In English-language cycling literature, the term wheel is used without such distinction.

A wheel consists of a rim, spokes, hub, and tire, mounted on an axle with bearings. The hub rotates within the frame or fork, supported by bearings; spokes transmit load from the rim to the hub; the tire provides grip and cushioning. Wheel size is described by rim diameter (for bicycles, e.g., 26, 27.5, 29 inches or ISO 559/584/622).

Common wheel configurations include clincher, tubeless, and tubeless-ready setups; rim materials include steel, aluminum, carbon fiber; spoke patterns (e.g., 32 or 24 spokes) and lacing influence strength and stiffness; braking systems (rim brakes vs disc brakes) affect wheel design; purpose-built wheels exist for road, mountain, and track cycling.

Maintenance involves regular inspection of spoke tension and wheel trueness, hub bearing service, tire inspection, and periodic trueing or rebuilding by a wheel builder or technician. Improper alignment can cause brake rub, wobble, or accelerated wear. Historically, wheels evolved from wooden or metal rims to modern alloy and carbon fiber designs with pneumatic tires increasing efficiency.