I thought the two wheels are exactly the same?? But someone says the rear wheel is more expensive? How come? If I need to replace, say, the rear wheel, do I have to buy specifically a wheel that is meant for the REAR??
So, the wheels are different, but the TIRES are the same? You got it! The rear wheel must have either a freewheel hub or cassette hub to accommodate the gears. The front wheel has no gears.
yep they're different. The rear wheel has a hub designed to fit cogs, which is what propels the bike. Once you remove them from the bike it will become obvious. The cogs can't attach to the front wheel. Don't think bike companies haven't tried, though. There were some pretty ingenious attempts at making both wheels the same back in the 70's, where the cogs were 'outboard' of the frame, but it was actually too complicated/expensive to produce at the time. Oh and yes to your 2nd part, the tires are the same size. Those on the other hand are interchangeable.
The wheels are different since the rear wheel needs a different hub (part the axle goes through) that can hold the rear cassette (gears). Most tires will work on the front and back, but some types of tires will have a tread pattern for the front that gives better grip during turning and a different tread pattern on the back that is better for gripping while pedaling and getting that power onto the ground.
