I went to Pedal Nation this weekend in Portland and spent time talking to Jude Kirstein, owner of Sugar Wheel Works, and she said that wheels can make a world of difference. My question to her was "would different wheels make a difference for someone like me who is a newby or would only elite competitors notice the difference?". She had a lot to share on the topic. She had some wheels she made out of some sort of Italian wood - just gorgeous. Not that this answers your question, but new wheels could be a good thing.