Methods and apparatuses for providing strobe effects for a wheel lighting system or wheel illuminating system. For one embodiment, a strobe device for a wheel lighting system includes a tachometer to determine a rotational frequency of a wheel, and a strobing element capable of operating in a first mode and a second mode. When operating in the first mode, the strobing frequency is related to the rotational frequency of the wheel. When operating in the second mode the strobing frequency is independent of the rotational frequency of the wheel. For one embodiment, the lighting elements, tachometer, and other components of the system are implemented completely within the rotating reference frame of the wheel. One embodiment of the invention provides a wheel illumination system having one or more strobing light source assemblies positioned within a rotating reference frame of the wheel to provide stroboscopic effects for the wheel's street side surfaces.