Mixing narrow & wide rims

[makoti]

Other than aesthetics, any problem with running an older box rim (Mavic Openpro) front & a newer, wider rim (Pancenti SL23) on the back? Would it mess with handling or braking? I'm sending a bike west & atm use the front Pancenti wheel on a bike that will stay here. I have an older front I could send with it, but not if it's a bad idea for some reason. I'll only ride at night, so no one will know.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by makoti

Other than aesthetics, any problem with running an older box rim (Mavic Openpro) front & a newer, wider rim (Pancenti SL23) on the back? Would it mess with handling or braking? I'm sending a bike west & atm use the front Pancenti wheel on a bike that will stay here. I have an older front I could send with it, but not if it's a bad idea for some reason. I'll only ride at night, so no one will know.

Makes no difference at all. Mix and match away.

[rustychisel]

Yeah. Someone is going to mention Continental Attack & Force any second now.

Ooops, I just did.

[shovelhd]

Ultegra 6800 wheels have different widths, and ride great. Pay no attention to the mismatched rim police.

[dgauthier]

Like a chopped Harley Davidson, the rear drive wheel can be bigger and beefier. However, I wonder if putting a bigger, wider tire on the front would be a bad idea. I mean, the bike would still ride, but it might start to suck.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by dgauthier

Like a chopped Harley Davidson, the rear drive wheel can be bigger and beefier. However, I wonder if putting a bigger, wider tire on the front would be a bad idea. I mean, the bike would still ride, but it might start to suck.

The front is a bigger contributor to the handling. I think front is a bigger contributor to ride as well since, IMO, you feel the impact from bumps more acutely on the front. So I can see a rationale for putting a wider tire on the front to provide more cush.

[Davist]

Originally Posted by dgauthier

Like a chopped Harley Davidson, the rear drive wheel can be bigger and beefier. However, I wonder if putting a bigger, wider tire on the front would be a bad idea. I mean, the bike would still ride, but it might start to suck.

sorry to veer OT, but dang, you're in LA? The birthplace of BMX, where we often ran wider tires in the front, even old school MTBs did it (Panaracer Smoke / Dart combos). I've done it on a road bike for 2 reasons, I had clearance for bigger and going on a gravel ride, and it "calmed down" the handling of my switch to the racier geo bike for a while. Nothing exploded, it didn't suck, YMMV of course

gratuitous old school BMX pic(the guy on the right has 2 same size tires, the other 2 have wide fronts):

[dgauthier]

Originally Posted by Davist

sorry to veer OT, but dang, you're in LA? The birthplace of BMX (...)

I was born in Canada, so I know nothing of past mysterious Southern California ways.

I once told a fellow in an L.A. bar that I was born in Canada.

"Canada?" he sneered, "Why, they ain't got nothing up there but whores and hockey players!"

I stood up and glared at him. "My mother's from Canada!"

"Oh?" he replied, "What team does she play on?"

[Catman]

"What team does she play on?"

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[djg21]

Originally Posted by marciero

The front is a bigger contributor to the handling. I think front is a bigger contributor to ride as well since, IMO, you feel the impact from bumps more acutely on the front. So I can see a rationale for putting a wider tire on the front to provide more cush.

This is pretty common in the MTB world for just the reasons you mention.