Wide rims

[ericspin]

Been awhile since I darkened the door here. Got immersed in competitive paddling and kind of set the bike aside for a few years. Feeling the urge to start riding again and had a question about rims. I've had the urge to try a set of the wider rims, 23mm, and was curious about experience or opinions on the forum. Would like to get a new set built up for my Serotta CDA. I typically ride 25mm tires and currently riding them on a set of 19mm Open Pros. Thanks

[FlashUNC]

I'm a fan, especially the Hed Belgiums.

[dave thompson]

I've got 4 bikes, all with 23mm rims and 25mm tires. Lower tire pressure makes for a really nice ride, much better grip on the road.

One of the considerations regarding using such tire/rim combo on your bike is how wide a tire will fit. A 25mm tire on a 23mm rim can plump out to 26~27mm. Clearance under the rear brake bridge also needs to be looked at. If you could borrow a couple of wheels with larger tires to see what might work would be good.

[ericspin]

Certainly something to consider. The CDA is a bit tight between the chainstays. Do you prefer one rim over another Dave?

[dave thompson]

Certainly something to consider. The CDA is a bit tight between the chainstays. Do you prefer one rim over another Dave?

Not really. I have one set of wheels that have the US made Velocity A23 rim, the others are HED-built wheels. Any well built wheel using any of those rims would be good.

[bobswire]

I have a set of these A23/5800 hubs, hard to beat this price. http://www.velomine.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=235_350&products_id=3631

[ptourkin]

23mm is not really a wide rim anymore. 25 is becoming more standard. If you can fit them, 25 tires turn into 28s.

[stien]

23 GP4KS2 on 25mm HED rims is perfection. If you can fit it, ride it.

[Climb01742]

Be aware, too, that different tires plump out to different sizes. Corsa 25s on HED rims are 25, while Conti 25s on H Plus Son plump out to a 27/28ish.

[saab2000]

Interior width is the critical number, not exterior width. Hed and Pacenti are the widest AFAIK.

And yes, wider rims seem to have a consensus. They seem to be nearly universally thought to be better.

[ericspin]

Be aware, too, that different tires plump out to different sizes. Corsa 25s on HED rims are 25, while Conti 25s on H Plus Son plump out to a 27/28ish.

The Corsas are what I will be running on these rims. The Corsas on the Open Pros leave skant room to the chain stays. Wonder how that would translate with the HED rims, which are at the top of my list? Hmm, wonder how I decide to take that risk, not knowing if they will really fit?

[ofcounsel]

I ride a Cannondale Synapse with a set of Nox Falkor rims. The rims are 27.7mm wide (external width). I'm about to swap out my Schwalbe 28mm tires for a set of Hutchison Sector 28's.

I love the wider rim/tire combos.

[Tony]

I ride a Cannondale Synapse with a set of Nox Falkor rims. The rims are 27.7mm wide (external width). I'm about to swap out my Schwalbe 28mm tires for a set of Hutchison Sector 28's.

I love the wider rim/tire combos.

Same, both mtb and road, will never go back to narrow rims.
Currently running the Boyd Altamont lite rims on my road bike.
http://www.boydcycling.com/shop/rims/altamont-lite-alloy-clincher-rim-copy/

[bigbill]

I've got a Serotta Ti Fierte. The chainstay clearance is on the tight side. I have a set of wheels with Easton R90 SL (24mm) and a 25mm Pro 4 measures 30mm on it. I have around 2mm of clearance. If I break a spoke or otherwise got out of true, the tire is rubbing the frame. As much as I like the ride on other bikes, the Serotta gets a standard wheelset with Ambrosio Excellence and 25mm tires.

[Gummee]

Here in a few years, they'll be telling us to ditch the wide rims for narrow rims for [reasons X, Y, and Z]

Betcha

M

[Ken Robb]

I am amused that when we worried about weight the worst kind of weight was rotational weight and the worst kind of rotational weight was that far out from the hubs. Now wide wide (ergo heavier) rims are hot stuff. I guess we can offset the weight with lots of ti fasteners. :D

[Davist]

Not to be a wet blanket, but are your current wheels ok? maybe just some fresh tires are needed? Spend some time getting back into riding, then form an opinioon. I built some archetypes (23mm) and liked them, but my evo wouldn't take them with 25mm michelins, so I went back to c24 shimano wheels, and the tires are a little taller. It's a very subtle difference at least to me... See what your buddies are doing, then see if you can try things out. Lower pressure works even with standard rims, I weigh 190 and run 80-85 (if I check it) in the front and 90 in the rear, see if you like that, too.

[CDollarsign]

I just picked up a set of Hed Belgium C2s and mounted some Corsa G+ 25s.

What tire pressure should I be running if I am on the heavy side?

[Gummee]

I just picked up a set of Hed Belgium C2s and mounted some Corsa G+ 25s.

What tire pressure should I be running if I am on the heavy side?

How long is a piece of string?

I think it's Michelin that has a chart on their website and on tire boxes. Without specifics, no one can answer that question

M

[ColonelJLloyd]

Here in a few years, they'll be telling us to ditch the wide rims for narrow rims for [reasons X, Y, and Z]

Betcha

M

Yeah. . . . no. If someone does, no one who has used wider rims is going to listen.

[Mark McM]

Be aware, too, that different tires plump out to different sizes. Corsa 25s on HED rims are 25, while Conti 25s on H Plus Son plump out to a 27/28ish.

I my experience, it is more about the width of the tire than the width of the rim. And when I refer to the width of the tire, I mean the actual inflated width, not the labeled width. Wide rims will increase the actual inflated width of the tire, so most of the benefit of wide rims is from the increase in the actual inflated width of the tire.

[m_sasso]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697932674&stc=1&d=1483830495

[dddd]

Notice from the diagram above how the narrower rim makes the tires shorter as well as narrower, as inflated.
Over the years I've read claims from time to time saying the opposite, but I measured this myself and can say that a wider rim makes the tire both wider and slightly taller.
This would seem to suggest that one can reduce the pressure by more than the percentage increase in inflated width of the tire, since the added height adds further protection from pinch-flatting.
I've literally gone mountain biking on tires with an inflated width of 29mm at just 60psi, on 19mm inside-width rims. And no pinch flats. I weighed 155 at the time, and the bike wasn't light.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2410/1870224077_8dd3790802_z.jpg?zz=1

[oldpotatoe]

How long is a piece of string?

I think it's Michelin that has a chart on their website and on tire boxes. Without specifics, no one can answer that question

M

How Long is from China. Sorry. Wide rim, fat tire....various tire pressures. The result is subjective entirely. Before buying fat rims(which may not be happy with some calipers), get fatter tires and use less psi... or use less psi on the tires you have. The differences are teeny/tiny regardless.

[mnoble485]

[QUOTE=ericspin;2211695]The Corsas are what I will be running on these rims. The Corsas on the Open Pros leave skant room to the chain stays. Wonder how that would translate with the HED rims, which are at the top of my list? Hmm, wonder how I decide to take that risk, not knowing if they will really fit?[/QUOTE

Come home and bring the bike! We have gone too long without a ride together. We can try my HED's on your bike and see what happens.

Mike

[bikinchris]

Here in a few years, they'll be telling us to ditch the wide rims for narrow rims for [reasons X, Y, and Z]

Betcha

M

True. People flip flop at the whim of Web sites and magazine articles.
I'm not saying wider tires aren't slightly better, I've been saying that for about 20 years to no effect. I'm just saying that the desperate search for wider rims is laughable in people who haven't even had a good bike fit and don't practice good mechanic practices. I have seen the mechanic advice people pass on here. Wider rims is not what you need.

[Gummee]

True. People flip flop at the whim of Web sites and magazine articles.
I'm not saying wider tires aren't slightly better, I've been saying that for about 20 years to no effect. I'm just saying that the desperate search for wider rims is laughable in people who haven't even had a good bike fit and don't practice good mechanic practices. I have seen the mechanic advice people pass on here. Wider rims is not what you need.

Ultimately it's: shut up and ride your bike.

Wide rims. Narrow rims. Wide tires. Narrow tires. Ain't none of it makes a hill of beans worth of difference if the bike's hanging in the garage!

Today's ride: TB-14s and 25c GP4Seasons. Thursday's ride: D/A 9k C24s and '26c' Bontragers (which look a lot like 23c tires...) Tomorrow's ride? probably the TB-14s again. It's all wheels and tires. They go round and round.

M

edited to add: I tried a buddy's pair of Campy Omega XLs back in college and liked em. Didn't have the budget to switch from my MA40s or Open SUP CDs.

[Tony]

Going from 19mm to 25mm rims with the same 25mm tire I can feel the difference in corners. I feel more confident pushing harder with the wider setup. Same for mtbing, wider has made a difference for the better.