Current 'Conventional' Wisdom Rim vs Tire Width

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vamoots58
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:46 am

by vamoots58

Whats the latest thinking about tire width relative to rim width? I'm in the process of planning a second wheelset for my gravel bike. Want to use my current set of wheels, with mixed surface tires for just that purpose, but some days i really like taking that bikeour for a pavement ride. Figure a set of dedicated wheels was the way to go. Thinking about a 32mm TLR tire, like Corsa Pro 32. Is a 32mm wide rim too wide for that set-up?? 29 or 30mm a better choice? Thank you in advance for any insights!

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TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12456
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

If you’re using 32mm wide tires, you’re prioritizing comfort over aero, so IMO the difference between a 29mm external rim and a 32mm external rim probably won’t matter that much in a practical sense. Are you considering deep, medium depth or shallow rims? If you are getting deep rims, I would look for something 23mm wide internally and ~31mm wide externally. This would give you the flexibility to mount 28mm tires and even “wider” 25mm tires if you ever decide 32mm is unnecessarily wide.

28mm GP5K S TRs measure 30.5mm on my 23mm internal Ascent Polaris 69s and 31mm on my 25mm internal Light Bicycle WR50s.

wickedstealthy
Posts: 427
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 3:16 pm

by wickedstealthy

TobinHatesYou wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 8:44 pm
If you’re using 32mm wide tires, you’re prioritizing comfort over aero, so IMO the difference between a 29mm external rim and a 32mm external rim probably won’t matter that much in a practical sense. Are you considering deep, medium depth or shallow rims? If you are getting deep rims, I would look for something 23mm wide internally and ~31mm wide externally. This would give you the flexibility to mount 28mm tires and even “wider” 25mm tires if you ever decide 32mm is unnecessarily wide.

28mm GP5K S TRs measure 30.5mm on my 23mm internal Ascent Polaris 69s and 31mm on my 25mm internal Light Bicycle WR50s.
Ideally yes but hard to find ;) Not many rims are +30mm and 21/23mm or they are porky or pretty low. Roval 21mm30+, new Hollowgram wheels 21/30+ or you need to go to say Enve 4.5 which is 32mm plus.

My Dukes X are 23/29.4 and if you fit a 26mm pirelli then you get about 28.4mm in width. I just tried 28mm new Pirellis and they are about 29.4 as the rim bed seem to be 29.7. Fits pretty nice ...
Im actually now searching form a 50mm wheel 21+ inner and 30+ wide and light is not the easiest. The hollowgram wheels are nice but the hub is pretty heavy like DT SWISS 350 which is surprising given the way they are advertsied on Lab71 frame :D
I would like to go Enve but I read more and more that QC is lacking and has visual flaws which are not in accordance with the price. Also hookless 25mm iw means limited choice of tires ...

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12456
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51?

HBike
Posts: 190
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2022 8:22 pm

by HBike

wickedstealthy wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 9:09 pm
TobinHatesYou wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 8:44 pm
If you’re using 32mm wide tires, you’re prioritizing comfort over aero, so IMO the difference between a 29mm external rim and a 32mm external rim probably won’t matter that much in a practical sense. Are you considering deep, medium depth or shallow rims? If you are getting deep rims, I would look for something 23mm wide internally and ~31mm wide externally. This would give you the flexibility to mount 28mm tires and even “wider” 25mm tires if you ever decide 32mm is unnecessarily wide.

28mm GP5K S TRs measure 30.5mm on my 23mm internal Ascent Polaris 69s and 31mm on my 25mm internal Light Bicycle WR50s.
Ideally yes but hard to find ;) Not many rims are +30mm and 21/23mm or they are porky or pretty low. Roval 21mm30+, new Hollowgram wheels 21/30+ or you need to go to say Enve 4.5 which is 32mm plus.

My Dukes X are 23/29.4 and if you fit a 26mm pirelli then you get about 28.4mm in width. I just tried 28mm new Pirellis and they are about 29.4 as the rim bed seem to be 29.7. Fits pretty nice ...
Im actually now searching form a 50mm wheel 21+ inner and 30+ wide and light is not the easiest. The hollowgram wheels are nice but the hub is pretty heavy like DT SWISS 350 which is surprising given the way they are advertsied on Lab71 frame :D
I would like to go Enve but I read more and more that QC is lacking and has visual flaws which are not in accordance with the price. Also hookless 25mm iw means limited choice of tires ...
If 45mm is enough depth, Metron SL 45 are 21mm inner/31.5mm outer diameter, hooked. Don't know about weight limit (21 Spokes up front only).
DT Swis ERC 1100 45 DB are optimized for 28c tires, even though only 28.5mm outer rim. But I know their aero partner, who has excellent reputation.
Bontragers Aeolus 51 RSL as TobinHatesYou suggested.
Reserve wheels are very wide and hooked. 25mm internal and 33 - 35mm external depending on depth. Good enough for Jumbo Visma.

TLN
Posts: 630
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:50 pm

by TLN

HBike wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 9:39 pm
wickedstealthy wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 9:09 pm
TobinHatesYou wrote:
Wed May 24, 2023 8:44 pm
If you’re using 32mm wide tires, you’re prioritizing comfort over aero, so IMO the difference between a 29mm external rim and a 32mm external rim probably won’t matter that much in a practical sense. Are you considering deep, medium depth or shallow rims? If you are getting deep rims, I would look for something 23mm wide internally and ~31mm wide externally. This would give you the flexibility to mount 28mm tires and even “wider” 25mm tires if you ever decide 32mm is unnecessarily wide.

28mm GP5K S TRs measure 30.5mm on my 23mm internal Ascent Polaris 69s and 31mm on my 25mm internal Light Bicycle WR50s.
Ideally yes but hard to find ;) Not many rims are +30mm and 21/23mm or they are porky or pretty low. Roval 21mm30+, new Hollowgram wheels 21/30+ or you need to go to say Enve 4.5 which is 32mm plus.

My Dukes X are 23/29.4 and if you fit a 26mm pirelli then you get about 28.4mm in width. I just tried 28mm new Pirellis and they are about 29.4 as the rim bed seem to be 29.7. Fits pretty nice ...
Im actually now searching form a 50mm wheel 21+ inner and 30+ wide and light is not the easiest. The hollowgram wheels are nice but the hub is pretty heavy like DT SWISS 350 which is surprising given the way they are advertsied on Lab71 frame :D
I would like to go Enve but I read more and more that QC is lacking and has visual flaws which are not in accordance with the price. Also hookless 25mm iw means limited choice of tires ...
If 45mm is enough depth, Metron SL 45 are 21mm inner/31.5mm outer diameter, hooked. Don't know about weight limit (21 Spokes up front only).
DT Swis ERC 1100 45 DB are optimized for 28c tires, even though only 28.5mm outer rim. But I know their aero partner, who has excellent reputation.
Bontragers Aeolus 51 RSL as TobinHatesYou suggested.
Reserve wheels are very wide and hooked. 25mm internal and 33 - 35mm external depending on depth. Good enough for Jumbo Visma.
I got Reserve 40|44, front is 25.5 internal, 33 external. Hooked, aka no pressure limitations. Running 30C Vittoria Corsa Control, it measures ~31-32mm. I would consider that setup is still aero (although not 105%). Planning on using GP5k S TR in 28c as next set of tires.
I also have Giant's CRX1 (Which is basically Cadex AR35, without carbon spokes): 35mm deep, 25mm internal, sub-1400gm. Hookless. GP5000 S TR in 30c sits very nicely on those. Not 105% again, but pretty flush.
In both cases, it's a slick tire, that is equal or less width than wheelset. Aero enough for me.

Any gravel (aka real gravel), so 40mm+ will be a compromise on aero. Depending on your speed you may even go lower profile, to offset some weight.

If you want bigger tires, such as 32c and wider, and don't care much about aero, might as well go even wider (33-35c) and gain comfort on crappy roads. I'd looove to try Nextie rims that are 45mm deep and 29mm wide, with some 36c slick tires. That sounds very promising and will roll on bad roads very fast. I don't have a bike that can take something like that thogh.
His: Orbea Orca OMX
Hers: Cannondale Synapse HM Disc

by Weenie


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