Wide Rim Revolution or Fad?

Pro's ride what their sponsors tell them to ride. Wide rims are still fairly new, most big manufacturers (re: sponsors) have not really got into the game yet.

True, but there is more to it than that.

I'm not sure if this makes sense, but…

You still want some compliance in your rims/wheels/tires. Super wide rims take away from that compliance by making the tire sidewall profile too "square" and thus too stiff. Its hard to explain, but that tire sidewall bulge you'd normally get with narrower rims allows the tire to deform without having to use less pressure. Wide rims (ones that are nearly as wide as the tire) are too responsive to side impacts and thus they deflect too much. Does that make sense?

Without sounding overly douchy, this is the main reason why racer types don't like wide rims. And I think that's why they are being marketed more towards recreational riders than racers.

Its true that some of the big players Easton, Mavic, DT Swiss haven't embraced the wide is right rim tech yet. But if you look at Easton's recent rollout of the Heist wheelset and the Arc rims (24, 27, 30mm ID) I think you will see some common sense prevail over how wide is right for current tire and bike designs. Why did we suddently go from 21mm ID to 40mm+, that makes absolutely no sense… embrace change, but make it realistic and beneficial.

Its true that some of the big players Easton, Mavic, DT Swiss haven't embraced the wide is right rim tech yet. But if you look at Easton's recent rollout of the Heist wheelset and the Arc rims (24, 27, 30mm ID) I think you will see some common sense prevail over how wide is right for current tire and bike designs. Why did we suddently go from 21mm ID to 40mm+, that makes absolutely no sense… embrace change, but make it realistic and beneficial.

Get outta here with that sensical post!

LB 30mm ~ wider LB rims which were 33mm

OK help me out LB = ?

Some shop guy who shall remain nameless said peeps were finding longer rides fatiguing with the ultra wide hoops putting more tread to dirt. T/F?

OK help me out LB = ?

Some shop guy who shall remain nameless said peeps were finding longer rides fatiguing with the ultra wide hoops putting more tread to dirt. T/F?

It goes to what I just posted, and what I found when I tried really wide rims, that the extra width does catch on side roots and rocks, plus is harder to pinpoint a line.

It goes to what I just posted, and what I found when I tried really wide rims, that the extra width does catch on side roots and rocks, plus is harder to pinpoint a line.

How wide were the ones you tried? And what brand?

How wide were the ones you tried? And what brand?

Those wide LB carbon hoops were the latest. Before that, when I was racing, I experimented with various rim models from Sun and Mavic.

OK help me out LB = ?

Some shop guy who shall remain nameless said peeps were finding longer rides fatiguing with the ultra wide hoops putting more tread to dirt. T/F?

LB = Light Bicycle (Chinese manufacturer of wide, light, cheap, carbon, hookless rims)
T/F = I haven't heard or experienced that. Though I'm not sure how I would associate my fatigue at the end of a long ride specifically to my rims.

I always liked the tire profile of mavic 729, internal width of 29 mm. I am on flow ex right now, 25mm width. Would not mind 30mm wide crabon rims.

If ultra wide rims add a greater contact patch there should be greater friction, giving better traction and taking more work. Would it be enough to impact fatigue levels on a long ride? I bet a different tire/pressure combo will have a bigger impact than the size of a tire's contact patch.

What internal width represents this supa fatness? I’m not defending the wide rims, but I’d be interested to know at what internal width dissenters feel there are diminishing returns. Am I super fat if I’m running 2.4 on Flows?

IMO, whether or not a profile benefits from a wide rim is largely a function of the internal rim width, how round it was to start with, and your intended riding application.

If you can feel your fatigue through your rubber and suspension, you probably just need to work on your fitness.

Am I super fat if I’m running 2.4 on Flows?

Nope. Flows' internal width is 25.5mm, compared to 34mm inner and 40mm outer as "super fat".

Those wide LB carbon hoops were the latest. Before that, when I was racing, I experimented with various rim models from Sun and Mavic.

Do you know what width they were? They have quite a lot of different widths that may be considered wide. You talking the 38 external/31.6 internal or the really big ones with 50 external/45 internal?

Nope. Flows' internal width is 25.5mm, compared to 35mm or 40mm as "super fat".

Got it, so your definition of super fat is 35-40 mm internal. Many of the rims being discussed in this thread fall well below that threshold. BTW, who makes the 40mm internal?

If I mount a 2.3 on my 30mm (internal) NOBLs and put the the same tire in 2.4 on a Flow, what would be the observed difference in tire width and how would the profile change. My guess is not very much. I actually have the pieces in the garage to conduct the experiment. Is the outcome significantly different if you use an IBIS (35mm) in place of the NOBL?