I have a new FS frame that in the specs says 'clearance for 2.6 tyres'.
The current builds ive seen come with 2.5 at the front and 2.4 at the rear.
My most modern wheelset on other bikes is Hope Enduro that i think are only about 21mm internal width.
Assuming my budget will run to new wheels, what width rim do i need for a 150/140 FS 29er?
Thanks
Ian
I’ve settled on 30mm for 2.4-2.6 tyres
30mm is about the sweet spot at the moment
I'd say 30 is a good width without going crazy. Might be able to do a rim swap if you can find one with the same erd. A rim swap is an easy DIY job
I'm running 29mm and it's definitely an improvement over my previous 21mm rims, I briefly had a 25mm front rim and quickly swapped for 29mm.
Ok, great. Thanks all.
I shall look for some 30s
Ian
running 25mm - 30mm square off the tyres I use.
wild enduro
Can't go wrong with 30mm, although I'm running 28mm on the rear cos I'm not a fan of any tyres over 2.5
Using 29mm ID for 2.6 and 2.35. Seems the perfect size.
For a 2.5-2.6", I find 28-30mm internal about right.
But for a 2.3-2.4", around 25-28mm is ideal for me.
30mm does pull a 2.4" a little square IMO. And the Wild Enduro's that poah uses above are already a particularly square profiled tyre compared to most.
Discussed this recently with Chris Porter... He's a fan of 25mm rims with 2.4" tyres. Most people run wider because of fashion!
I was going to say that Chris Porter said on the NSMB podcast that they tested different rim sizes and slightly narrower proved faster (in their tests). My bike came with 30mm rims but I’d consider a slightly narrower one on the rear I think, but that would just suit how I want the bike set up. 30mm(ish) seems to be the fashionable size at the moment but my old Mavic 521s never held me back.
On 4 bikes...
Stan's Flow EXs (internal 25.5mm) with 2.4/2.5 26" tyres.
Stan's Flow Mk3s (internal 29mm) with 2.6/2.8 29" tyres.
Stan's Baron S1s (internal 35mm) with 2.8/3.0 27.5+ tyres.
Surly Rabbit Holes (internal 44mm) with 3.0 29+ tyres.
you also have to assume that the tyres are true to their stated width.
There was a time when people complained about tyre sidewalls splitting, next to the rim.
There was a time when people tried to use rims that were too narrow for the tyre.
Bike came with 29mm rims and 2.5" tyres. Max rear tyre for frame 2.6"
I'm not getting bigger tyres, but I did get wider rims. 37mm. (Duroc SD42) Landings, and runoffs, just feel better now, less drag on impact, more secure 🙂 Although I can no longer just fit a narrower tyre for "special" days.
There's a poont in the middle where you can fit both small and large tyres. That's usually the preferably decision. I kept taco'ing my rear wheel due to sloppy riding though, so went the way I went.
Was in the need for a new rear rim 3 months or so ago, and after listening to Chris Potter talking about 25mm rims and looking at a good deal of the DH pointy end bikes I decided to give it a go. This coming from running 30mm rims for years, mostly on 2.4-2.5 tyres.
Spent some weeks like this with a Michelin DH34 and now on a Maxxis 2.5 Aggressor DD with Rimpact insert, so both setups on the stiffer side of things that might not suffer as much from the tyre folding.
My experience so far:
- not better or worse cornering (again, a softer sidewall setup might be a different story)
- seems to be ever so slightly harsher on the really rough stuff
- rolls slightly faster
- less rim strikes and pings from rock hits.
Overall difference is smaller than the difference between different tyres of the same size, but happy so far nonetheless
