Does rim width matter?

[@64Spokes]

I love the way a 2.6” tire looks on a 35mm+ rim so I run them for that reason 😂

[@micheandmikey]

Right off the bat....EL POLLO!!! Thanks for riding our trail! Another great video Jeff, cheers!!!!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Glad you liked the vid Mike! That trail is soooo good- GREAT work!

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

If you are using 35mm internal width rims, remember to match them to tyres that ARE infact designed for WT or Wide Trail rims, to maintain the correct tyre profile. Also, I suggest if you are using WT rims/tyres, make sure the casing does have the stronger side wall as well! - no point in popping 2.1-2.3" light weight XC racing tyres on 35mm rims....

[@ridesafealways4929]

will Michelin DH22 2.4 tires work with 35mm rims?

[@robbiewharton2117]

¹¹

[@rorybissmtb]

Hahahaha I'm using 2.3 inch tyres on 35mm rims

[@JustSnowglow]

I've been running 2.35 xc tires (specialized ground control) on my 40mm rims just for giggles. I can run really low pressure and they're still plenty round for me. I just don't think it's as big a deal as everyone makes it (like a lot in MTB)@@rorybissmtb

[@mrvwbug4423]

For tech, especially rock gardens and roots I find the wider rims hold a line better and are less prone to deflecting off rocks and roots. I also find I get far less rim pings on 35mm rims vs 30mm rims with the same width tires (2.5 front 2.4 rear). I do find that narrower rims and tires hook up a little more positively on berms. If I could have a wheelset for every mood I'd probably run 2.3s on 30mm rims for flow/jump trails and 2.5/2.4 on 35mm rims for tech, but my do everything setup for now is 2.5/2.4 on 35mm Ibis rims which works well on the Ripmo.

[@nathantoney.1501]

Agreed. Wish there were 2.3 DH casings out there

[@akaemzett]

@@nathantoney.1501 The new Contis 2.4s are pretty narrow at 60 etrto, same as Maxxis 2.35s and they come in DH casing. I really like the Argotal front and Kryptotal R in the back for the rough fast stuff.

[@frankapple4130]

I think the best combo is 29 or 30 width and 2.35 or 2.4’s.

[@th_js]

I have 35mm, 30mm and 25mm rims and I've found that the 30mm is probably the most versatile width of those, since it will work fine with narrower and wider tyres just fine. The 25mm rim on the front plays great with a 2.35/2.4" width tyre (Schwalbe Magic Mary SG), since especially the 35mm rim makes the narrower tyre too square and the side-knobs migrate too far up on the tread of the tyre, instead of being on the side, where they're supposed to be. The 35mm rim works great with a 2.6 Schwalbe tyre or a WT (Wide Trail) Maxxis 2.5" tyre. Although the Assegai 2.5 (WT) is on the edge of being too square, I think the Assegai works best on a 29-33mm rim. The DHF (WT) has a very good shape on the 35mm rim.

[@RC-fp1tl]

Great write up, thanks! Have you tried the Assegai WT's on 35mm rims? Curious if that would make a significant difference.

[@th_js]

@@RC-fp1tl I meant exactly that, actually! Haven't ridden a non-WT Assegai. That would be way too square, I'd guess on the 35mm ID rim. The WT Assegai works absolutely fine on the 35mm ID, but it simply works better on the 30mm ID rim. Basically the cornering is more predictable on the slightly narrower rim and there are less "oh shit!" moments, when you accidentally almost wash out. But I must say that I did ride the Assegai 2.5 WT + 35mm rim for a pretty long while and it was absolutely OK, no big deal, but just saying what works better. These are of course my personal findings, and I don't expect everyone to agree. It's just important to know what works for you.

[@JulioJairdeAlba]

Thanks for your comment that's exactly the tire I want to run front, I will go with 30mm rims

[@th_js]

@@JulioJairdeAlba Brilliant to hear that my comment helped!

[@chrisjones7281]

😊​@@th_js

[@hardmtnbiker]

I’m sure you remember the negativity towards wider rims from wheel companies trying to influence people to stay narrower. Some of what they said is that too wide made tires square off and tire companies didn’t have the tech for wider rims. We all know that 💡 look a tire gets when you see an narrow i24-26rim with a 2.5” tire. Heck even the gravel wheels are using i27mm rims for 700x40c tires. The bottom line is a hardtail will probably ride really nice with either size but wider does add more cushion and adjustable volume tuning with inserts and tire sizes while narrow is definitely lighter and adds more precision to steering and line selection. This may more vague on a full suspension and not as critical. Thanks Jeff, I truly appreciate these comparisons videos!

[@Hexsense]

My gravel bike use 700x40c on 26mm ID and it's fine. Side knobs still stay on the side. But my road use 700x28c tire on 25mm ID. And it works great. Really nice, actually. This is because road tires are knob-less. Tread pattern is uniformly round, no side knobs pushed into the center problem. I actually much prefer 28c tire on 25mm ID rim over 28c tire on 21mm ID rim even. Wish one day, standard XC tires are 2.2-2.4" tire designed properly on 30-35mm ID rim.

[@hardmtnbiker]

@@Hexsense agree my i26.6mm Velocity Blunt SS rims work great with 700x36 to 700x40c tires. They’re actually XC MTB rims but the do great with gravel wheels. I’ll be going a bit wider with carbon rims to set up a nice high volume combo. Maybe i28mm to i30 with 700-45-50c tires

[@whiplashingitis]

I think cushcore completely changes the dynamic of the tire, so I believe this test is completely invalid for anyone not using cushcore. Reason is, the cushcore is one-size and therefore pushes on the sidewall more for a narrower rim, which helps prevent tire roll. It basically loses it's effectiveness with a wider rim. Also, the tires are one-size (in terms of rim width), so a 2.5 tire on a wider rim will actually sit taller on the wheel and feel like a larger tire than it really is so you now have more room to play with for absorbing bumps. However, because the cushcore is the same size for both rim widths, you need to run the pressure lower in the wider rim to have the same riding feel. What that actually means is you lower the pressure in order to match the "spring rate" or volume curve of the tire to match that of the smaller rim with smaller volume. It's the exact same principal as volume spacers in a fork. However, now that you lowered the pressure on the wider rim, and the tire sits higher on that rim, and the cushcore has less sidewall support, you have a recipe for poor cornering performance. Also, not related to cushcore but something I think you missed and I said earlier, the wider rim = bigger tire feel. What you are doing is changing the curvature of the tire from sidewall to sidewall, making it flatter. It's easier to imagine the difference between a 2.5" on a 35mm rim vs a 2.5" on a 25mm rim. the 25mm rim will look way more curved. This may or may not make it better for cornering, it's unknown until you try it because every tire mfg will have a different design and will obviously handle differently on various rims. That's why Maxxis now sells wide trail versions of their tires. But in general, wider tires have poorer cornering performance because they are less curved, and the reason they are less curved is because the mfg limits their height due to folding issues under load. Just FYI I rock 29mm rims for my local trail bike and 25mm rims for my backcountry big bike, both with cushcore f/r, and i run 24/28psi on the 29mm and 25/29psi on the 25mm. I find steering the big bike with a slack headangle works great with the turning/leaning performance of the 25mm rims and the cushcore makes up for the lack of big bump compliance. I also don't ride 30+mph at DH parks which is also a huge factor in determining which rim width is best. You put a lot of effort in your vid, great job.

[@doodskwid]

:(

[@paulmulryne8405]

Yes.

[@deanemberley2333]

wider is better overall, but 5 mm difference is negligible to be honest, especially with turning like you mention. i run 2.6 on 35mm internal now and its woks better

[@vindeta360]

Fellow eagle scout! I LOVED my i38 rims and 2.8 width tires on my Ragley hardtail. That hardtail caused me to fall in love with biking all over again.

[@johnnydoe66]

Logan definitely earns his money, running down the trail filming you in action.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yep, I'm lucky to get to work with him!

[@andrewslezak441]

I’m an Eagle Scout as well! Loved to hear that we have that in common. Love your content. If it’s ever a possibility, I’d love to see a video with mentoring some Scouts on trail safety and riding! Something to think about.

[@airliftpilot]

I think tire pressure is a bigger factor than you give it credit for. It would have been nice to see a test running both at a higher and lower pressure that are equal. It seems to me the very things that you noticed to most are related to tire pressure more than rim width.

[@adamcvanwinkle]

I’m running i35 DT Swiss rims on my Diamondback Release, they are definitely too wide for the bike (2.4 is the widest tire I can fit on the rear) but I got a sweet deal on them a while back. I agree 100% that the added volume really smoothed out the ride, this bike is known to be harsh on successive hits of fast chatter so the wheels really improved the ride quality. I would probably prefer a 30 or 32 on the rear though just for a better tire selection.

[@matt-g-recovers]

Also, I think many more folks want to know the difference between 25 and 30 because many of us have ~older/cheaper bikes with 25mm rims. Many folks are either about to upgrade in part or whole ...or dream of upgrading :)

[@MarioXcore1]

Imma be real with you Jeff there was a good while where I wasn’t feeling your vids but you’re pumping out bangers non stop now 🤝🤝

[@mikejones420]

I have found that in rougher rockier terrain wider rims knock you off line easier than a narrower rim, in my experience anyway. Awesome video Jeff.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

I noticed I felt more connected to my bike with the 30mm rims, which was nice on the skinny. The 36mm is a little more vague feeling.

[@mrvwbug4423]

I honestly have experienced the opposite. For me at least I find 35mm rims hold a line better when monster trucking through rock gardens than a 30mm rim. I would also add that I'm running Assegai/Dissector combo which are optimized for 35mm width rims, and ran the same combo in the same tire width on 30mm width rims on my previous bike, though the prior bike was 27.5

[@letsgoridebikes]

I run Race Face Next R wheels in the 36mm width with Cush Core and 20/22 psi F/R. They feel amazing on my Devinci Troy, the bike is super planted, fast, and tracks amazing through the chunk. I had an 30mm(ish) alloy wheel for a while I was waiting for a warranty replacement and the difference is easily noticeable.

[@dakotakirby5673]

Thinking about getting a Troy and selling my offering v2, would love to hear your in depth opinion

[@letsgoridebikes]

@@dakotakirby5673 haven’t ridden the Offering, but the Troy is the funnest bike I’ve ridden, even compared to the Stumpjumper Evo.

[@SeMoArtifactAdventures]

I became an eagle scout in 2004. I really enjoy your vids. I run 40mm rims on my plus bike. They seem to keep the tires from rolling so bad in the corners.

[@mattrogers9716]

So much to unpack in this one. Rim width and tire size are two of many variables that impact ride feel. Running the same tire on drastically different rim widths is probably not a very fair comparison. Since tire shape is affected by rim width and tire pressure, that probably has as much or more to do with the differences you noted, rather than just rim width. Additionally, when you run pressure several pounds lower on the wider rim you are going to get more squish. Generally, tire pressure is lower with wider rims because the tire itself is usually a larger width. The greater air volume lets us get away with lower pressures without the tire folding over. Always love your videos Jeff! Just thought I’d add my two cents. Cheers

[@TheJofrica]

In the future let’s get it so at the touch of a button you can adjust everything. Head tube angle, wheelbase, seat angle, rim width, tire width, tire tread even, top tube length, stand over height, handlebar width. Everything. You can have presets and like select #5 and it’s an enduro bike, or number 3 and it’s an XC bike, etc. James Bond mtb. Let’s get it done.

[@Coolcmsc]

Love this vid 😊 The thing about the “real world” pressures is more complicated than you make out in a test. If you’d had time and the ‘beans’ you could have tested each size on each other’s ideal pressures and then on their correct ideal pressures. So three times as many runs. That way you’d be able to dissect out rim vs pressure as contributing factors. But that would have been a massive increase in effort and time. But, although not feasible on one day (constant conditions), it doesn’t mean you can be sure of the causes of the differences - and safenesses - you spotted. The skinny test was very realistic! Great vid!

[@200Duece]

Agreed. You either have a control or variables. The only variable in this video should have been the rim width. Changing anything else can negate the one variable you are testing.

[@Coolcmsc]

@@200Duece Thanks. Although, in fairness to Kendle, it’s the conclusions that matter from well conducted tests. In this case, none of us really need to hear that a wide rim isn’t at its best when the pressure’s too high. It’s your point that’s important: we want to know what the difference is between the two rims at both pressures. Most can only afford one rim. We must choose. We’re choosing the rim, not the pressure. So, having dissected the differences at the different points we then pick. And run at the correct pressure for each of us - lower on the wider rim. Of course, that test would have been a nightmare in one day on the different surfaces, cambers and steepness and we all want him to make vids of what he does to look at. He was testing for himself and showing the results on a vid. Perhaps he should have made that more clear?

[@shawn-paulluchin603]

Thx for this one. I have my 27.5+(40mm) for the Tahoe sandy trails yet I stopped using them because of the lousy engagement. The daily wheels are 25mm carbon 29 in wheels with Onyx hubs. Instant engagement. And they are twitchy but I enjoy the sharper wheels with better engagement.

[@jkeiffer]

I scrolled through some comments, but I didn't see anyone ask why you didn't try 35mm front and 30mm rear? Comfort in the front and no squirm in the rear?

[@derekbaker8791]

Well done video. That shot following you along the skinny then down the trail was brilliant! My '22 build project is new wheels for my Canfield Nimble9 and I've been wondering about going to wider (and maybe carbon ?!) rims...

[@JonathanEbert-JE]

Wow, this video came at a great time, I’m updating my single speed hardtail bike and I’ve got some wider rims on it because it has plus tires on it before. I think I’ll probably go to a similar tire setup that you used now. Also, fellow Eagle Scout here!

[@snowthugs]

Eagle Scout here. Great test! I run a hybrid tires and rims. Internal 30mm 2.5 in front 28mm and 2.3 in the rear. Works for me and my taste.

[@larkinkelly3754]

Look up Stan’s wide right guide. It’s not just the width of the rim, but the rim width vs tire size that matters. The 2.6 is on the high end for a 30mm and the low end for 35mm rim width.

[@josephlynch9994]

Yet another great "real word test"! It is addicting to always want the latest "trend" of the mtb world . Most of us dont even know why things change and evolve as they do. Awesome to see the comparison of rim widths , i am going up from 23mm on my 2016 Altitude so this video answers a lot.Thumbs up to Logan as well, he is a local legend in these parts. Havent seen him at Lake Story in quite awhile. Keep it coming fellas!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

What is Lake Story? Is that an Illinois thing? Yeah the 23mm rims will be a VERY different feel than either the 30 or 36mm rims. If you slap a lot of tight turns and hit a lot of jumps, consider 30mm. If you want a more all around, plush set up, the 36mm might be just the ticket!

[@josephlynch9994]

@@JeffKendallWeed Thanks Jeff! Lol, Lake Story is a 5 mile single track in Galesburg Il. Logan's home town.

[@charleswhite7612]

IMHO, most of your observations can be attributed to the difference in gyroscopic affect between the rim widths. I’ve found the same thing. Wider rims have more reluctance to change direction, resulting in your “vague feel”. (I just did the same comparison last weekend between Roval 30 vs 38mm w/same results) Watch it again. Great video.👍😊

[@MeNtAlmil]

Eagle Scout too! Love your videos, just picked up a 5010 with 2.6s on 35mm rims and I'm pumped!

[@sjcrawford42]

love it. Also, did you just say matt's off road? That's next on my subs playlist lol

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yes! I legit thought Logan was watching them work on the LJ on the climb up!

[@BalintSofalvi]

Finally, a pro using mudhugger rear fender, i don't feel alone in the world anymore :))) thanks for the great video Jeff 👍 😀 😊

[@colbyscott9822]

Logically, it's weird to me that a larger volume at the same pressure would feel firmer. More air (even at same PSI) should, technically speaking, should offer a little softter spring. Same reason using tokens in your fork/shock gives you a higher spring rate.

[@burkebair]

Eagle Scout and one Palm here! Great video!

[@HaggisPower]

Thanks Jeff and Logan. I have run 39mm rims for a while but swapped to 30mm after destroying the rear rim and immediately noticed the narrower rims were much better on off-camber sections with my usual Maxxis 2.5 DHR/DHF. That was the biggest difference by far

[@conman1395]

39mm internal on 2.5 inch tires is pretty insane...

[@HaggisPower]

@@conman1395 Yes, although not uncommon, esp in carbon. For a long time everything was 40mm. Seems to have come back a bit now.

[@defunctworld]

people be comparing 30 vs 36mm and I am here still on 22.5mm rims XD

[@vincedavis5326]

Love my I9 wheels. Best wheels I have ever had. Good test video!

[@fishrideandski4910]

Rode bike park on a 140mm HT with XC wheels and now the rim is not doin so well hopefully a wider rim should be better

[@hxcdynasty]

Got eagle in 2007! Love the content! Keep it up!

[@marcus_bowling]

Fellow Eagle scout who also ride a Stylus! Represent brother!

[@andrewwellman]

I tried the wide rims and tires,(30mm and up) and am now back down to 25mm and 27mm internal with 2.35/2.4. With wide rims and corresponding tires, the handling suffers, the added weight becomes a detriment to the suspension and bikes agility in technical finesse requiring riding. Regarding man-made /heavy equipment made trails were the terrain is planned out, groomed and the and the trail corners for you, you are less likely to notice the down sides of wide tires and rims. A smash-and-go style of ride its best suited to wide stuff. On the other hand on old School, roots rocks, technical climbs, rake and ride, the narrow tires and rims really shine.

[@matt-g-recovers]

You should have many more subs. folks get the word out. JKW has the goods. What I like is we are same size and weight, build and tastes. You got me on skills though, like you I have spent many years on 2 wheels. BMX, Dirtbikes, Sportbikes and now MTBs mainly for me anymore. It's one good way I can fool myself into doing physical excercise.

[@ghostdog1581]

Eagle Scout, 1991. Great video, thanks!

[@trailpimp6369]

I run the Industry 9 BC 360 with Hydra hubs on my enduro bike with Cush cores and 2.6 tires. 17 PSI front and 19 rear it is so amazing with 170 travel and 29 inch wheels. My bike is a pure monster truck. 30 mm internal is good too but the wide ones are so plush. Nice video and industry 9 is sick.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Another question, are WTB tires profiled for wide rims? I know the Maxxis WT tires are profiled around wider rims with the WTs specifically being optimzed for a 35mm rim width.

[@blameitonben]

Eagle scout here!!! Got mine in 1994 when I was 14.

[@illhumouredparadox]

Great vid, Jeff. There's not enough hardtail riders doing component comparisons on actual hardtails. I salute you. What rear mud guard are you running? Can't find a rear one long enough that doesn't look goofy as hell. I love that rear mud guard.

[@Bjoggi308]

Looks like a MudHugger fender. I love mine.

[@davidpinnington213]

Yep it’s a mudhugger - uk brand - they keep all the slop off - not the coolest looking but they work and bonus - no ass/balls buzz if you get right off the back on the steep descents

[@illhumouredparadox]

Thanks fellas. Imma Definitely get me some.

[@jonathanrowland6498]

Great comparison on a seldom discussed topic! Also, I earned my Eagle in 2004.

[@thecakeisalie7070]

THANKS LOGAN! 🤘 I would've guess the same that narrow = better at jumps and wide = better at trail. OMG I need to update my xmas wishlist! 🤣

[@peterlang5047]

3:10 I love Matt’s off road recovery

[@jd4000]

I'm a heavy dude, qbout 120kg on bike or over 250lb. I run Hope Fortus 35mm wheels with Cush Core F & R, Maxxis Assegai Exo TR WT front & Aggressor Exo TR WT rear, both in the dual compound. I have been playing at between 19-23psi rear and 17-21 front. Finding softer is better, bit slower but it's smooth and grippy. My local is greasy in the wet, so I'm getting let down on steeps and off camber a bit when it's wet. I think. I'd like to try some of the same tyres in Maxx-Grip, or go to a more mud friendly set but still in Maxx-Grip compound. If you have wide rims, WT tyres and cush core I think it's very important to experiment with how low you can get down to before it's gets Squirrely on the tyre, make sure it feels confidence inspiring for cornering, impact on trail obsticles and breakaway from hard pushes in corners or on climbs. Breaking is also vital but being in control is equally as vital for nit having to break all the time.

[@blurglide]

Well I guess what you really need to know is how much lower pressure can you ran with wide rims, and how much lower can you safely run with an insert?

[@daniellinquist416]

Eagle Scout 1990. Thanks for the video!

[@kohler48]

I got to the trail riding segment of the video and had the volume up and my wife thought I was watching porn..I responded.."well kinda.."

[@JohnDoe-zb7dz]

Lets compare wide verses long contact patch. Say 29x2.6 verses 27.5x2.8.

[@eb1888.]

More options for both tire and pressure to explore for a front tire. You can try 120tpi more flexible sidewalls at much lower pressures because the weight on the front is so much less. You do not need that heavy sidewall when you aren't getting sidewall cuts either. Pressure can keep going lower until you get squirm on the 35.

[@champoyee]

Slightly off topic, maybe. But, can you try using the wider rim up front and the narrow rim in the rear? (Unless you have already?) Would there be a noticeable difference in riding characteristics? Since you mentioned the tire roll on the wider rim on the hard corners as opposed to the narrow rim. Seems almost like it might follow the "mullet/mix wheel" trend of best of both? Thanks, and enjoying the videos!

[@nathan42694]

That's a reason alot of riders use a Stan's Arch rim in the rear, a Stan's Flow rim in the front

[@mrvwbug4423]

Hunt actually does this with their Enduro Wide rims. 33mm front 31mm rear

[@Yoda-em5mt]

Yep i run a wtb i35 up front with a 2.6 tyre and a i 30 rear with a 2.5 and it works pretty well rolls a bit quicker as the rear tyre is more rounded but does slide abit easier as the tyre profile is not as square .

[@MrCarpenterMatthew]

as always from your: quality content! Really well executed, trustworthy testing with good analysis! Keep it up!

[@Fastfish11]

On my bike I run a i29 on the rear & a i35 on the front this works best for me & the tires I use

[@landonthings]

Eagle Scout and bike lover here! Thanks for the great videos!

[@bobberhex]

Its huge change, i will always ride 35s for me ibis, especially for big riders 6 2 200+ maxxis rekon 2.60 3c maxterra wt tr exo. I'm 210. Run 19 front 23 rear

[@richardp6461]

Your inner Eagle scout is showing 🦅

[@guol1806]

I am an Eagle Scout and was a cycling merit badge counselor for a few years. I’m here to convert a trail bike into an XC. Seeing what rim width will do to my ride before ordering. I’m looking at 23, 25, and 30.

[@darrinkulyk9560]

30 CF 😎

[@Dempsey222]

JKW you should do a video riding the trails you frequent on a fat bike. That would be cool to see how you handle those big tires.

[@nmnate]

I've got some fr560 / onyx wheels coming in next week. Only 30mm internal width but I'm hoping that's good enough for 2.5-2.4in wide 27.5 tires. The wheel that I blew up was only i25, so it should be a nice upgrade. I'd worry that going to yet wider and wider tires (and rims) would get fairly vague at some point.

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

NM Nate - You'll be good with 30mm internal width. Mine are the 305 that JKW is testing here and I've ran 2.6 width with no issue but stick with 2.5 or 2.4. Now go get some Glorieta on those new wheels! Ride on...

[@alexnelson9505]

Tires size need to be matched to the rim. I found that if you go too wide you lose the rounded profile and it changes the transition from side to side. 30mm for the win on 2.5-2.6 tires, especially in the back.

[@agisspentzos7588]

The weight of the bike is supported by the air pressure on the rim surface. Therefore if x is the pressure on the 30mm wheels, I would inflate the 36mm wheels at x*30/36 in order to have 'normalized' results.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Great point, but it's not realistic as I cannot safely trust pressures that low. Using that formula, and considering the 22/24 psi on the narrow rim as the baseline, then I'd be at 18/20 on the wide rim set up. I was at 20/22 on the wider set up, so in theory that's *too much* pressure. However, they were still far more compliant in the rough than the narrower wheels. And the wider wheels still had significant tire squirm, albeit no actual burping. If I were to follow the theoretical formula and go lower, there would be more squirm- likely to the point that I'd burp the tires. That's no good and not realistic, as a tire burp on a jump face can easily result in a broken collarbone. I wanted to keep this comparison realistic, so I'm sticking to the point that it's best to run real world pressures.

[@skadiYT]

volume of the tire is calculated via cubic function. not that easy linear as 30/36

[@user-rl4ji5ne4o]

Sun Ringle Duroc rims are cheap where i am, and the ERD across them seems the same so it's made playing with different widths easy. My Marin SQ3 fits a 2.5" tyre in the rear. Oem wheel is 29mm internal, but it's heavy, and it wouldn't stay straight. I bought SD42 rims and new spokes/nipples and built them in. When riding fast and trying to turn hard, it's like the rear wheel folds, and I almost get catapulted off the bike. I'm guessing these rims are more suitable for 2.8"+ tyres. I've built in a Duroc 35 now. Just waiting for time to test it. Unfortunately I havent been able to leave my home l for a few weeks due to local zero-covid policies.

[@ken1727]

Great video. I’ve been wanting to see a comparison on this.

[@gordoncoleman2869]

You installed inserts in both but I didn't catch if you remarked on if it was easier to install them in the wider rims vs the narrower ones. There are two types of people in this world. Those who can install cush core and not have tire wobble and apparently there's me who cant seem to ever get it right!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Hey Gordon, both of the I9 rims accepted the inserts without much drama. The Ibis rims have a very minimal center channel, and those are by far the hardest rims for me to use with a CushCore. If you have a wobble, it sounds like a bead isn't seated correctly. Try using some silicon lubricant (like Maxima SC-1) on the CushCore and on the tire bead. Just don't get the silicon on your rotor!

[@thebrowns5337]

@@JeffKendallWeed was just about to say use lube! I have the Tannus armour (yes, I still like tubes) and found mostly they set up well. I did once get wobble and sorted it by resetting with lube.

[@jayswavely6371]

I have been running 2.6 Specialized tire on some 30s. No problem. I do think they would be fatter with wider rims. I rarely think about it but I'm old and slowing.

[@davidnix304]

Interesting video. I’m an Eagle also, 1975.

[@youtubeviewer9523]

Super interesting video with great info! Definitely gonna upgrade to wider rims to minimize tire squirm at low pressure. 30.5 is still pretty wide though. (love some hardtail content, I love my custom steel aggressive HT!)

[@hillsidewoods]

I ride the same chromag frame w a 160fox36 fork. I use 26mm wide rims and 235 maxxis dhf dhr..it feels very rough. I guess upgrading to 30mm will make a big difference.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Hey LF, try the CushCore first. That made a HUGE difference for me! I'd definitely rather have CushCore and narrow rim than a wide rim without!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Tire squirm in the turns wasn't drastically worse with the narrow one- in fact, it was less of an issue than it was on the wide rim. And that's because the narrow set up would loose traction first, and drift rather than squirm. For an advanced rider, drifting is a lot safer than tire squirm. Commonly, folks will run WAY less pressure with wide rims, and that will result in lots of tire squirm. Don't fall for that- check your pressure with a gauge!

[@youtubeviewer9523]

@@JeffKendallWeed I run fairly narrow rims with wide tires and can burp easily if i run low pressures

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Ooooof, that's not safe!!! I'd rather have a higher tire pressure and a collar bone, not lower tire pressures and remnants of a collar bone.

[@benediktmerl4510]

Cool video Jeff, helped me settle for 30 over 25 mm for my current build. What about climbing / pedaling? Did you notice the wider rims to take considerably more effort, due to the weight and tire shape?

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

they will indeed add rolling restistance - thats a natural consequence unfortunately - but think of it this way, it will mean it takes more effort to climb longer slopes etc but it will improve your fitness the more you do it! - silver lining and all that!

[@sebomel4298]

depens which bike. XC 25mm, everything else 30mm.

[@marktechsci]

I ride the same 5.75 mile loop every day on the weekdays. I went from stock M1900 30mm Assegai / DHR II Summer setup to Reynolds CF i9 Hydra 35mm Shorty / Dissector Winter setup and my overall speed dropped by about 20%. Of course, we also have mud loading to take into account, but the 35s seem quite a bit harder to pedal with those tires. It will be interesting to see how my times compare when it is dry and I run the Assegai / DHR II combo again on the 35mm wheels. Old tires were 29 x 2.5F 29 x 2.4R. New are 2.4 F/R and weird thing is my hairpin turn radius seems smaller now. There is one that I almost never made before but am about 80% now.

[@claytonprice7833]

What are the tyres designed for? 30mm or 36mm width. The 36mm rim will keep the outer edge taller. Need the correct design tyre in a wider rim...🙃🙂

[@mrupholsteryman]

My front tire is wider than the rear...but the rim is same width. Been thinking the skinnier width allows better torque and more margin for error (like on skinnies) but the front allows more navigation helps with rocks and roots. I used to race bmx and used a 2.125 on the front and a 1.75 on the rear. Kinda apples and orangutans... haha!

[@niklasdr]

@Jeff Kendall-Weed - do you use CushCore Plus in the rear with the wider 36 inner diameter rim and the wider 2.6" tire?

[@javic79]

I don’t know man but those 35 mm wheels from ibis feels really nice and it’s my second year riding them. Well 30 mm are nice too and I ride tires from 2.4 up to 2.6

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Boy Scout in the house! Love my wife rims

[@Morpheas001]

I love my wife no matter what rims she uses

[@keystonemtb9925]

Great subject to touch on, and great riding!

[@mattdickey2454]

I have the Ibis s35 with Onyx hubs and seem really good 👍. I've never seen anyone else compare this till now. Thanks for the awesome video. BTW, I don't have cush, and have not burped either.

[@joelmccourt]

Fellow Eagle Scout... love your vids!

[@Eric.V.]

Fellow Eagle Scout since 1996 What was your eagle project? The only scholarship I got for college was actually from the Boy Scouts!

[@sendbreakmend]

Great video Jeff, Thanks for not going straight into your sponsor list it makes a huge difference! To see a bit of riding and context first was great I really enjoyed it 🤘🏻. Question if I want my bike to feel more nimble in the air (esp the back end) would you recommend trying narrower tyres? I could also upgrade to a lighter cassette (running NX 12 speed) or I could build up a pair of DT Swiss XM418 rims that I’ve got in the attic but that’s a £300 investment. If you could do one or a combination of those which would you go for? 🤔

[@BMIutah]

I am an eagle scout as well, great shout out

[@ChristianJohnsons]

Great test! Any thoughts how a 2.5” tire on the 30mm vs 2.6” on the 35mm might have impacted the results?

[@thescandiflick]

Its great that you demonstrated this experiment using your hardtail since they have zero suspension aid in the back, never tried a 35mm width tire and Im actually on a 25mm internal rim width. However Im purchasing a new HT frame which is very similar to the style of the Chromag Stylus. Would you recommend a Wheelset with a 35mm width for that bike or a mixed ( front 30mm , back 35mm) ? Im looking for a Wheelset but still can't really make up my mind on whether to go with 35mm internal or 30mm . I plan to have tires that range between 2.4-2.8 and experiment between these width. Appreciate some advice!

[@hambo76]

I'd like to see a 25mm internal rim width with a 2.35" tyre, vs a 30mm internal rim width with a 2.4" tyre, but on a full suspension bike like the Ripmo. Is there an acceptable trade off between weight and strength for most average riders?

[@whiteamonra4194]

Where did you get that back wheel mud guard from???

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Just ordered them online. RRP front and MudHugger rear.

[@bryanl.taylor6249]

Interesting video, great biking! In your case I can see the rear 27.5 being wider than the 29” front wheel but for 29 front and back wouldn’t it make more since for front to be slightly wider than rear for better bite? I am doing new XC hard tail trail build with new Specialized Chisel frame I got a good deal on a while back. Since I am a little older now and bigger with a limited budget I am going with Recon RL 120mm fork over Judy 100mm, and considering Hunts TrailWide 30mm ID (instead of 25mm) wheel set probably 2.3 or 2.4 rear and 2.5 or 2.6 front (a little more comfort over speed) plan on using newer Shimano components setup. I plan to purchase a dropper post as well… (Eagle Scout 1972, loved the camping and high adventure and great overall moral convictions. Disappointed it is no longer the same viable organization for developing young men.) Any thoughts or suggestions about my build?

[@willienillie6337]

Question: My bike has 21mm inside width, I wonder if I can put 27.5 x 2.5 inch tires? Currently running 2.3

[@cheut]

If road bikes run roughly a 30mm tire on 20mm rims, shouldn’t we be running 40mm rims with our 60mm (2.35”) tires?

[@jeffpower6473]

0:17 expertly edited video/music coordination

[@Yoda-em5mt]

I have two ns eccentric hardtails almost same spec one with wtb asym i35 rims the other with dt mullet setup 30 mm front 35 mm rear and run a 2.6 front and 2.8 rear to keep tyre profile the same there both really good but the 35 mm rims with maxxis 2.5 i thinks is better at holding a line in the tech off camber stuff the only down side is there heavier but i would never go back to skinny rims oooh .

[@wallyedmonds8199]

The tire size means a lot , on wider rims you need wider tire or the tire will be flat on top and will fold , wider rim tire setup is more stable but slower , narrow and narrower tires faster in general 😇 Love industry 9 ☺️ oh and on wide rims wt tires are better .

[@clay_not_dirt]

No eagle Scout in Canada, but got my Queen Venture award which is the Canadian equivalent.

[@AGUNGFAUZI2020]

hi Jeff, what is the brand of your yellow jacket?Thanks

[@steamtrac]

Can you let me know which mudguards are these? Thanks.

[@javicc2]

hey man @jeff!!!! im a big fan from costarica! i have 35 widht rim at the back, do i need the WT tire with it? i noticed a lack of grip at the back when being super leaned over (dhr2).... up front is 30mm

[@thewackylifeph]

Eagle Scout! 👋🏽 Earned my badge back in 19___. hahahaha! great vid, as always! 👍🏽