Does rim width matter?

Industry Nine makes wheels with all kinds of different rim widths, and I’m lucky enough to have two different width wheelsets for my mullet bike. While meeting with the Industry Nine guys, they suggested a fun video idea might be to compare these differing widths- and the more I thought about it, I realized I’d never seen an actual rim width comparison!
The Enduro 305 wheelset is the narrower set, but still sports a healthy 30.5mm inner rim width.
bit.ly/i9Endur... (affiliate link)
FYI, all links below are affiliate links- thanks in advance!
The Backcountry 360 wheelset is the wider of the two with a full 36mm inner rim width.
bit.ly/Industr...
Both wheelsets are 29” front, 27.5” rear, and are set up identically: Industry Nine Hydra hubs, Industry Nine aluminum system spokes, Shimano XT 10-51 cassettes, and 180mm rotors. The tires are also identical, with a WTB Vigilante 2.5 TCS Tough High Grip up front, and a WTB TrailBoss 2.6 TCS Tough Fast Rolling in the back. Both rear wheels are using 27.5 CushCore.
And BTW, the CushCore is an ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER for the hardtail! bit.ly/CushCor...
Since the Ultimate Internet Bike video ( • I built the "ULTIMATE"... ) I changed a couple things: I went to PNW Components 35mm diameter bars and stem, swapped in a longer 50mm stem, and added the CushCore/2.6 rear tire. I’ve been enjoying the bike a ton more with these changes. My hands no longer go numb, and the bike is a lot more compliant through the rough with the CushCore.
New Parts I added:
PNW Range 35mm diameter bars: bit.ly/PNWRang...
PNW Range 35mm stem in a 50mm length: bit.ly/PNWRang...
CushCore single 27.5 rear insert: bit.ly/CushCor...
Big shout to my sponsors! Thanks to Jenson USA, PNW Components, Industry Nine, and Shimano- and any purchases from the below links to Jenson USA will help support my channel:
Jenson USA: bit.ly/JensonU...
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Shimano: bit.ly/Shimano...
Did you know I post a new riding tutorial every month? These are ONLY posted to my Patreon page, so join now to see these rad videos! Here’s the full list of my riding tutorials posted through August 2021:
How to levitate out of corners: / 55607066
Three simple cornering tips: / 54371316
How (and when) to rock roll or drop: / 53126562
How to jump with fluidity- and not DEAD SAILER! / 51914476
How to Lanual: / 50695443
How to climb ledges without a bunny hop: / 49476021
Which brake to use when: / which-brake-to-48108425
Different bikes, different riding techniques: / 46925782
How to ride FLAT PEDALS through the ROCKS: / how-to-ride-flat-45662347
How to ride wet roots and steep chutes: / 44507851
How to ride with style: / how-to-ride-with-43349450
How to jump for height vs distance: / 42202183
Common manual questions answered: / 41006264
How to land jumps: / 39928153
My 3 favorite skills drills: / if-i-could-only-38809964
How to manual: / how-to-manual-37684861
Cutty: / 36579859
Manual a berm: / 35496772
How to ride in Sedona: / 34436065
Switchbacks: / 3-ways-to-33345804
Nosewheelie: / 32742504
Bump jump: / 31881231
Trials basics for trail riders: / 31145344
Tight berms: / 30389457
Aggressive braking: / 29579507
Confidence for mountain biking: / 28817411
Cornering: / 27981205
Flowing/pumping down the trail: / 27288868
Stoppie through turns: / 26296762
Technical climbing: / 25234847
Boost jumps: / 24161821
Bunnyhop: / 23396959
Utilizing the wheelie on the trail: / 23017910
How to wheelie: / 21879606
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[@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!

[@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

[@frankapple4130]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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!

[@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?

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@defunctworld]

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

[@peterlang5047]

3:10 I love Matt’s off road recovery

[@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!

[@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.

[@MeNtAlmil]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@BalintSofalvi]

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

[@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?

[@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.👍😊

[@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.

[@blameitonben]

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

[@marcus_bowling]

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

[@landonthings]

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

[@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.

[@MrCarpenterMatthew]

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

[@jonathanrowland6498]

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

[@ghostdog1581]

Eagle Scout, 1991. Great video, thanks!

[@vincedavis5326]

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

[@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 .

[@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?

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@JohnDoe-zb7dz]

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

[@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? 🤔

[@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?

[@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...🙃🙂

[@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.

[@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 😎

[@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.

[@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!

[@davidnix304]

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

[@TNW84]

So glad you made the Double Down reference. I was like, ahh ok cool lol.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yeah a lotta folks don't realize that Double Down is just a slightly lighter weight version of the WTB Tough casing.

[@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.

[@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

[@clay_not_dirt]

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

[@keystonemtb9925]

Great subject to touch on, and great riding!

[@whiteamonra4194]

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

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Just ordered them online. RRP front and MudHugger rear.

[@patrickroup8066]

That rear fender be so goofy lookin

[@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 .

[@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

[@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!

[@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!

[@patrickszuminski9446]

All three of my little monkeys are Eagle Scouts! I am not however I was a commissioner for years and woodbadge trained. Seems no one talks about that anymore. Fat bikes rule, wide rims make a difference.

[@jacobbockover1628]

So does the shape/width change and di you think its part of the feel

[@BMIutah]

I am an eagle scout as well, great shout out

[@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?

[@taylorhill571]

Yoooo EAGLE SCOUTS ASSEMBLE 🦅🦆

[@JeffKendallWeed]

There we goooooo!

[@jckgoldness]

Shot outs to Logan for the sick shots

[@thewackylifeph]

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

[@stevenorcutt2099]

Can you mix it up with a wide front narrow rear and visa versa? Would that make an interesting ride?

[@Cycle_Smith]

Great video. Interesting topic. Do you deal with a certain amount of tire squirm at your pressures? I’ve always based my pressures on not having tire squirm. Wondering if I should try lower I just hate the feeling of squirm.

[@ragethomas]

Eagle scout 13!

[@genisis53]

Eagle Scout in ‘03 also!

[@p199a]

do you still ride wider rims?

[@TheNik604]

Great video, but that rear mud guard,,oh man...

[@joelmccourt]

Fellow Eagle Scout... love your vids!

[@tsalesto]

"Correct" rim width depends a lot of the trails you ride, the riding style and also the tyres you use. I have a mullet EMTB, and I use a 29 mm and a 30 mm front rim and 35 mm in the rear. For tires I usually run 2.4" - 2.6" in the front and from a 2.6" to even 3.0" in the rear in the winter. Good video Jeff.

[@Yoda-em5mt]

Yep your right on the money i make my own tyre inserts to suit either my 35mm rims or my 30 mm rims to keep the tyre as tight as possible , i dont think maxxis has made there wt tyres wide enough in the tread for 35 mm rims well there 2.5 anyway the 2.6 work really well on 30 and 35 not in love with the 2.5 on a 35 mm what are your thoughts ?

[@NDemanuele1]

Great video! I would also be interested to see a video on Hub engagement. I heard that if you get to a certain level of engagement ( 70 plus?) anything above that is less noticeable?

[@JeffKendallWeed]

LOL I thought you watched and commented on that video?! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2S1lqSlapqrmsk

[@NDemanuele1]

@@JeffKendallWeed I did watch it, but don't think I commented. I'll watch it again...Lol.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Boy Scout in the house! Love my wife rims

[@Morpheas001]

I love my wife no matter what rims she uses

[@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

[@thermonuculur]

Eagle scout, I also put air in tires.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

lol that's the spirit!

[@FernFlowMtb]

what type of rear fender is that? Need me one of those!

[@nicholascaptures]

That fender tho

[@PunkUncleShow]

Eagle Scout here too 🤘🏼

[@sjaan7370]

Narrower front and wider rear. Would love to hear you thoughts on that combo. Cheers

[@NorthernSkiAndCycle]

Crankbrothers is doing that on some wheelsets.

[@sjaan7370]

@@NorthernSkiAndCycle I've done in for years as I love the rounder front for corners and squarer rear profile for braking. Would like Jeff's opinion since he has the wheels ready to go! ;)

[@lemuelalolod6347]

Wow , I'm also a scout from Philippines!

[@cornerstone5872]

hello! how much is the travel of your fork on the hardtail?

[@blazed85]

I run Maxxis Pace 2.1 on em 😎

[@javisst44]

If you would have done the test with the exakt same tyre pressures I think that the differences that you mentioned might have gone away regardless of you previous experience. More tendency to burping and smother at lower pressures, no shit! Like your vids but this was a bit wacky to not start off with the same pressures and then test both at lower pressures.

[@KolChuBirke]

What tire pressure gauge do you use?

[@drewsenthused6079]

I made it through the cub scouts but got kicked out of the webelos.

[@albertredlumba9562]

what rim width best for xc??

[@graysquirreltreeservice7299]

Awesome test 👌 👏 😎

[@hiigara2085]

Nice. You put in some good miles to make this.

[@weserve042203]

Eagle 2002

[@-tr0n]

These results are exactly what I've felt over the years. I still have a set of doublewides, so I know a thing or two about wide rims... Wide rims have increased volume and a square contact patch which makes for a more stable, cushier, more forgiving ride over roots and drops. Narrower rims are more flickable and corner better with more predictable side knob bite, plus they're lighter. Speed, pedaling, corners, go narrow. Hucking to flat and bombing down janky square edge trails, go wide.

[@roberttaylor6758]

Eagle scout son! 2005

[@alexkeyes1706]

Yet Loic Bruni just won his 5th world championship in DH on 25mm wheels

[@bonham4994sts9]

Got my in 2002

[@thereignofthezero225]

Arguably nothing matters 😄