Wheel weight vs rim width when upgrading

[weenie]

you could also do what i did and get SL23/24 with novatec hubs and tubeless tires. they roll just fine and they're really light.
from time to time, with bad luck bearings go wrong (they're cheap on novatecs obviously). these are easy to replace tho.

Obviously, with more money i'd go with better hubs and avoid such issues altogether.. but for the price is hard to beat (i paid ~500 USD for 2 SL23 rim wheels, laced, hand built in the US, shipped with novatecs and sapim spokes ~1560gr with 24/32 and the hubs are disc hubs)

[WMW]

Unless I'm mistaken I thought the benefit of wider rims was to provide more volume which allows the rider to reduce tire pressure (comfort) or keep the same tire pressure and improve rolling resistance.

In theory there should be a slight improvement in Crr, but people who have measured it have not noticed it. If you reduce pressure at all, you've surely eliminated it and then some. And you need to reduce pressure if you want the same shock absorption.

If what you want is a smoother ride and lower rolling resistance you'll get a lot more just by going from a 23 to 25mm tire.

The only magic the wide rim provides is aero, which is enough for me. The better cornering feel is paid for by a stiffer ride.

[gcwebbyuk]

So for my weight - 75kg, wanting a wheel I can use year round, what number of spokes, and configuration would you go for?

As for hubs, I am happy to spend money on hubs that are going to last - are the Dura Ace the best to go for really?

Spokes - Sapim CX Ray?

Finally nipples - - what sort are the best? Brass or Aluminium?

Can you recommend any wheel builders in the UK?

With regard to tubeless - can Conti GP4000S II tyres be run tubeless?

[F45]

For two tires of 1mm difference in width, you can ride the wider tire at about 5psi less/1mm for the same rolling resistance.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... i-23-25-28

[Calnago]

Ha! That chart is interesting if for no other reason than it confirms common sense and pretty much aligns exactly with what I've found by trial and error. I basically run 25mm Veloflex Arrenbergs at ~105R/95F and run 23mm Veloflex Carbons at ~115R/105F. I'm 200lbs and this gives me the feel I like on the road. The 25's are more comfortable. I don't know that one is faster than the other at these pressures. But I like the feel. I tried testing different tire sizes mounted on identical wheelsets using the same bike and the same position down a hill without pedaling. I had a section I would coast down and "lap" the time. Back up, do it again,... And again. Average the results. Then do the same thing with the different size tires. Looked at results. Conclusion: Nothing. In real life a lot of this hype means squat. I do find the ride quality and stability of the wider tires nice. For all out speed, like on a TT bike, I'd still probably run narrower tires over wider tires and at higher pressures as well. Ride is harsher but that's the trade off.
And yes, I had way too much time on my hands that day.

[bm0p700f]

Wmw as i have pointed out if you put a 23mm tyre on a 23mm wode rim or wider it comes up at 25mm. So you get the larger air volume of a 25mm tyre with less weight. Therefore you get the improved ride comfort and of course you drop the tyre pressur a bit. You get a stiffer rim too which longrspoke life for a lower spoke count. It win win which evr way you look at it and ten there is a small aero gain and maybe a ery small crr advantae too. So yoj overlook many real advantages.

Wider tyres on a woder rim just feels betterand more stable at speed and over rough roads.

[F45]

Yes, I ride a labeled 27mm rear, 25mm front on a 17mm id rim which gives 31mm rear, 27mm front. 70psi in both @ 155lbs. So smooth. My roads are rough.

[WMW]

So you get the larger air volume of a 25mm tyre with less weight. Therefore you get the improved ride comfort and of course you drop the tyre pressur a bit.

Fallacy alert. A 23mm tire on a 23mm rim, has *less* compliance than a 23mm tire on a 19mm rim. That "light bulb" shape you are getting rid of is inherently more compliant. The sidewalls that flex less when cornering, also flex less when hitting bumps.