Rim width question
10-23-20, 02:20 AM
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Rim width question
I’m in the market for a wheel upgrade and the wheels I’m looking at are slightly wider then what’s currently on the bike. The bike has side pull caliper brakes and the new rims would be 3mm wider than the stock wheels. I’ll transfer over the tires since they’re new. Is it safe to assume that with only a 3mm increase in width that I can adjust the brakes to fit? Thanks.
10-23-20, 06:18 AM
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Yes you should be able to adjust your brakes to fit
10-23-20, 06:56 AM
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Generally yes, a 3mm added width should be no issue. BUT if your rims are already at the caliper's limit then even 3mm will be a problem. This we can't say as we don't know enough yet or we are not there.
I will add that this is an issue for those who have calipers that were designed around the 23mm tire/20-22mm rim (outer) widths that were so common just 5+ years ago. People want to get fashionable by replacing their wheels with the current wider ones and are finding their calipers no longer have enough travel to allow the QR to fully function. Just one more "cost" of having been in fashion those 5+ years ago
Andy
I will add that this is an issue for those who have calipers that were designed around the 23mm tire/20-22mm rim (outer) widths that were so common just 5+ years ago. People want to get fashionable by replacing their wheels with the current wider ones and are finding their calipers no longer have enough travel to allow the QR to fully function. Just one more "cost" of having been in fashion those 5+ years ago
Andy
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10-23-20, 08:51 AM
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Current rims are 19mm wide and I’m looking at something in the 22mm wide range. It appears that the trend is for increasingly wider wheels as many of the wheels I’ve looked at are 25mm and wider.
10-23-20, 09:00 AM
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Rims can handle much wider tires typically than what came on them originally. Don't know what your bike is, but for most road bikes, the rim is likely more that wide enough to safely fit the widest tire that also can fit in that frame. For other type bike.... I can't say.
edit.... yes I should have refreshed my memory with the original post before replying. Instead I focused only on the OP's reply to another and forgot that there was a reason given.
Last edited by Iride01; 10-23-20 at 09:19 AM. Reason: being humbled by my own realizations.
10-23-20, 09:05 AM
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I’m in the market for a wheel upgrade and the wheels I’m looking at are slightly wider then what’s currently on the bike. The bike has side pull caliper brakes and the new rims would be 3mm wider than the stock wheels. I’ll transfer over the tires since they’re new. Is it safe to assume that with only a 3mm increase in width that I can adjust the brakes to fit? Thanks.
10-23-20, 09:41 AM
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I’m looking to upgrade my wheelset, so the possibility of having a wider rim. Tires will stay the same as I’ll transfer them over to the new wheelset.
10-23-20, 10:20 AM
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I’m in the market for a wheel upgrade and the wheels I’m looking at are slightly wider then what’s currently on the bike. The bike has side pull caliper brakes and the new rims would be 3mm wider than the stock wheels. I’ll transfer over the tires since they’re new. Is it safe to assume that with only a 3mm increase in width that I can adjust the brakes to fit? Thanks.
Basically, 1mm is tiny. 3mm is 3 times that but still very small. You shouldn’t have any issues adjusting your brakes to the proper width.
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10-23-20, 04:57 PM
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My only concern if you are going to mount a 25mm tire on a rim with a 22/23mm internal width if the rim is too wide for the tire.
Most charts show a rim closer to your 19mm as the maximum width.
John
Most charts show a rim closer to your 19mm as the maximum width.
John
10-23-20, 07:40 PM
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I’m in the market for a wheel upgrade and the wheels I’m looking at are slightly wider then what’s currently on the bike. The bike has side pull caliper brakes and the new rims would be 3mm wider than the stock wheels. I’ll transfer over the tires since they’re new. Is it safe to assume that with only a 3mm increase in width that I can adjust the brakes to fit? Thanks.
10-24-20, 01:19 PM
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The other thing to consider is that if you need to switch to another set of wheels (such as, you go to take the bike out and discover a flat) you can't without first re-adjusting the brakes.
Last edited by CyclingFool95; 11-03-20 at 04:47 PM.
