Cheapo MTB wheels good for road?
08-02-18, 02:15 PM
#1
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Cheapo MTB wheels good for road?
I have an old hybrid that currently has super chunky tires and 17 or so mm rims (internal). Yes I know that's bad. But. The wheels need replacing after taking a battering for a few years and I want to repurpose it to be road focused since it's utter trash on the trails anyway.
Since 21mm internal rims are all the hype, how dumb would it be to get a $100 or so MTB wheelset with a 21mm internal width and stick 25mm tires on it? The rider weighs maybe 110lbs so they wouldn't exactly be pushing it. Would the tire blow? Would the rim fail?
BTW: I'm looking at XM280 rims laced to sram hubs on JensonUSA.
Since 21mm internal rims are all the hype, how dumb would it be to get a $100 or so MTB wheelset with a 21mm internal width and stick 25mm tires on it? The rider weighs maybe 110lbs so they wouldn't exactly be pushing it. Would the tire blow? Would the rim fail?
BTW: I'm looking at XM280 rims laced to sram hubs on JensonUSA.
Last edited by smashndash; 08-02-18 at 02:26 PM.
08-02-18, 03:37 PM
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"Super chunky" tires have poor road performance. Why don't you try fitting some slick/minimal tread tires on your current wheels? It may totally change the character of the bike for you.
08-02-18, 04:05 PM
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OP: you have to get the tires anyway, right? Might as well try them on your existing wheels at no additional cost. Also, "a $100 or so MTB wheelset" may be worse than the wheels you have.
Last edited by AnkleWork; 08-02-18 at 04:09 PM.
08-02-18, 04:07 PM
#4
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For my hybrid, I built a set of wheels (13.5mm internal) to replace the factory (21mm internal) rims just to use 25mm tires.
The rims you have now are a far better match IMO.
Besides, why add the extra weight?
The rims you have now are a far better match IMO.
Besides, why add the extra weight?
08-02-18, 04:24 PM
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Sorry, there was some extraneous information in that post. Basically I'm making the transition to slick tires on a hybrid with QR disc wheels and was wondering whether a 21mm MTB wheel is as good for thin tires as 21mm road wheels. The old wheels have shot bearings and are so out of true at this point, it's a lost cause.
And I think the extra weight is worth the additional comfort + grip and the reduction in suspension losses + rolling resistance. The bike weighs some 35 to 40 lbs. 200 or 300g won't turn this into a race bike.
And I think the extra weight is worth the additional comfort + grip and the reduction in suspension losses + rolling resistance. The bike weighs some 35 to 40 lbs. 200 or 300g won't turn this into a race bike.
Last edited by smashndash; 08-02-18 at 04:27 PM.
08-02-18, 05:00 PM
#6
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A wider rim will result in a harsher ride with a 25mm tire.
Apparently you already decided and just want someone to agree?
I don't. My work is done.
Apparently you already decided and just want someone to agree?
I don't. My work is done.
08-02-18, 05:16 PM
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Seriously? Not sure what kind of logic you're using there. I'd be running lower pressures. My question isn't whether wider is better - everyone agrees that it is. I'm asking what the difference between a 21mm MTB wheel and a 21mm road wheel is.
08-02-18, 05:26 PM
#8
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Enjoy your pinch flats
08-02-18, 08:03 PM
#10
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It is dumb to get wide and heavy 21 mm MTB rims and pair them with skinny 25 mm race tires, nothing good will come out of it. And you'll not be able to run low pressure with 25 mm tires - much less so with a 40 lb bike (seriously? 
) If you want comfort pair these wide rims with wide slicks - 35 - 40 mm, may be even wider. And then you'll be able to run them with lower pressure.
) If you want comfort pair these wide rims with wide slicks - 35 - 40 mm, may be even wider. And then you'll be able to run them with lower pressure.
08-02-18, 08:33 PM
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It is dumb to get wide and heavy 21 mm MTB rims and pair them with skinny 25 mm race tires, nothing good will come out of it. And you'll not be able to run low pressure with 25 mm tires - much less so with a 40 lb bike (seriously? ) If you want comfort pair these wide rims with wide slicks - 35 - 40 mm, may be even wider. And then you'll be able to run them with lower pressure.
) If you want comfort pair these wide rims with wide slicks - 35 - 40 mm, may be even wider. And then you'll be able to run them with lower pressure.A 110 lb rider + 35lb bikes weighs much less than most people's setups.
I am genuinely curious as to why everyone thinks the wide MTB wheels are a bad idea when IDENTICALLY wide road rims are available on $13,000 road bikes. Color me confused. Can someone please answer my question? Why is getting the wider wheel a bad idea?
08-03-18, 05:08 AM
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I have an old hybrid that currently has super chunky tires and 17 or so mm rims (internal). Yes I know that's bad. But. The wheels need replacing after taking a battering for a few years and I want to repurpose it to be road focused since it's utter trash on the trails anyway.
Since 21mm internal rims are all the hype, how dumb would it be to get a $100 or so MTB wheelset with a 21mm internal width and stick 25mm tires on it? The rider weighs maybe 110lbs so they wouldn't exactly be pushing it. Would the tire blow? Would the rim fail?
BTW: I'm looking at XM280 rims laced to sram hubs on JensonUSA.
Since 21mm internal rims are all the hype, how dumb would it be to get a $100 or so MTB wheelset with a 21mm internal width and stick 25mm tires on it? The rider weighs maybe 110lbs so they wouldn't exactly be pushing it. Would the tire blow? Would the rim fail?
BTW: I'm looking at XM280 rims laced to sram hubs on JensonUSA.
B.S.D.
ISO, the International Organization for Standardization has developed a universal tire and rim sizing system that eliminates this confusion. (This system was formerly known as the "E.T.R.T.O." system, developed by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation.)The ISO system uses two numbers. The first is width in millimeters. For the rim, this is the inner width between the flanges, as shown in the diagram; for the tire, it is the inflated width. This will vary a bit depending on the width of the rim.The second ISO number is the critical one: it is the diameter of the bead seat of the rim, in mm ("B.S.D."). Generally, if this number matches, the tire involved will fit onto the rim; if it doesn't match, the tire won't fit.For example, a 700 x 20 C road tire would be a 20-622; a 700 x 38 hybrid tire would be a 38-622. The width difference between these sizes would make them less-than ideal replacements for one another, but any rim that could fit one of them would work after a fashion with the other.A general guideline is that the tire width should be between 1.45/2.0 x the inner rim width.If you pull the beads apart and measure the total width from bead to bead, it should be approximately 2.5 x the ISO width.If your tire is too narrow for the rim, there's an increased risk of tire/rim damage from road hazards.If its too wide for the rim, there's an increase risk of sidewall wear from brake shoes, and a greater risk of loss of control in the event of a sudden flat.The tables below give a partial listing of traditional tire sizes, with their ISO bead-seat equivalents. The ISO comparison list at the bottom of this page covers all sizes which we know to be in production as of 2016. The fractional, decimal and French lists cover common sizes.
Also, OP, when I type in "XM280 rims: JensonUSA" into a Google search, it brings me to: https://www.jensonusa.com/29-Alloy-Mountain-QR-Disc-Wheelset-29-QR-FR-QR-RR-6-BOLT-Shimano?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=shopping_us&pt_keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz-Dlht7Q3AIVFbaWCh3YaAbwEAYYASABEgLRZvD_BwE
Is this the correct wheel set? And if so, is your hybrid disc compatible? And can it fit a 135mm rear hub?
Just a general FYI, a possible equally cheap option can be found on Amazon:
Which, if you don't have a problem supporting Bezos (and I don't- I have these on my commuter, that goes over some fairly rough roads), would alleviate the question and would without a doubt fit the 25 tires you have on hand.
Good luck!
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Last edited by Jadesfire; 08-03-18 at 05:59 AM.
08-03-18, 08:25 AM
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From Sheldon Brown (Tire Sizing Systems)[B]
In short, there's more to the matching of tires and rims than just the inner diameter. Your combination might work, but discrepancies between the Bead Seat Diameter recommendations might cause you to have to deal with more pinch flats than you would with a road wheel set and road tires.
Also, OP, when I type in "XM280 rims: JensonUSA" into a Google search, it brings me to: https://www.jensonusa.com/29-Alloy-Mountain-QR-Disc-Wheelset-29-QR-FR-QR-RR-6-BOLT-Shimano?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=shopping_us&pt_keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz-Dlht7Q3AIVFbaWCh3YaAbwEAYYASABEgLRZvD_BwE
Is this the correct wheel set? And if so, is your hybrid disc compatible? And can it fit a 135mm rear hub?
In short, there's more to the matching of tires and rims than just the inner diameter. Your combination might work, but discrepancies between the Bead Seat Diameter recommendations might cause you to have to deal with more pinch flats than you would with a road wheel set and road tires.
Also, OP, when I type in "XM280 rims: JensonUSA" into a Google search, it brings me to: https://www.jensonusa.com/29-Alloy-Mountain-QR-Disc-Wheelset-29-QR-FR-QR-RR-6-BOLT-Shimano?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=shopping_us&pt_keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz-Dlht7Q3AIVFbaWCh3YaAbwEAYYASABEgLRZvD_BwE
Is this the correct wheel set? And if so, is your hybrid disc compatible? And can it fit a 135mm rear hub?
Thanks for the link. I read it, and found this interesting snippet: 29 inch622 mmThis is a marketing term for wide 622 mm ("700C") tires.
So a 29er wheelset is the same as road 700C wheels? If the width is the same and the BSD is the same, what is the actual difference?
08-04-18, 06:59 AM
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A 29 is a 700C. They are absolutely interchangeable. With that said there are wide 29/700 rims and narrow ones. You can get a tire that is too narrow for a given rim width and it may give you problems, but you should be able to run 25 tires on those rims without issue.
08-11-18, 12:45 AM
#16
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He can put on slick MTB tires if the bike is exclusively for road use. For casual riding this tends to be preferable to an actual road bike.
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