djb

these are 19mm internal width rims, which can get you up to just about 2.5in tires, at least from a number of tire manufacturer recommendations.

Brett A

I have a Surly disc trucker. with 26" wheels. After six years and over 5k miles of loaded touring, they've completely gone out of my mind, except for the piece of mind I feel knowing I could get back on the road with a wheel out of any scrap metal pile or old barn. I've found the availability of quality touring tires ebbs and flows. There are never as many to choose from as 700c, but there has always been one or two top-notch options available.

I would think rim-brake compatible rim availability would be the greatest concern. Considering 26" was the standard for so long, I have to think there are millions of NOS rims warehoused around the world and used will be available for our lifetimes at least.

Tourist in MSN

I think some of the manufacturers that have huge ranges for their rims had the specifications written by the marketing dept.

I like the table at the bottom of this page, that puts the tire range for a 19mm rim (internal width) at 28 to 44mm.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

I was sold some rims that the bike manufacturer said were the best expedition rims, which I unfortunately trusted them. 19mm width. And I run 57mm tires on that bike. There have been times when I had to run higher pressures than I would like to keep the bike from feeling unstable.

djb

Ya, I recall us doing this conversation a few times.
Like I said last time, next rims I get will be at least 21mm internal.
And now Im not even sure of the internal width of my rims, Im going to have to dig up that thread about how my tires are always narrower than stated, to refresh my memory.

Tourist in MSN

A couple decades ago everybody used narrow rims on wide tires because wider rims were not sold. It took the rim manufacturers to get with the program and make what was needed for what people were using for tires.

chintanjadwani

Thanks for the replies
I took my time to read some more online and this topic keeps rising from the dead every year it seems.

In India, since the "good" bike availability started with 700c, there are no options to get an older wheelset or an older 26" MTB. Also, it's not common to build up one's bike here so availability of rims/wheels is otherwise limited regardless of the size (can't forget the super high import duties) - just cheaper to buy the complete bike. I spent some time trying to find a 26-wheel locally but they're mainly available from local manufacturers so the quality is a question. same goes for the tires.

I do read in journals that Troll can be made to work with 700c and 27.5 wheels as well, but I wouldn't want to invest in the frame to start with an incompatible size.

Troll is interesting because of the rim/disc switch compatibility - but buying decision is currently on hold.

djb

That sounds quite reasonable for looking for a complete bike, especially given the super high import duties.
May you find a suitable bike in your budget sometime in the future.
Thanks for getting back here.
Cheers

staehpj1

Maybe three decades ago, but I recall that when I was racing mountain bikes, narrow rims were the fashion. There was some debate about it, but most of the racers I knew seemed to opt for 17s rather than 21s. As a result I still have two sets of wheels built up back then with Araya RM17s and Deore XT hubs and have always run rires wider than 2". I'd don't remember what the rationale was behind the choice but it was a popular one enough one at the time, that people actually switched to narrower rims in some cases. FWIW, I still sometimes ride the bike they were built for and enjoy it. I still would use it for a mixed surface tour.

georges1

I have always ridden 26 MTBs and I am adding a fourth one soon. Tried a 27.5 and a 29 but it wasn't for me and they don't make the same quality of frames as they did before. I ride only on steel. The colors and graphics available back in the day were more pleasing on the frames. Nowadays , I have rarely seen a modern MTB frame with an interesting color that catches my attention.

georges1

6 years ago I bought a bunch of mavic xm819 tubeless 26 inch spare rims. For tires Continental still makes 26 tyres such as: continental cross king, continental race king, continental mountain king My advice is to buy a pair of new old stock mavic 217 or X517 rims and have them spoked with deore xt or xtr or even dt 240s hubs or buy a pair of new oldstock mavic crossland or crossride wheels. As for a complete bike,all depends of what you want and what kind of level of equipment quality you want.

Miele Man

Possible they thought the wide tire on a narrow rim would protect the rim better?

Cheers

staehpj1

Maybe, but I think there was something more to it than that. It may have been misguided or maybe either or both trends may be as much about fashion as function. I couldn't prove it one way or the other.

veganbikes

Certainly it would be good to buy a bike that fits your needs. If the Troll doesn't fit your needs say in the tire department than it is not for you. If you have a wheelsize that is more common especially where you are touring if you are planning on touring, then I would look for a bike matching that. The Troll is a fine bike but if it won't meet your needs than it doesn't matter.

HelpSingularity 

When I was building up 26" mountain bike wheels back in the mid eighties I remember my motivation being: narrow rim equaled lighter rim. Whether that was true or not I don't really remember. It seemed to work with road wheels so that thinking kind of transferred to mountain biking, for me anyways.

StarBiker

https://www.rei.com/product/193126/z...es-yonder-bike

veganbikes

Yeeeesh $2800 with Clarks brakes and other cheap parts. I mean if Deore is the nicest point on a rigid bike from a no-name I would say 1500 max. I dig the concept though and certainly getting heavier riders into the mix with something strong is always a good thing but cheap parts aren't a good way to inspire confidence and at that price I would expect they could do a lot more Deore parts or at least more known quantities. I would have put some Deore 4 pistons at that price or at least gone with some Tektro brakes and massive rotors, those things look almost like 140s and for a bigger rider 180 would be the smallest at the front I would go and for a bike that heavy probably just do 203 at the front and 180 at the rear.

StarBiker

I just thought it was interesting that there are still 26 Inch Wheel bikes being made.

The bike is designed to support 500 Pounds. Not a racer.

Being REI you gotta year to make up your mind.

I could make the same argument with a lot of frame sets out there for 2K.......

I will never spend a lot on a bike, or rarely anything else for that matter. I will always dig something up in the wild.

I double checked, and although I like REI, their prices can obviously be high. I did find a recycled version for a lot less.
The bike is tank.

Tourist in MSN

Nutted axles? Interesting.

When I load down my expedition bike with camping gear and a couple weeks of food, the sum of my weight and my gear weight is about half of their rated rider weight. Thus, I would have expected more than 36 spokes in back, I would expect 48. From the photo I can't tell if it is an undished rear wheel, but it might be.

Two bolts for the seatpost makes sense for a heavy rider.

The bike weight of 53 pounds suggests that they wanted to make sure that it does not break.

Tourist in MSN

That bike does not have S&S couplers, but I can say that I am really happy that my S&S bike is a 26 inch bike. Wheels that are 700c are a lot tighter fit in an S&S case (26X26X10 inches) than 26 inch.

djb

I've got a 26inch fatbike, but these bikes don't really have anything in common with regular old 26in bikes.

phughes

Nice to see that this bike exists. It fills a need for many. There have been many posts regarding bike for heavier riders looking to get into biking, and having something other than Workman nikes to recommend it a good thing.

veganbikes

I am not saying it should be built for a racer, I get the purpose that is why I am surprised by the price compared to the quality of components and the components chosen for the purpose. I would not put a heavier rider on that bike with a lot of those components at that price.

A nice frameset at 2k could be a fine deal but a complete bike designed for heavier riders at $2800 with a lot of cheap and in some cases no-name components is not. it is a $1500 at best the way it sits.

I would do White Industries XMR Boost hubs (making the bike for thru-axles) with 40 spokes and probably use Sapim Strong Spokes and Secure Lock nipples to Velocity noBS rims and build them by hand which is really the best way to heavy duty reliability. Deore or even Tektro 4 piston brakes with big rotors. High rise stem with no adjustment (just another point to fail) and a good high rise bar both rated for heavy duty/mountain bike usage. That would make more sense as a $2800 bike.

Tanks are fine but a tank that uses cheap armor and is also slow and poorly armed is not a useful tank.

StarBiker

I see very few if any steel frame sets that are worth the asking price, and that bike is designed for that weight.

Show me a bike built the way you describe for the price you describe for this weight range.

Again, I was surprised they built 26 inch wheel bikes still. I guess it makes sense in that weight range.

StarBiker

I see very little out there in this weight range (Like nothing else), but I posted it because it was 26 inch wheels. Not it's weight capability.

I see there are some experts that should build their own bike and market it in this category.

Apparently the make a 29r that REI has discounted down to just under 2K that will support 450 Pounds. Shrug.

veganbikes

I don't know anyone making a bike for heavier riders that makes those claims of 500lbs, I would need to research that a little better. The point is less that but more the parts chosen don't match the purpose and don't really match the price. Cheap no-name components are not ideal for 500lbs and charging that amount for the bike with those cheap parts is silly. I get it is a bit niche in some ways but still I don't believe it needs to be at that price because it is not super niche it is a basic rigid bike, could suit a lot of people and has nothing that special that makes it worth that price. There is no reason to gouge someone because of their weight if you want to sell a bike at that price make it worth that or charge a fair price. If I were that heavy and was looking to get into cycling and saw the price I would walk out at 1500 I can see it. Heck I will be generous because prices are rising and shipping and building the bike and all of that jazz take it up to 2k max but an extra $800 for Ruian, Ming Da and Ah Teng parts which I have never heard till that listing and other low cost parts is just not there.