wheelsmcgee

Just looking for some experience with wider tires on a 16mm rim (specifically, Alex rims DC19).

I've looked at this chart from Sheldon, but even he says it is conservative. However, even when I look at the more generous chart here from Schwalbe's site (ETRTO 2007) my rim size seems to fall between two sizes listed (15 & 17), where oddly enough a very large difference occurs in the maximum tire size. 32mm is max for a 15mm rim, whereas 50mm is listed as max for the 17mm rim.

Anyway, anyone have any real world experience with large tires and a 16mm internal width rim they could share? Currently I'm running the 700x30mm tires that came with the bike, but I'd like to go to 40 or 42 in the front and the same or a little less in the back (depending on clearance).

Thanks,

wheelsmcgee

Never got any replies, but I thought I'd post an update for posterity.

I went ahead and put on a 40mm tire in the front and 35 in the back (that was about the limit to clear the chainstays). I've done about 80 miles of gravel riding with no tires rolling off the rim, just one pinch flat in the back that I blame on the terrain.

70sSanO

Didn't see this earlier. As you found out, you are not having any problems.

I've posted before elsewhere that I have mounted WTB 2.1 (52mm) on 14mm internal width rims with no issues.

John

79pmooney

I run up to 37c on Open Pros and Velocity Aeros. I do not know the inside widths but they are not very wide. Never thought about the mismatch. In fact, no one even talked about mismatches until recent years except to avoid very narrow tires on wide rims.

Ben

Memdar

70sSanO

I've had no issues at all, but in the dirt there is a little give on the surface so the rollover may not be as severe as hard cornering on pavement. But I'm also running 50mm+ on 14mm which is probably pushing the envelope as much as "im"practical.

Mavic 217's are closer to your width (16mm-17mm) and they have had a great reputation for running wider tires. I've used them for a while as well.

John

mirfi

Old thread, but the exact issue I'm facing. Love BikeForums.

Gonna take my 8 year old old Bikesdirect Motobecane Fantom Cross for a tour of the GAP. It has DC19 wheels and I had put 26mm Conti's on it when new. Now researching fat tires for road/ass comfort.

I find this https://www.treefortbikes.com/Qualit...t-On-Alex-DC19

"The 700c Alex DC19 rim is compatible with 700c and 29" tires. Recommended tire sizes are 700x30-47mm or 29" tires up to 2.1" wide and should work with most hybrid and fitness bikes. This version of the Alex DC19 rim features a machined sidewall for improved braking performance."

With that input and wheelsmcgee's I am comfortably contemplating 35 to 47mm.

wheelsmcgee, thank you

autonomy

FWIW, when I researched this issue for my 17cm rims (Alex ATD 470) a lot of posts were "this is exactly what we HAD to do back in the 90s on the MTBs, run wide tires on thin rims and no one seemed to die because of it". Put them on, try them out, see how they ride. I put 2" tires at 35PSI on my 17cm rims and it was just fine

stevel610 

I have run tires the size you were looking at on narrower rims. My only caution would it be to keep the pressures low with the larger size tires. I have cracked a couple of rims and I attribute it to too much pressure and fat tires. I believe Sheldon speaks of this somewhere on his site.