Are Wider Road Bike Rims Better

A wider tire and a wider rim together can provide better handling.

Are wider road bike rims better.

The claims are lower rolling resistance better aerodynamics a more comfortable ride and better handling. Most are the result of the increased air volume due to the wider base. A 25mm tyre fitted to a wide rim can actually measure 27mm across and it s a trick that some manufacturer have recently employed with their latest endurance bikes. The ride quality is better.

The width of the rim can impact the width of the tyre. The wider tire provides a wider contact patch than on a narrower tire. Wider rims are faster and they save you power that is they re more efficient particularly on rough roads. That depends on the width of your current tyres and if your frame and rim will accept wider tyres.

Moreover wider rims are better on descents. While the area of the tire patch for both tires is the same as long as your weight and the tire pressure is the same that area spreads further across the width and less along the length of a wider tire. There s better handling and more lateral stiffness. A typical 23 mm tire tube on a 19 mm rim holds about 720 000 cubic mm of air.

What width tyres should i choose. The limitation now is.