are wider mtb tires better?
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Consider wider tires: Though heavier, wider tires offer better traction (a plus for sand) for a more confident feel. They also accept more air volume to absorb bumps. You can go with a wider tire on a current rim or get wider rims to accommodate even wider tires.
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While larger-diameter wheels and tires should improve handling and high-speed performance, lower-profile tires also tend to have a firmer ride and may be noisier than the smaller, standard rubber. ... An 18-inch tire, for example, will probably weigh at least a couple of pounds more than a 16- or 17-inch tire.
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Generally, narrower tires are better in snow and on ice because they are more stable and get better linear traction by penetrating the snow. This is not always true though; on hard-pack snow, wider tires with more sipes are better.
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The smaller 16-inch wheels come with tyres that have larger sidewalls that act as cushions against sharp edges on the roads, like ruts and potholes. While 17-inch tyres look much better, the shorter sidewalls aren't as good in filtering out road shocks.
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Most mountain bike tire widths are specified in inches, which typically range from 2.0 to 2.4 inches for cross-country and trail bikes, while enduro and downhill bikes will have even wider tires. We recommend 23mm and 25mm wide tires for recreational road cyclists.
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Tubeless tires offer more stability in instances of fast action and they provide a safety advantage with the thicker construction, which provides some puncture resistance. It's understandable that some people may want to have the advantages of a tubeless tire on their older model spoke wheel bike or vice versa.
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The real difference in these two is that the boost version has enough room for 2.8" tires and the non-boost can only take 2.6" tires. Last edited by MSU Alum; 03-18-2018 at 07:22 PM. I'd run lighter spokes and rim. The wheel would still be stiff but it would be lighter.
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While larger-diameter wheels and tires should improve handling and high-speed performance, lower-profile tires also tend to have a firmer ride and may be noisier than the smaller, standard rubber. ... The bigger you go, the more expensive the wheels and tires.
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– In the winter, narrow tires are better under extreme conditions as they provide higher surface pressure against the road. Narrow tires also work better than wider ones in loose snow and slush. Wider tires, for their part, will offer more grip on hard surfaces, Martin Dražík says.
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Trail and all-mountain bikes will have tires in the 2.25" to 2.4" width range. Downhill bikes, which are meant to withstand the abuse of drops and rock gardens, are typically equipped with tires up to 2.5" wide. Fat bikes, which can be used for all-season trail riding, have tire widths of 3.7" to 5" or more.
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Quote: In the dry, wider is best. In the wet you need a narrower tyre, because the larger surface area the larger the lifting force from the water. Look at a race car's wet tyres, they're always narrower.
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This means a compromise has to be met: cross country mountain bikers tend to use tyres with a width of 1.8-2.2 inches, while more aggressive 'All-Mountain' riders and downhill racers use tyres up to 2.1 and 2.4 inches wide.
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Performance. While it might seem logical that larger tires do better in snow and ice—there's more surface area with which to "grip" the road—small tires and wheels actually have the superior advantage when it comes to grip and performance.
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Bigger tires can assuredly help you gain ground clearance and traction in sand, deep mud, snow or uneven terrain. As a general rule, most vehicles can safely handle an increase in tire size one or even two sizes larger than stock.
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In the past, road bikes used tyres as narrow as 18c, but over time racers have realised that a larger volume/width tyre offers better comfort, grip and even a lower rolling resistance. Whilst just a few years ago most professional cyclists were using 23mm, 25mm tyres are now the standard.
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A road bike uses narrower tires without lugs, which provide adequate grip and control on the pavement. Mountain bikes are designed to conquer off-road terrain like dirt, mud, snow and gravel. These bikes are built especially tough, with thick tires and strong wheels that resist damage from impact.
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The only real difference is a 20" rim would be more likely to be damaged, as you pointed out. Beyond looks, there is zero benefit for the 20" rim. Also, just the availability of tires will likely be much more limited for the larger rim. ... Tire selection is better for 18" wheels than 20" wheels.