Miss-matched wheels

[1997BlackC5]

If you happened to have a 517 rim and a 521, you would definitely build the front wheel with the 521 and the rear with the 517.

Really?
I would put the beefier on the back... but then I grew up on jumping and bmx on bikes

What's the theory Ant?


G

I think its to do with front end grip (bite) in the berms & corners. The larger diametre tyre afords better bite (turn in) thus enabling you to run a narrower (smaller tread pattern) tyre at the rear so making it faster rolling. You don't need as much grip on the back as the back will generally follow where you turn in at the front........if that all makes sense.

The reason I have asked this question in the first place is because I am building a Marin Bear Valley circa 1988, which I intend to run with road tyres, I have the origional front wheel an Araya 26 x 1.50 but I don't have the rear. There is a chance that I maybe able to obtain a rear wheel (Araya 26 x 1.75) but I was not sure whether or not it would be suitable. Obviously I'll be running the same size tyres front & back. Off-hand I can't see any reason why there would be as issue but I thought, I'd ask the collective to be on the safe side.......

 

[unkleGsif]

I appreciate that, but it was said about an actual beefier rim, not just wider... never mind jumping, my logic still leads me to putting the tougher one on the back, as it has the riders weight on it for every given impact/rut/rock etc

Anyway, aside from you knowing, as long as the tyre won't be too stretched, then there is no problem



G

 

[Charlieboy28]

I would put the beefier on the back... but then I grew up on jumping and bmx on bikes



G

i did the exact opposite , beefy front skinny rear

 

[unkleGsif]

I would put the beefier on the back... but then I grew up on jumping and bmx on bikes



G

i did the exact opposite , beefy front skinny rear

I never fancied heavy landings nose first... even in the days when I bounced instead of broke...

G

 

[Unclejack]

get the 1.75 araya and sell it to me. then you can have the two 1.5 arayas i have in return

 

[Anthony]

If you happened to have a 517 rim and a 521, you would definitely build the front wheel with the 521 and the rear with the 517.

Really?
I would put the beefier on the back... but then I grew up on jumping and bmx on bikes
What's the theory Ant?
G

I think this is just the conventional wisdom for general XC, not my idea. I guess it's that the greatest loads are on the front, especially in cornering and downhill, and the greatest lateral forces. By the same token, if you see front and rear-specific tyres, it's always the tread pattern biased towards lateral grip that's the front, and the one biased towards in-line grip that's the rear.