Bicycle Mechanics - One rim for wide touring tires and narrow road tires?

I need to replace my rear wheel on my touring bike. It takes a 700 rim. Does anyone know or have a recommendation regarding a sturdy rim which can be used both with a 35 touring tire and a 23 road tire? Will the Mavic T519 (my first choice) take the narrower tire without problem as long as properly inflated? Is it better to have a wider rim and go narrower than usual on the tire or have a narrower rim (e.g. Mavic Open Pro or MA 3) and try to fit a wider tire on it? I'm planning on using an LX hub and going with 36 holes. Thanks.

Mavic MA-2's are the perfect rim for just what you're talking about. But I think they stopped making them... maybe they have an equivalent rim with a different name, or you might find a shop that still has some old stock around.

Basically, they're about 40 grams heavier than a standard road rim, but they're tough as nails. They have an excellent "hook" that hangs on to whatever tire you mount. I have them on my commuter. When it's been raining and the dirt roads are muddy, I put on my Conti Top-Touring 700x35s. When it dries out I drop back to my Armadillo 700x26's. I also have one (32 spoke) on my beater road bike, and it usually wears a 700x32.

Thanks for the reply. Mavic makes a MA3 road rim that is 40 grams heavier than the Open Pro. Sounds like the rim you're referring to or at least the updated version of that rim. Do you know anything about the T519? A tech guy at Mavic said they can take a 23, but they are pretty wide at 24+. Perhaps with a good "hook" they too could hold on to a narrow tire. What do you think? (The T519 is specifically made for touring.)

Try a Mavic Module E, the anodised version of the MA 2
good luck

Thanks for the info. I don't see the MA2 or Module E anywhere, including Mavic website. Are these replaced by the MA3?

Originally posted by jk639
Are these replaced by the MA3?

The MA3s look like a little narrower, although they might handle a wider tire for touring.

Check out the Sun CR18s. They look like they have similar design goals to what the Mavic MA-2s had. I don't have any experience with them, but I've heard others recommend them for applications similar to what you're looking for.

Their web-site is http://www.sunrims.com. The CR18s are listed under road rims.

jk639,
I just noticed that Peter White lists all the rims discussed here MA-2, MA-3, T519, etc. Did not check to confirm availabilty, but if you are interested the website is http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tourtand.htm
Regards,
Raymond

jk,

There's a discussion about rims going on in the wreck.bicycles.tech newsgroup (actually, a discussion about machined sidewalls, you may want to check it out). Some of the comments indicate that CR18s are too wide for 700x25s or smaller, so they probably aren't a good option for you. Sorry about the previous misinformation.

I still say go for the MA-2s if you can get 'em. ;)

Bob

Thanks for all the info. I've checked out many sources, wheel builders, dealers, etc. Peter White was a very good site and he has an unusually large variety of rims available. However, there is no consensus from all about the best rim. MA3's are 20+mm width, the CR18's are 22mm, T217 or 221's are also 22mm. The Sun CR18's have mixed reviews, mostly negative or should I say less quality than Mavic. (Whether this is mostly hype or not seems impossible to tell.) Most think the MA3 will be OK, but a few say too weak for loaded touring or too narrow for 23mm tires. The current rims I have (which need replacing) are 22mm or so and both tires (35's and 23's) work fine. Peter White had T217 available and that may be the best, but it is over 2x the cost of the MA3 (Hey, it only hurts once.) So still not decided, but will make a move soon. Thanks again.

Maybe this post is a bit tardy, but what the heck.

My road bike runs on Mavic Open Pro's, in that frame it will only take 23s. But transferred to my MTB with brake-adapters, slipping on 30s or 32s (own measurement, IRC claims 35) is not a problem at all. I never punctured a 30+ tire over a whole winter. But that may have been my luck, my MTBs have flats on an almost weekly basis.
You hear from many more crossers that thay use the Open Pro, and the same from roadies.
To me, the Open Pro's look like Mavic's own X517 MTB rims, just a bit narrower and bigger, producing a rim some 25-50 grams heavier than it's MTB-cousin.
My Open Pro's have never let me down. Put cheap heavy DT or Sapim spokes in it and you'll have a great commuter- and trailing wheel.