Originally Posted by
valleycyclist
...I'm pretty happy with the improved ride quality using wide rims. I have not personally rode on tubeless tires yet, but I definitely felt an improvement in handling with wide rims (I put a few thousand miles on Velocity A23 rims).
In terms of hubs, Shimano hubs are quiet (Ultegra and 105 hubs are practically silent but you are limited to 32 or 36 spokes with those hubs). White Industries hubs are not annoyingly loud, but they do make a sound (sounds like a rattlesnake to me). With many loud hubs you can add grease to quiet them down, but make sure to use a grease that will not make the pawls stick.
Yeah, I've been in a quandary as to go with 23mm width rim wheels or go for a tubeless wheelset. I've done the ghetto tubeless conversion on a set of mtb and also purchased tubeless designed mtb wheels - the converts work fine, but do lose pressure sooner than the designed tubeless; but it does take a few days before the pressure lose is noticeable.
I think I've decided to rebuild/build up a set of Ritchey WCS zero hubs with A23 rims, and then try the tubeless' conversion on them. I think, useing stan's I'll get plenty of pressure retention, at least for some days, before having to add pressure. If that doesn;t work, I can go back to tubes and use either latex or the newer, superthin tubes.
If that works, then I might start the wholesale conversion of all wheelsets to 23mm. I truly believe 23mm is the next step in clincher performance (and tubeless should/will take over the top end of clincher performance for all widths).
will report back when I have things sortted and built.