Originally Posted by
cyccommute
It's not that "people get away with [it]". It's not that much of a problem. It's certainly not as much of a problem as you are making it out to be. Yes, it's somewhat anecdotal but once you've collected enough anecdotes, it becomes data. After 30 years of riding just about every tire/rim combination possible without issue, you can start to see a pattern. That pattern is that it doesn't really matter that much.
There's a quote I love (which I don't take too seriously), "the plural of anecdote is not data". I tend to apply it to alternative medicine/supplement claims, not bicycles ... whatever. I've got 40+ years of riding all kinds of bikes, but only about 10 or so of serious wrenching/restoring, and I have a very heuristic/seat-of-the-pants approach to that, so articles like the OP's, and the one I posted much later leave me bleary-eyed very quickly. I do learn a lot from hanging out here and asking questions. In fact, I'm sure I asked this forum about tire/wheel widths when I had that Trek some years ago - and I do take people's advice and experience seriously.
https://sites.google.com/site/skepti...te-is-not-data
Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Just don't. Life is way too short to ride steel wheels. But, if you must, you should be able to use a reasonable pressure...80 to 100 psi...even on nonhooked rims. No, they probably won't do 130 psi but that's too high a pressure for just about any bicycle wheel.
I would normally avoid steel as well, but this is the original wheelset for a '75 Peugeot mixte I'm selling, and I know the buyer is absolutely a fair weather, slow rider. You know, farmer's market runs and the like. These wheels roll just fine (and will never see rain!). I was surprised when I repacked them. To upgrade, I'd have to find/buy something else and would never get my money out. And btw, I put big ol' Koolstops on the Mafacs.