Originally Posted by
Russ Roth
As I'm looking towards the coming season and getting bikes ready I've been contemplating a new set of wheels for my son's mini. His bike, an entry level redline mini, has the factory wheels and I came across a set of promax mini hubs clearance priced which seem like they should be a good upgrade. One thing I've noticed is that the tires often seem bulbous on the rims and with road, mountain and every other style of bike going wider are BMX racing rims? His uses a 20x1 3/8 with Kenda small block 8 and it does seem that a wider rim would make for a better shaped and thereby better handing tire. If anything comes wider are there any recommended, so far I've noticed that velocity makes a 451 in their a23 which is wider though designed for recumbents so it is a bit heavier, something I can battle a bit with alloy nipples and thinner butted spokes. While I do expect him to outgrow the bike for next year it should last him this year and his brother the 2-3 years.
Russ - should do fine. And he should be able to use them right through expert frames, which should put him over 5', and even beyond if you run OS20 frames. You could use 1 1/8, especially on the rear, for weight as well, and I think Crupi sells a wider rim for 'expert'/1 3/8. The thinking is mostly that weight trumps most everything else for the little guys, I gather. Check out J&R bikes, I just got a set of box one harmonic hubs for $99 - they're being replaced by the stealth design box bought from true precision.
Do you race as well? I started last summer after my boys did (7N, 9N, 41-45N 😀 ) I love it, so do my sons.