A few years ago I was about to buy a set of wheels from Nimble, but then the shop went up in flames. I think the fire put them out of business.

I'm so embarrassed. I just read the titles. I guess I won't delete my posts. Its not like threads don't go off track on purpose sometimes.

I have read almost all (but not quite) of this entire thread from start to finish. I'm looking at LB for my first set of carbon wheels and would appreciate recomendations on configuration. I have a CAAD12/non-disc and ride in So Cal with a combination of steep climbs and flat roads with occassional headwinds. So I need an all around wheel. Tires will be 25c or 28c clincher or tubeless. I'm a light rider (142 pounds/64 Kg).

My decision points:

1. Rim Width - 25mm or 28mm? LB recommended 25mm, but folks here seem to prefer 28mm.
2. Depth - probably 36mm or 46mm. How to decide?
3. Hubs - DT Swiss 240S or Industry Nine? I hear a lot of good things about both.

One overall consideration is that I'd like a wheel/tire setup that feels a little more stable in downhill, no-wind conditions. My current setup with 28c tires on narrow, aluminum wheels (15mm inside) feels a little twitchy at speeds >25mph.

Thanks, guys.
-Robert

1. Some do, some don't. It depends on how wide a tire and contact patch you want and what kind of riding you do. I chose the 25 mm.
2. Deeper section, more aero. Shallower section, fewer issues with cross winds. Personally, if I'm going to get carbon wheels for the purpose of optimizing aerodynamics, then deeper sections are better - hence I went with 55mm. YMMV.
3. Your call.

I updated item 1 to clarify that I'm asking about rim width, not tire width.

I think alloy is a better clincher rim material than carbon.

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Probably a topic for a different thread, but I considered alloy and even called HED tech support to inquire about the advantages. The main take away (as they explained it) is the price advantage. Otherwise, aluminum will tend to flex more. I was surprised, but that was what they said.

Yes, but the two are not unrelated. Many of the people here who are enthused by wide rims are also running wider tires. And for a given standard tire width, a wider rim will produce an effective tire width that is greater. The advantages of a wider tire profile in terms of ride comfort and rolling resistance favor a wider rim. To take best advantage of aerodynamic effects, one might prefer a narrower tire profile.

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Okay, but isn't a 28mm rim a little wide for a 25c tire? I realize it'll widen the contact patch, but is this an optimal config?

Others here know better - I've never run 28 mm rims. But I'm quite happy with the 23 mm tire on a 25 mm rim, so I don't think it's a bad idea on its face.

Let's turn this around - what width tires do you want to run? That should influence your choice of rim width.

I'm on 28c's now but plan to go back to 25c. Ideally, I'd like a rim that works well with both sizes.

I run 23mm GP4Ks on my 28mm LB rims (they're 21mm internal, which is the important part for tire fitment), they measure out to 27mm, perfect aero configuration. 25 or 28mm tires would work too, if you want a lil more comfort. You really only give up a few watts. I'm learning with my gravel bike on 28mm GP5Ks (that measure at 30mm on 20c wheels), that comfort can actually equal speed if your roads are rough.

Sounds like 28mm wide rims is the way to go. Are there any tradeoffs vs. 25mm rims?

Prob a few grams, but nothing that's going to make a difference. I'd say so long as your bike/brakes can fit them, go wider.

For a given tire width, does having a wider rim affect downhill stability? One issue I'm trying to solve is that my CAAD12 doesn't feel so stable >25mph on stock rims, even in no-wind conditions.

The 28mm wide hoops are actually a little lighter than the 25mm ones. I read somewhere that tire clearance isn't great on the Caad12, so I'd make some measurements before ordering.

https://www.lightbicycle.com/Road-bi...available.html

https://www.lightbicycle.com/45mm-de...g-surface.html

Thanks for raising the point about clearance. Mine has the newer Ultegra R8000 brakes and can comfortably clear my current 28mm (measured) tires. That doesn't mean that 28mm rims won't be an issue, so I'll check with Cannondale.

If you're building for aero, no. To help airflow from the tire get recaptured by the rim in as many conditions as possible, it's beneficial for the rim to be wider than the tire.

Not sure, both of my bikes are stable downhill at high speeds, on a range of tire/rims sizes. The wider rims/tires do feel more stable in curves tho.


Cool, I just assumed the 25mm would be a bit lighter.

Why no glue on 5 year old tubular rims?

5 year old picture. I can show later pictures if needed.

The width of the brake track itself can be an issue - I found the stock LB brake pads to be somewhat snug around the 25 mm rims with my DA7900 brakes. It wasn't a big deal, it just required using the brakes with the lever in the open position. The Swissstop Black Prince Flash EVO pads are good for tighter brake track fits.

Aaron Rahim at LB says that carbon will ride harsher than standard alloy rims. He suggests getting a 35mm deep wheels, stating that they are far less harsh than their 45mm and 55mm rims and strike a good balance between aero and hill climbing. Does his advice make sense? I have a CAAD12, so ride quality is a consideration.

He also said that bladed spokes offer no real aero benefit over standard spokes, though there is a small weight savings. Any thoughts on this?

Cannondale just told me that 28mm rims are too wide for my CAAD12/Ultegra.

I'm considering getting a set of LB wheels and will go with the 36mm rims if I do it. Mostly for the crosswind factor I face around here in the spring but also for the supposedly better compliance.

Don't know about the blade spokes aero but according to Sapim's data they are more fatigue resistant and stronger than DB spokes while being lighter.