Are deep rims more durable for a heavy rider?

Asked by: Angela Waters

Are deep section rims stronger?

The reason a deep section wheel is helpful is that the deeper cross section is much stiffer, i.e. harder to deflect, than a rim with a shallow depth. The strongest, most durable wheels have deep section rims, lots of spokes (think 32 and up) along with a well designed hub.

Does the depth of a rim matter?

The stability of a wheel is affected primarily by rim depth and profile. The deeper the rim profile, the more aerodynamic the wheel will be, however, the trade-off is that the deeper the profile, the more it will be subject to getting knocked around by crosswinds.

What is the strongest bike rim?

The Ryde Andra 30 (or 35, 40) is the strongest touring rim available.

Do deep dish wheels make a difference?

Deep dish rims look cool and can completely improve your vehicle’s appearance. The cons of deep dish rims, however, are more on the functional side: Deep dish rims tend to have very little backspacing. This can change the tire scrub radius and impact handling.

What depth rims do pros use?

They’re full-carbon with 32mm deep rims. Even the quick release lever is carbon. It’s the little things that count!

How much faster are deep rims?

At gradients of less than 5%, deeper wheels are definitely faster. And at gradients of greater than 5% — at least at our amateur speeds — lighter wheels will be faster. For this average of 5% and an average speed of 10.5mph, the deeper wheels were slightly faster.

How deep should road wheels be?

Like so many other choices in life, the right depth of rim demands a compromise. For the club rider who enjoys Gran Fondo, a rim between 45 mm and 55mm deep is a good choice. It strikes a happy medium between the extremes in comfort, aerodynamics and stability.

What wheels do Tour de France riders use?

Zipp have just one team using their wheels in the TdF and that’s Movistar. On flat stages, the infamous 404 wheels are most common although we’ve also seen 454 NSWs being used. As things begin to go up, the 353 NSWs come out to play and we’ve even seen some older 202 wheels being used.

Why are deeper wheels more aero?

These aero wheels are fast in two ways. First, their smooth airfoil shapes pass through the air a lot more cleanly than a box-section rim. The tyre is the leading edge and splits the air. Behind it, a deep rim controls the airflow, helping it to come together again smoothly.

How much weight can a bike wheel hold?

But with so many different types, geometry, materials and parts used, it’s impossible to standardise. Generally however, most bikes will have a weight limit of between 275 lbs and 300 lbs.



Do Bicycles Have Weight Limits?

What makes a bicycle wheel strong?

What makes a strong wheel? The strength of a wheel comes mostly from the spokes, and secondly from the rim. To have a strong, durable wheel, the quality of the wheelbuilding is far more important than the quality of the parts. Most people seem to think that wheels fail in impacts because spokes break.

Are 36 or 32 spokes better?

36 spoke wheels are stronger than 32 spoke wheels. A wheel with a higher spoke count is stronger than a wheel with a lower spoke count. This is assuming that the rim, hub, materials, component quality, and build quality are all equal.

What is a deep section wheel?

Deep-section wheels are vertically rigid. This is a function of their geometry: A deep profile, created to reduce aerodynamic drag, makes for a vertically stiff structure requiring few spokes. However, most people don’t realize that deep-section wheels are laterally flexible.

Are 50mm wheels faster?

50mm is going to be a bit faster for a novice rider, wanting to get up a group in chaingangs etc. Average speeds can increase 2-3mph over box-section wheels. Good for bunch riding and fast stage racing for all levels. 60mm is the way to go for smooth rolling roads where outright speed is paramount.

Are 50mm wheels good?

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Why are deep rims faster?

The tyre is the leading edge and splits the air. Behind it, a deep rim controls the airflow, helping it to come together again smoothly. A shallow box-section rim can’t do this, so air behind it is turbulent, causing more drag.

How do deep section wheels work?

The wheels are ubiquitous at local crits and time trials because they’re fast. They also have unique idiosyncrasies. Deep-section wheels are vertically rigid. This is a function of their geometry: A deep profile, created to reduce aerodynamic drag, makes for a vertically stiff structure requiring few spokes.

How do aero wheels work?

With conventional wheels, some of the air flows into the wheel barrel, creating drag. Aero wheels block out the air and instead force it to flow past the wheels. This reduces drag, which in turn increases the vehicle’s efficiency. Another important factor that increases efficiency is the weight of the wheels.

How deep should aero wheels be?

How Deep? Rim depth is broadly speaking a trade off between weight and flat speed. Shallow 25 – 40mm Can be lighter, great for hill climbing and accelerating. Mid depth 40 – 60mm – Is often the best all-round option – relatively light for climbing, whilst still fast on the flat – best of both worlds.

Are aero wheels worth the money?

Now these still aren’t big numbers: just under a minute and a half in four hours of riding. But the difference is certainly significant: aero gains are worth six times what weight gains are, and a fair conclusion from Swiss Side’s stats would be that on rolling terrain it’s worth going heavier and more aero.