DT Swiss offers MTB rims with inner rim widths of 20 - 76 mm. The popular mountain bike rims of today usually vary between 25 and 35 mm. What must be considered when choosing the inner rim width?
With the development of wider rims, wider tires were also developed. However, different tire and rim widths cannot be arbitrarily combined. Simply put, the wider a rim the wider tires can be mounted. An overview of the possible combinations can be found here.
If the same tire model is used on rims of different widths, the effective cross-section of the tire is altered, as is the tire support. Therefore the right combination is crucial for ideal driving performance.
The right combination of tire width and rim width leads to ideal tire support. Better tire support reduces the risk of "burping" and therefore allows the tire pressure to be reduced. Lower tire pressure also reduces rolling resistance on uneven surfaces. Lower air pressure allows the tire to better adapt to uneven surfaces and thus provides more traction in these situations. More on this topic here.
On the other hand, wider rims and wider tires also increase the weight of the wheels. The exra weight increase the mass that must be accelerated and rotated at the wheel, which in turn reduces the agility and acceleration of the bike. The higher weight on the wheels also increases the unsprung mass. The higher the unsprung mass, the greater its inertia, making it harder for these components to change direction, which can negatively impact suspension performance.
In general, the best possible rim/tire combinaion must be determined on the basis of the customer's requirements and intended use. For this purpose, the above information serves as a decision-making aid.
