Fixed commuter disc brake stealth motherfucker

High pressure tyres give you the illusion that you're going fast due to road vibration, they ironicalLy have more rolling resustance, big tyres at low pressure have very little vibration that make it feel slow, but you're still going as fast as you usually do.

29ers rims are the same as 700c, 28mm will fit, hell I managed 23mm on the Mavic rims, not recommended to due to damaging the rims with pinch flat and increasing the contact point of the tyres too much that it expose the sidewall (some tyres have a remedy for this, such as the Bontrager AW2/3).

Lugano 23c sits so flush on xm319

Being shaken around on skinny tyres at high pressures gives some people the sensation that they are going faster. This is an illusion, a slightly wider tyre at lower pressure will roll better and give greater comfort.

There is a point at which larger tyres become significantly heavier. It is about finding the sweetspot (something I have not yet found with my commuto x bike as I also use tyres with puncture protection which affects ride quality, weight and comfort).

Why don't pros use fatter tyres?

Surly Steamroller comes in black, fits large tyres and could go with a matching Surly Disc Trucker 26" fork. Wouldn't be the lightest, but may be a little more suitable.

Could be a weight issue I guess.

The fastest road wheels out there shares the characteristics of a MTB rim - 24.4mm wide - optimised for 23c

Lé flush

http://flocycling.blogspot.dk/2011/08/flo-cycling-component-series-part-4-flo.html?m=1
http://flocycling.blogspot.dk/2011/11/flo-cyling-contact-patch-why-wider-is.html?m=1

OK, been digging around and I think Shimano 5700 with a Thorn ring and Ultegra BB might be the best bang for the buck. Should work out a little lighter than the Omnoms and about £40 cheaper. Alfines are cheaper but at least 100g heavier (not sure whether the listed weight includes the BB).

Had a look for some SRAM cranks but even second hand they seem hideously expensive...

Now looking at rims and adding these to a spreadsheet with listed weights, etc.

If I order everything for the wheel build, does anyone know of a place I can get them built for me? I'm in SW London innit.

Cheers all.

They do, they're turning to 25c. You'll struggle to get much bigger tyres into most race frames though.

The pros weigh 10kg all-up less than the average cat 3 rider - thet are getting the 25 sensation already on their 23‘s.

Without wanting to commit thread hijack, I need to ask, what about something like Guy Martin's record breaking tandem as on TV the other day? Super skinny tyres...

Guy Martin & Science - gotta be kiddin me

Why don't pros use fatter tyres?

They do, 25mm is becoming the standard, the reason they're reluctant to go any bigger is because of aerodynamic.

Alfines are cheaper but at least 100g heavier (not sure whether the listed weight includes the BB).

Can you really feel the 100g difference on the crankset?

Get the Alfines if you really want to save money.

Guy Martin & Science - gotta be kiddin me

Bike (trike) was designed by Mike Burrows though http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_108

As Ed says, aero I think.

I very much doubt it! Money isn't really an issue for the build, I'm still in the process of figuring out what I want to do. Will bear the Alfines in mind, but looks are important to me and I'm not mad keen on them.

Right, I'm looking at getting all the bits for the wheels together as I can't find anywhere that stocks all the parts I want AND can build them (e.g. track rear hub laced to 29er rim).

I am now confused by spoke length. Should I even bother trying to figure this out or just ask whoever I can find that will build the wheel for me?

Many thanks as always!

(PS @edscoble and @dancing james, thanks for enlightening me with regard to skinny tyres feeling faster... I did type a reply this morning but it disappeared somewhere)

Interesting that @edscoble and @dancing james both recommended lower pressures, while the articles made a point of saying that the pressure should remain constant for either rim size. I'm keen to try some wide rims for myself to see if I can tell the difference!
On subject of spokes though, it's always seemed like a minefield to me; just get an idea of what you want from your spokes and let someone else sort it

I would eer on the side of caution with the article, mainly because it's very much a personal preference.

I run 55psi front, and 65psi rear with 25mm tyres on wide rims, for me it just got the right amount of give, without feeling too squirmy (very noticeable with bigger tyres on normal road rims).

Some people like to have it a little higher so it felt much more stable when riding wanton and furiously for instance.

I would recommend playing around with the pressure first, people often start with 80psi front and 100psi rear and go from there.

They do, tyre choice will depend on surface and conditions as well as personal preference.

You see 19mm track tyres because a wooden velodrome is likely the smoothest surface you'll ride on, the smoother it is the narrow and higher pressure tyres people run whereas if you're racing over cobblestones like in the paris roubaix you'll see people running 27 and 30mm at much lower pressures.

If where you ride is more akin to the boards then by all means run 140PSI 19mm.

You really run pressures that low? hmm, I'm not heavy - 70kg and I run my tyres at 75 front and 85 rear (25c on 23mm rim) any less and I find the bike feel has gone past being supple and into squirmy spongy not good feelings... more so on the geared road bike where I like the front to feel properly supported under cornering loads.

Exactly what I mean by it's being very personal, you dislike the spongy feel of an underinflated tyres, I dislike the feel of the road vibration through the handlebar and saddle.

I'm in the high 70s and usually run 70/80

With 23c tyres on 23mm rims.

Looking again at Guy Martin, those tyres are quite fat; I've got one less excuse for being slow on my mountain bike now!