Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2: Update

 Okay, it's been a while since my last update and I wanted to bring this up to speed with those who may have been wondering what is up on the PWGWv2 thing. My last update was directly after I got the wheels built and tires mounted which you can go back and see if you want by clicking this link. 

First off- a correction: I mentioned that the Resolute tires looked narrower than the ones on my Spinergy GX wheels. Well, that was because those tires on the Spinergy wheels were NOT Resolutes! They are the very similar looking Teravail Rutland 700 X 47mm tires! Those were covered in gravel dust and so I didn't see the patch on the side wall telling me they weren't WTB tires. My bad. Sorry for any confusion that may have caused. 

Secondly, the Resolutes I put on the Spank rims went on with much difficulty. Not so much in the initial mounting, but in seating the bead into the bead socket of the rim. See, Spank uses a sort of serrated bead socket designed to hold the tire there when you choose to ride with low pressures. That in turn makes the bead not want to sit into the side of the bead socket so well. I had a devil of a time seating the tire correctly, and since then I have noted something else which I believe is related to that rim's bead socket feature. 

The Resolutes now measure at right at about 45mm. A full 3mm wider than they should. At first, that was not the case. They measured around 43+mm. I think the beads are now pushed outward all the way and that in turn has given me the results I was hoping for here. Anyway, I still haven't ridden the dang things yet! 

That's because I have had a few other things in the hopper to do first. And....it may be a while before I get to this. Gravel Worlds has taken priority now and doing anything else with wheels and tires is off the radar for the time being. But that said, I have gotten the front hub converted to 12mm through axle and these wheels are ready to go right now. I'll be getting them ridden as soon as I can. 

I'll likely also be swapping over the Teravail 47mm tires at some point to see what these rims do to those tires, and afterward if they will fit anything I own! The only bike that has a chance is the Black Mountain Cycles MCD, I reckon. So, stay tuned! More on this project will be coming soon and after many miles, an analysis of what I think about such a wide rim on a gravel bike.