# 29er rims for Tandem use?



## elvisVerde

I currently have a Trek Titan wheel set 36°/40° and while it has not yet revealed an obvious inadequacy--it is v.low miles--I don't think it is a good tandem rim/wheelset: it is not wide or strong, and builds into an OK but not notably stiff wheel set.

There are an increasing number of 29er rims available, and many of them are wider and tougher than the usual 700c "touring/tandem" rims. With the quality wider tires now available, and tough 29er rims, we no longer have to use single-bike-road-rims--especially the designs that have been around for decades--for actual heavy-duty riding.
I am wondering if anyone has had particular success with 29er rims?

If you don't use disc brakes, there is less choice, I know...but...

Niner rims, anybody?


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## Cyclo-phile

Check the pressure ratings on those rims. Most are designed with a <45psi wide tire in mind, not a >120psi 28mm tire.


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## headloss

DT Swiss RR 540 is touring specific, I'd use it for an off road build too.

How wide of a tire are you talking about?


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## elvisVerde

Thanks. I had not recognized that. That does explain why some of them are so light.



Cyclo-phile said:


> Check the pressure ratings on those rims. Most are designed with a <45psi wide tire in mind, not a >120psi 28mm tire.


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## elvisVerde

I will look at that DT more closely. I was hoping to use disc brakes and wanted 40° holes, and I am not hopeful that any DT rim comes in 40° form.

The minimum tire width I would use would be a true 28, but I will use 32-38 wide for most purposes. I would like a rim that is 26-30mm wide. I may end up with a Mavic A719 or Velocity touring rim even if they have a brake track.



headloss said:


> DT Swiss RR 540 is touring specific, I'd use it for an off road build too. How *wide of a tire* are you talking about?


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## matfam

I just laced up a set of Velocity Dyads. They come in a 40h configuration and without a brake track. I can tell you they are strong!


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## elvisVerde

*tandem rims*

Yes, they are on my candidate list. I have some commuter wheels with Dyads and they do seem pretty tough. The Dyad is not as wide as I would like. I would prefer a 25-30 mm wide rim, which is not too uncommon in MTB these days. 

Velocity has a similar profile rim that is 28 mm wide, the Cliffhanger, however it is super-heavy, and that is a gripe I have with some of the Velocity rims. They use a common alloy, and just use a lot more of it in stouter models. Given their pricing I want more, but there _are_ limits to weight savings in tandem wheels. I have seen too many skinny tire and skinny rim failures on tandems to even consider using lightweight rims.



matfam said:


> I just laced up a set of *Velocity Dyads*. They come in a 40h configuration and without a brake track. I can tell you they are strong!


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## seely

elvisVerde said:


> Yes, they are on my candidate list. I have some commuter wheels with Dyads and they do seem pretty tough. The Dyad is not as wide as I would like. I would prefer a 25-30 mm wide rim, which is not too uncommon in MTB these days.
> 
> Velocity has a similar profile rim that is 28 mm wide, the Cliffhanger, however it is super-heavy, and that is a gripe I have with some of the Velocity rims. They use a common alloy, and just use a lot more of it in stouter models. Given their pricing I want more, but there _are_ limits to weight savings in tandem wheels. I have seem too many skinny tire and skinny rim failures on tandems to even consider using lightweight rims.


The Cliffhanger is designed as more of a heavy duty MTB rim... between the two I'd recommend the Dyad over the Cliffhanger, or the NoBS which is slightly wider than the Dyad at 25.4, but at a weight penalty.


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