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Why are bikes wheels so thin?

Updated: 9/27/2023
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10y ago

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A smaller wheel will have less rotational inertia - it will be easier to get it spinning. A smaller wheel will also make the overall length of the bike shorter - an advantage during storage. A smaller wheel will also be proportionally stronger sideways - which is an advantage during hard riding. The downside of all this though is that a small bump in the road will be a proportionally bigger obstacle than for a bigger wheel, which makes the ride harsher. If you're a really fast rider the smaller wheel will offer a lower top gear ratio than a bigger wheel, which will either limit your top speed or force you to get custom chainwheels to compensate.

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15y ago
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10y ago

It depends on what you mean by "better". Smaller wheels can be made stronger, and can be easier to get up to speed.

OTOH, they won't travel as smooth over small bumps as bigger wheels will do.

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11y ago

As pretty much all bicycle wheels are equally wide at the hub, a smaller wheel is stronger than a bigger wheel. OTOH bigger wheels tend to roll better, particularly at uneven surfaces. Then again, smaller wheels tend to be lighter, and get up to speed faster than a bigger wheel.

So basically it's about adapting the bike to the kind of riding you're about to do. If you're gonna trash the bike about, small wheels are a good thing. If you want nippy acceleration, small wheels are a good thing. If you want speed under good riding conditions, big wheels will help with that.

Then there are rules. Some competitions will only allow bikes in a certain configuration. Even if you'd might be able to put smaller wheels to good use, you're not allowed to use them.

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14y ago

Smaller wheels are proportionately stronger than bigger wheels, which is good for hard riding. Smaller wheels are also easier to accelerate, which is good for short distances and frequent stops. Smaller wheels can be fitted in a smaller frame, which makes the bike all over more manouverable, which is also good for tight racing, tricks and jumps.

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13y ago

BMXing isn that much about going real fast, but more about sharp acceleration. A small chainwheel gives a good gear for speedy take offs.

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12y ago

To save weight and because the wheels are smaller than normal. With smaller wheels you need another gear ratio to get up to speed.

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Q: Why are bikes wheels so thin?
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