I’ve gone from 25mm alloy to 30mm carbon, first ride the carbon rims seem to pop more and seem to have less give which is obvious I suppose.

The ramification of that stiffness seems to be that they wash out a little easier (same tyres), what’s the best way to counter this? Lower tyre pressure?

What diameter wheels bud?

Asking as I would expect larger diameter to have a little more flex?

That said, I’m a carbon wheel luddite I’m afraid.

Remember that wider rims give slightly more tyre volume which has an effect much like raising tyre pressure. Only by a tiny wee bit though.

Can’t say I’ve ever felt any difference with mine- but then I swap from light carbon to big sturdy alu with heavier spokes so maybe there’s not much actual difference. Probably changing from 1600g carbon to 1600g alu would be different?

I noticed a lot of difference when I first went to a carbon rim. Lots less flex in hard cornering or when hitting off things. I ran tubeless and low pressures, they rode lovely.

Back to alloy now though and they are fine too!

To get a CFRP wheel to feel like a normal (alloy wheel) I tend to use less spokes or lighter spokes. That’s the beauty of CRFP. It allows for the same stiffness, but at a lighter weight.
This is you build a carbon wheel exactly as you’d build an alloy wheel, it’ll be substantially stiffer.

Whet you’re likely experiencing is less roll in the tyre due to width and pressure and higher stiffness in the wheel. The result of both is that when the bike is leant over into a corner, you’re onto much more of the side knobs, than previously experienced and hence greater wash out.

Its is dependent on the rims though – I have 2 carbon rims that look identical, they weigh different amounts, and have different layups though – but to the naked eye there is no difference. Rim A & Rim B.

Rim A is laterally stiffer by 4.8%, but offers more vertical deflection (‘compliance’) by nearly 39%
Rim B is 15% lighter than rim A.
Rim A is 5% stronger (impact testing) than Rim B

None of this means anything in the world of carbon V alloy, just that there’s no proper carbon v alu argument without knowing the comparable numbers. Rims can vary alot….