I have a couple of set of rims: The difference in internal width is 0.2mm. However, the maximum recommended tyre width is 13mm different.

Any ideas?

Changing fashions?

Big tyres are #enduroooo.

Road rims.

Different manufacturer specs?

Or it’s not just the width that’s increased, but the strength of the spoke bed, so they can take the extra forces exerted by larger tyres? Or is that the other way around… 😕

2.4 ADvantage on 317’s are where it is at.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/bD4Tcr]Glen Lochay, Killin[/url] by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

It was like pushing a tractor tyre along, and less than ‘directional’ on fast corners. But everywhere else it was like velcro.

Do what you like.

Whether it’s too big for the rim or just lovely will depend on what you think of how the tire feels when you’re cornering as hard as you corner, on the terrain you’re riding at the pressures you like to run, not someone else’s x/y formula.

sorry, just read the bit that said “road” I’ve had 2.0 race kings and fat frank balloon tyres on Open Pros though. No clue what Mavic reckon max tyre width is on them.

Mavic recommend different tyre sizes for the 717 depending on whether you’re reading the website or the wheel rim. I think it’s mostly hunches, bollocks and marketing myself, even before you get into the randomness of tyre sizes.

I tend to completely ignore what they state on the rim specs, I’ve run 35mm cross tyres on 14mm rims, which was fine until very low pressure (about 18psi) where the steering got interesting, and 2.4 chunk monkeys on dome old maxic x517 rims, which was surprisingly good, if a little draggy, but never ran below 25psi as tended to roll over a bit

Do the same wheels get used on other bikes in the range, for example like Boardman with their road bikes / hybrids?

If you think you’re buying a set of racing wheels, stating they can take 38mm tyres probably doesn’t fit the thoroughbred image some buyers will have created in their heads.