Just wonderin which wheels are considered best in terms of comfort and economy? I know steelies are considered the most economic but between the alloys which is best or is there a trade off?
General 15" or 16" Wheels?
- Thread starter Mercky
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General 15" or 16" Wheels?
well of course the 15" wheels are best
for comfort
:yeahthat:
And as the OP has already said, 14" steelies are noticeably better than even 15" alloys for both comfort and economy.
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ok just curious....what's the science behind smaller diameter wheels being more economical and comfortable?
All the 500 wheels have essentially the same rolling diameter when fitted with tyres, so the smaller diameter wheels are fitted with higher profile tyres with deeper sidewalls, which in layman's terms means they can be more springy without bottoming out on potholes, which helps the ride. 14" steelies also have narrower tyres, which reduces the rolling resistance and helps economy - particularly if you also choose to fit ecotyres.
There's a tradeoff in both handling & stopping distances though, so as with so many things, you have to decide what is most important to you.
Also, the bigger the wheel, generally the heavier it is.
And the weight is further away from the centre spinning axis.
This makes the wheel harder to get spinning and to stop spinning, meaning you use more gas to accelerate. In some situations if you go up a few inches in wheel rim size you can feel the car is noticeably slower during acceleration.
Remember, there are 4 wheels that need to spin.
The bigger the rim, the wider genarally too, all adding to weight.
So, in summary,
small rims=better economy, better performance, better comfort, cheaper tyres.
Large rims=better handling (up to a point) Looks better.
Personally, I think 16" looks perfect on the 500 and I'm willing to accept the compromise as the gains with 14" would be quite low and smaller again with 15", less than 5% I'd say.
You can actually get a good indication of economy and emissions effects with different wheels with looking at Mercedes models. They list the same car/engine with different trim specs (alloy wheel size) with different emissions.
Fiat must submit for testing one model only. I bet a twinair pop was tested, the twinair plus would have fared worse.
And the weight is further away from the centre spinning axis.
This makes the wheel harder to get spinning and to stop spinning, meaning you use more gas to accelerate. In some situations if you go up a few inches in wheel rim size you can feel the car is noticeably slower during acceleration.
Remember, there are 4 wheels that need to spin.
The bigger the rim, the wider genarally too, all adding to weight.
So, in summary,
small rims=better economy, better performance, better comfort, cheaper tyres.
Large rims=better handling (up to a point) Looks better.
Personally, I think 16" looks perfect on the 500 and I'm willing to accept the compromise as the gains with 14" would be quite low and smaller again with 15", less than 5% I'd say.
You can actually get a good indication of economy and emissions effects with different wheels with looking at Mercedes models. They list the same car/engine with different trim specs (alloy wheel size) with different emissions.
Fiat must submit for testing one model only. I bet a twinair pop was tested, the twinair plus would have fared worse.
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Yep, and remember also with wider/heavier wheels that both the gyroscopic effect and any out of dynamic balance effects will be greater, putting additional stress on the wheel bearings, steering and suspension components - which in the case of most FIATs, are parts not known for their inherent quality or life expectancy. I can still remember the days when folks were regularly fitting wide wheels to the original Minis, and wheel bearings were failing with equal regularity.
It will be interesting to see, over time, if Pop models suffer less of these kinds of component failures than the rest of the fleet.
Only to a point. In the wet you may be better with a narrower tyre?
With all the factory options on the 500 we're splitting hairs though.
With all the factory options on the 500 we're splitting hairs though.
Especially if there's a lot of standing water about. I've noticed trip mpg drop by over 5mpg in heavy rain, and I'm sure most of you will have felt the car slowing down & perhaps pulling to one side when you hit a particularly wet patch & the rolling resistance momentarily increases.
I can remember a particularly evil company Cavalier SRi that was down to about 2mm on the fronts (the firm refused to replace tyres until worn to the legal minimum, tight-fisted gits) that would aquaplane from as little as 40mph, and that's before you even began to think about hitting the brakes. That taught me an unforgettable lesson about worn tyres on wide wheels in wet weather...
Our 500 is fantastic in the wet on its narrow winter tyres
So so on its summer tyres though....... I get the feeling that when they hit 2mm they're going to be scary.muffin8118
New member
I quite agree, the road holding on 14 inch steel wheels plus winter tyres is fantastic with a great ride. Now I am back on 15 inch alloys with normal tyres, the ride is firmer abd noisier.Our 500 is fantastic in the wet on its narrow winter tyres
I do sometimes wonder why so many folks with relatively low performance cars seem obsessed with putting them on the widest, lowest profile tyres they can find. A real triumph of fashion over practicality, methinks.
Over the years, I've known a few ladies with a scarily similar purchasing mentality when it comes to choosing shoes... :shakehead:.
ahmett
Prominent member
Hahaha some of themare so underpowered they cant even power their wide tyres! I learnt this lesson when i was 14 and put wide mountain tires on my bicycle! I noticed i needed much more pedalling to get up to speed!
I get what you mean, but I do appreciate the extra grip when I go out on one of my drives across the moors. Plus fashion isn't necessarily such a bad idea for buying a nice set of 16" wheels for what is essentially quite a fashionable car
I suspect that the average 500 with 16" wheels on it will find them more or a liability than an asset, I've not kerbed mine but I can imagine they're really easy to kerb and they do spoil the ride somewhat. If you do get to use that extra grip though......
Let's not even get started on fuel economy though......
TrevC
Established member
Agree with all that's said above - I've got a TA lounge with the optional 16" alloys and I car share occasionally with a mate who's got the Twinair model with standard 15" alloys. His car certainly rides better than mine. I've never driven it so I can't compare the grip, but there's no discernable fuel economy difference on a similar route.
The 16" spokes do look good and make the car stand out !! I did not spec them on the TA and then it was too late, but 15" ride is great.
ahmett
Prominent member
I get what you mean, but I do appreciate the extra grip when I go out on one of my drives across the moors. Plus fashion isn't necessarily such a bad idea for buying a nice set of 16" wheels for what is essentially quite a fashionable car
I suspect that the average 500 with 16" wheels on it will find them more or a liability than an asset, I've not kerbed mine but I can imagine they're really easy to kerb and they do spoil the ride somewhat. If you do get to use that extra grip though......
Let's not even get started on fuel economy though......
But maxi if you put 195's on the 15 will it have the same grip as the 16's?
I find the grip of the fiat 500 not limited to its tires but more on its natural Front wheel drive and suspension set up, things like body roll etc. I have never understeered the car to be honest its limits seem very predictable.
I have seen quite a few 15 500's that replaced their tires with 195's, but i doubt i will do so i feel happy with the 185's.
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