Some extralight barlow pass's are available just a few threads down: https://groups.google.com/g/rbw-owners-bunch/c/h9h5TnWoA8g
I say do what you want, experiment, and see what the results are, especially if you have the money to spare. I saved just shy of 3lbs in wheels/tires/tubes alone from the stock alex wheelset on my platypus to a white ind/velocity quill/herse setup. That's significant. My intention was just for a more pleasurable feel of the bike, not speed. If you're attempting to ride centuries on a platypus, try it with what you have first, then decide. Forget the deep dish carbon, that's just nonsense, especially on a rim-brake bike. I'd recommend the 44mm version of the herse tires, the extralight variant is the same weight as the 38mm. I would say that is the best combination of rolling resistance/comfort they offer in their catalog. On Friday, January 9, 2026 at 4:52:48 PM UTC-8 Garth wrote: > Sure, a light-er wheelset would be noticed, but at what price are you > willing to pay for it ? I mean will it really make enough difference to > justify it for a relatively stiff/heavy frame to begin with ? Only you can > answer that for yourself. A 38mm tire is as low as you'd want to go on the > frame. Mostly you'd be reducing weight on the rim and possibly the freehub, > depending on what you already have. > > Dare I say if you rode a frame in which a 32mm(+/-3mm) tire is optimal, > those GP 5000's sure would be a fast tire. I know that isn't what you > asked, but the Platy isn't a great choice for long ride and caring about > the speed/effort on a regular basis. > > On Friday, January 9, 2026 at 7:10:29 PM UTC-5 Eric Daume wrote: > >> According to RH, you're not going to gain any speed by going to a >> narrower, supple tire: >> >> https://www.renehersecycles.com/bq-tire-test-results/ >> >> Eric >> >> On Thu, Jan 8, 2026 at 6:20 PM Stephen Martinez <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> TL;DR: Looking to make my Rivendell Platypus faster and more efficient >>> for long century rides on rough chip seal without losing comfort. >>> Considering narrower/faster tires (38–40mm) and possibly a lighter >>> wheelset. Curious what’s worked for others. >>> >>> >>> Spring rides are coming up, and I’m thinking about taking my Rivendell >>> Platypus out for a few local century charity rides this year. >>> >>> >>> In past years, I’ve done these rides on my faster steel road bikes with >>> ~28mm tires, but several of the routes have long stretches of chattery chip >>> seal, potholes, and general road roughness. Comfort can become a limiter >>> later in the ride. I’d like to try the Platypus instead—ideally still >>> riding in sandals on flat pedals—but with a setup that’s a bit quicker and >>> more efficient over distance. >>> >>> >>> Right now the bike is very much in winter/comfort mode: >>> >>> **Rear*: René Herse Antelope Hill 29 × 2.2 (700 × 55) >>> >>> **Front*: IRC Marbella 29 × 2.25 >>> >>> **Wheels*: Velocity Cliffhangers (30mm) with a Peter White Cycles >>> dynamo hub up front and a Rivendell Silver hub in the rear. >>> >>> It’s extremely comfortable and stable, but once I hit a certain pace, it >>> feels like I’m pushing against a speed ceiling—especially on longer climbs. >>> >>> >>> I’ve been considering swapping to something narrower and faster, like: >>> >>> **René Herse Barlow Pass (38mm)* >>> >>> *or *Pirelli P Zero Race ~40mm* >>> >>> I’m also curious what something in the *32–35mm range* would feel like >>> on a Platypus—whether it would still play nicely with the geometry while >>> offering a meaningful bump in speed and climbing efficiency. >>> >>> I’ve also briefly thought about a lighter wheelset, but I haven’t gone >>> very far down that path yet. I’ve even wondered about putting together a >>> second, more performance-oriented wheelset—something like a carbon >>> deep-section setup—and what that would look and feel like on a Platypus. >>> >>> >>> Has anyone here experimented with setting up a Platypus (or similar Riv >>> geometry) with lighter, faster road-oriented tires or wheels? I’m not >>> chasing aero road-bike speed, but I am hoping to improve cruising speed and >>> climbing comfort over long endurance rides while still keeping the Platypus >>> character intact. >>> >>> >>> Would love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t) for others. >>> >>> -- >>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a81404d-7958-4747-83f4-23a1e27f0908n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a81404d-7958-4747-83f4-23a1e27f0908n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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