22's vs. 20's - In depth discussion.

[NY_Rob]

Regarding the "tires are wearing out faster due to regen" thing... a stop sign is still a stop sign and a red light is still a red light regardless if you drive an ICE or EV. The point being.. no matter what you drive you still have to stop for both. If you use regen like normal ICE brakes (not slamming them on at the last possible second) tire wear should be no different.
I suspect the real culprit of higher than normal R1T tire wear is the increased weight of the R1T, the high HP and excellent handling which is compelling new drivers to gun it often and throw it into every turn they encounter.

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[shandel]

I live in the Bay Area with frequent trips to Tahoe in the winter. 20" AT tires are the way to go here. It lets you bypass chain control. And in my experience with Land Rovers and Jeeps, if you have AT tires, you're pretty much fine even in the worst conditions.

 

[waitingforrivian]

Great points so far. I agree snow in Chicago tends to be bad for a few weeks but for most of the year it's not there. Appreciate the tread wear numbers. I was shocked to see how quickly the people have been getting the new sets of tires though. The guide at the venice hub said that due to regenerative braking, the tires are wearing out much faster to the tune of 15-20k miles.

I have driven the truck in both tires and my impressions were:
20's: buttery smooth on the local road but a not as much road feedback. Kind of floaty.
22: bit more road noise but not bad at all. MUCH better handling and road feel.

I was almost 100% leaning toward the 20's initially until I drove the 22's. Then I was kind of confused as to which one to go with.

I’m leaning towards 20” due to all the pros but I also hate driving floaty cars (vs. my Model 3).
I assume lowering the ride height and changing the suspension from soft to stiff would help even with 20”.

 

[scooter]

I'd say the 20's just due to winter and potholes.

I have AT tires on my Ram and I've never had an issue driving in our weather in the past 6 years.

This. Chicago road conditions alone almost scream for 20s. I've broken a wheel and popped a couple of tires in the city over the years and filing a claim is a PITA.

 

[DJDiscoverWeekly]

I got the 20s for Tahoe snow and frankly, the look, but the majority of my driving is highway. I don’t particularly think highway noise is an issue with them, the cabin is so well insulated and these aren’t the super knobby tires that create that suction cup sound that some do.

The range impact, however, is the reason I’m considering a pair of 22s or 21s. I was told the ATs are about a 10% efficiently hit, which right now is the difference between being able to comfortably reach some of my regular destinations and having range anxiety.

 

[CO-rayman]

I plan to get the 20's because I live in Colorado and drive to the mountains frequently for skiing during the winter months, so the 22's are not a great option for me.

Also, I plan to switch to from the factory 275/65R20 to 275/60R20 after the factory tires wear out for 2 reason:

1. a lot more tire choices and at much lower prices; and
2. this size is much closer in circumference to the factory 21s which are supposed to be better with efficiency compared to factory 20s.

 

[CO-rayman]

I plan to get the 20's because I live in Colorado and drive to the mountains frequently for skiing during the winter months, so the 22's are not a great option for me.

Also, I plan to switch to from the factory 275/65R20 to 275/60R20 after the factory tires wear out for 2 reason:

1. a lot more tire choices and at much lower prices; and
2. this size is much closer in circumference to the factory 21s which are supposed to be better with efficiency compared to factory 20s.

Also forgot to mention that I had the same comment after my initial test-drive (on the 20s) and Rivian acknowledged my question of why they didn't go with 275/60R20 tires to begin with because of price and closeness to the 21 size, but Rivian never responded with an answer.

So, as far as I am concerned, the 275/60R20 tires make much more sense as long as you watch out for the load ratings.

 

[jakef801]

to the OP: I assume you don't like the 21"s because of the look (flower)? I'm getting the 21"s because that was the shop option/config I could get now - they are all season tires and I expect to see many more options for 21"s in the not too distant future. I plan to have the rims powder coated black and aeros removed. From the pics I've seen, it makes a HUGE difference and some look excellent. Living in UT, snow/ice is always an issue (at least it has been - the last 20 years have seen a vast decline in both. And having lived in Utah & Colorado, I can 1st handedly say that Utah's road crews crush Colorado's, meaning in residential areas. I lived in Douglas County, but when I'd venture into Denver, it was a total joke. Residential and side streets would be complete ice rinks even 2 weeks after a big storm - that doesn't happen in Salt Lake County, 1 day at most and they're clear and dry). Let's just say I'm very grateful I got in all those 60-100/year riding at Snowbird when I was in my teens and 20s, especially 1992 (best powder year ever). I used to have to plow my driveway multiple times per week before about 2002 (Olympics year). Over the last 10 years, I've had to do it 2 - 5 times per winter. Even a significant dump melts on my driveway within a day or two, so I just shovel the tire paths or ignore it completely. Obviously, I can't speak to Chicago roads. Side Note: When I had my 2014 SQ5, there were no winter tires available for its 22"s and I had to buy a full set of 19"s or 20"s (can't remember). Now there are a numerous options for winter 22"s.

 

[Engi_Nerd]

Also forgot to mention that I had the same comment after my initial test-drive (on the 20s) and Rivian acknowledged my question of why they didn't go with 275/60R20 tires to begin with because of price and closeness to the 21 size, but Rivian never responded with an answer.

So, as far as I am concerned, the 275/60R20 tires make much more sense as long as you watch out for the load ratings.

It seems a bit crazy to me that not a single owner of the current 8K or so has yet swapped out the 20" ATs for something a bit more efficient.

 

[jollyroger]

It seems a bit crazy to me that not a single owner of the current 8K or so has yet swapped out the 20" ATs for something a bit more efficient.

Well I don't have a truck yet so I'm not able to do that, but I have my eyes on the following, but I'm sure I'll wear down the originals first.

The only missing metric is how much rolling resistance the tire has but I would think it would be lower due to the hard tread:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...vian&autoYear=2022&autoModel=R1T&autoModClar=

 

[Nexus]

Regarding the "tires are wearing out faster due to regen" thing... a stop sign is still a stop sign and a red light is still a red light regardless if you drive an ICE or EV. The point being.. no matter what you drive you still have to stop for both. If you use regen like normal ICE brakes (not slamming them on at the last possible second) tire wear should be no different.
I suspect the real culprit of higher than normal R1T tire wear is the increased weight of the R1T, the high HP and excellent handling which is compelling new drivers to gun it often and throw it into every turn they encounter.

Ya beat me to it!

 

[midwestchill]

to the OP: I assume you don't like the 21"s because of the look (flower)? I'm getting the 21"s because that was the shop option/config I could get now - they are all season tires and I expect to see many more options for 21"s in the not too distant future. I plan to have the rims powder coated black and aeros removed. From the pics I've seen, it makes a HUGE difference and some look excellent. Living in UT, snow/ice is always an issue (at least it has been - the last 20 years have seen a vast decline in both. And having lived in Utah & Colorado, I can 1st handedly say that Utah's road crews crush Colorado's, meaning in residential areas. I lived in Douglas County, but when I'd venture into Denver, it was a total joke. Residential and side streets would be complete ice rinks even 2 weeks after a big storm - that doesn't happen in Salt Lake County, 1 day at most and they're clear and dry). Let's just say I'm very grateful I got in all those 60-100/year riding at Snowbird when I was in my teens and 20s, especially 1992 (best powder year ever). I used to have to plow my driveway multiple times per week before about 2002 (Olympics year). Over the last 10 years, I've had to do it 2 - 5 times per winter. Even a significant dump melts on my driveway within a day or two, so I just shovel the tire paths or ignore it completely. Obviously, I can't speak to Chicago roads. Side Note: When I had my 2014 SQ5, there were no winter tires available for its 22"s and I had to buy a full set of 19"s or 20"s (can't remember). Now there are a numerous options for winter 22"s.

you are correct I am not a big fan of the flower covers. I thought about powder coating but I don’t like the idea of spending $1000 for something that may not last a while. However I realize that upgrading the wheels is not cheap either. Does anybody hear have 22s? So far I see most people have 20s.

 

[EzMev]

I am currently configured with 22's...my rational:
I have never owned AT tires. In fact almost no one I know does. They all drive to Tahoe multiple times a year, and so do I. I have never even considered an AT tire until Rivian made it a choice lol and a freebie with the launch edition. I backpack, drive in the snow a 2-3 times a year, and light off-roading 5-6 times a year. Not once have I needed an AT tire.

The reality is the Rivian will be my daily driver, and I usually own cars for 10-ish years. So i will be on pavement, without snow live in SF Bay Area, say 98% of that time. That is a lot of pavement, with exactly zero need to AT tires. None.

So, really I should be choosing the 21's, because speaking to my EV friends, range matters if you plan on trips. 30-40 additional miles can make the difference between being relaxed or being anxious if your planning goes awry. But...I don't like how they look, and I get the 20's or 22's free as a launch edition reservation...so recently I have settled on 22's. Of course subject to change as I get close to the R1S delivery!

Decisions, decisions...

 

[midwestchill]

This. Chicago road conditions alone almost scream for 20s. I've broken a wheel and popped a couple of tires in the city over the years and filing a claim is a PITA.

That’s what I’m afraid of. I looked at the tire clearance on the 22s and it doesn’t seem too bad. Seems better than tesla which seems to have in general large rims and very low profile tires. Can anybody confirm if the profile on the 22s is adequate for potholes etc?

 

[midwestchill]

I was never an off-road enthusiast, my trucks have either been street oriented or currently a one-ton pickup that beats the crap out of you off road. But the 20's have opened a whole new world. I can easily get to areas that I never would have dreamed. My son and I enjoy exploring the desert of Northern Nevada in the Rivian. I don't regret the 20's at all. The mild hit on range and maybe earlier wear are worth it to me.

Thank you for your honest opinion. That is great that you have the ability to go Offroad. I’m also thinking that maybe this would allow me to do the same with my family. Some thing I have not done before. I think that’s the reason why they forge the 20 inch rims.

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