Would you go with 20" wheels or 21" wheels on Launch Edition R2?

[Heavysixer]

I'm a bit torn here and would appreciate some perspective from R1 folks.

I'm going to jump at the Launch Edition first change I get, but I'm debating which wheels to go with.

The 21's might feel more "sporty" and planted, which could be nice for the Performance trim, but replacement tires are limited and expensive.

The 20's have plentiful replacement options and might ride more comfortably (and survive NJ potholes better!), but they might lack some of the sporty feel of the 21's.

Right now I'm leaning towards the 20's for the practical / comfort reasons, but I'm still considering the 21's if they make the car feel more "fun" on the road in a way that justifies the extra expense.

Anyone have any experiences they can share about 20's vs 21's on performance-specced Rivian's?

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[cohall]

I have the 20" ATs on my R1T for the past 4 years. My wife has the 22" sport wheels and tires on her R1S. I would pick the 20" ATs all day, every day. It rides so much nicer IMO. And the difference in "sportiness", at least to me, is negligible.

 

[Simplejack]

Agree with above commets ^^^ Roads are too terrible (pot holes) for anything over a 20 imo.

 

[iamnid]

20s all day. Better ride, more tire options. While you may take a range hit going with the 20s initially, that's because of the equipped tires. Swap them out for something more efficient and it should be the same as the 21s. It isn't a sports car, the benefits of a larger rim aren't going to do you much good in this application.

 

[Great Gatsby]

I thought I was going 20s but I'm liking the look of the 21s the more I see them.

With that said, I'll still say go 20s. Like others have mentioned, more comfortable ride and like you said, more options for replacement. The range hit is not as big as I thought it would be and honestly just replacing with AS once those wear out should cover the difference in range.

Rivian's drive great but not vehicles you want to drive at full 10/10. With the 20s you can still go around 7/10 for the occasional fun but be happier overall with the ride for the more realistic mundane day to day driving.

Main con - tire noise, though these don't seem as aggressive as your typical AT, so may not be much of an issue.

 

[RivianRiverRat]

Like everybody else - 20’s
More selection and can always switch to conserve mode to get back the “lost mileage”
Really like the look of the 21’s though

 

[EV-Dale]

Thanks for bringing this up Jim. I prefer the look of the 20" AT wheel option on the Performance trim. I also like the extra traction of an AT tire when driving dirt roads to trailheads etc., and of course would like to have the cushiest ride available. However, I have seen estimates of decreased range on the AT, going from 330 down to 318, and another one said 307. Not so good. I'm not sure how much of the decreased range is due to the AT tread, and how much due to the higher profile somehow. If it's the tread and I really needed that extra 12 to 23 mile range I suppose I could switch to another tire tread in the same 20" size.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

21's don't have a lot of tire options, so 20" would be the most compatible across a wider variety of tire variants.

This was a huge issue for early R1 deliveries that opted for the 21" range wheel and tire option. Only Pirelli supported it.

 

[artuvian]

Definitely 20". I would go smaller if I could. And I may one day.

Personal preference but I've never liked large wheels, especially on an off road vehicle.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Until tire industry catches up, there is only one tire option in 225/55R21. The stock tire.

 

[sparked]

Is one option for people who want all seasons to just get the 20" ATs and then switch once those are worn out? Then i'm not stuck with flipping 21" tires and rims. Asking because I don't know anything about AT tires.

Edit: My gut says yes this is the right strategy and that almost nobody should get 21" outside of pure aesthetics. If i really hate the AT tires then I could just sell the AT tires and keep the 20" rims.

 

[Killer95Stang]

Having an affordable alternative to the R1 isn't all about initial purchase price.... Cost of ownership is something else that needs to be considered. If you paid $55K for a R2, because you couldn't get yourself to part with $100k, then get slapped with $2000 tire bill after 20,000 miles, I would consider that a problem. Get the 20" wheels for all the tire options available. Rivian's choice for 21" wheels is on par with all the companies mounting 19" wheels on sports cars.

 

[iamnid]

Is one option for people who want all seasons to just get the 20" ATs and then switch to All Seasons later? Then i'm not stuck with flipping 21" tires. Would it be bad for people who want All Seasons to suck it up and use up the AT tires? Then replace with All seasons when the AT are worn out?

Asking because I don't know anything about AT tires.

That is exactly what I plan on doing.

 

[cusetownusa]

I'm a bit torn here and would appreciate some perspective from R1 folks.

I'm going to jump at the Launch Edition first change I get, but I'm debating which wheels to go with.

The 21's might feel more "sporty" and planted, which could be nice for the Performance trim, but replacement tires are limited and expensive.

The 20's have plentiful replacement options and might ride more comfortably (and survive NJ potholes better!), but they might lack some of the sporty feel of the 21's.

Right now I'm leaning towards the 20's for the practical / comfort reasons, but I'm still considering the 21's if they make the car feel more "fun" on the road in a way that justifies the extra expense.

Anyone have any experiences they can share about 20's vs 21's on performance-specced Rivian's?

I am having the same debate but for me, the additional price of the 20's will factor in. If the cost were the same for both I would definitely take the 20" wheels.

 

[Ilovejunebugs]

20's

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