I'm fed up with worn out rims!!

Unknown · May 2007

I currently have 3 wheels in my garage were the rims are worn out (concave) and need replacing.

One set of new wheels only lasted 2 winters (~6000 miles), and they were Mavic Open Pro CD rims.

I'd much rather wear down brake pads than rims, and a side effect of having softer brake pads would be better braking I guess (?)

what are the recommendations for soft brake blocks?

or any other recommendations?

CraigUKcp · May 2007

I've just bought a set of handbuilts with Open Pro Ceramic rims. I'm hoping they are going to last me for a few miles as they are suposed to be impervious to brake wear. I'll call back in a year or two to let you know if they last [:P]

My Bikes Van Nicholas Quest Giant MTB

My Ebay

Unknown · May 2007

I was contemplating the Open Pro CD ceramics, but they are œ67 EACH!!

seems a bit excessive for just a winter/training bike tho.

maddog_2cp · May 2007

ceramics are the way to go (or discs....)

mine have done two winters and they look as good as new

Drop bars are a historical accident...... discuss

CraigUKcp · May 2007

OK dave the rims are expensive but by time you pay for a couple of rebuilds and some new rims that cost will soon dissapear. Ideally it would be a good idea to become proficient at building wheels then you wouldn't worry too much when the rims came to the end of their life. I don't really know if the ceramic rims are worth the extra money, time will tell. One thing for sure is that the better wet weather braking may be a life saver if something untoward should happen. Shame I'm a fair weather biker [:P]

My Bikes Van Nicholas Quest Giant MTB

My Ebay

Unknown · May 2007

better wet weather braking as well - that alone might be worthwhile as I was out in the drizzle today and going 40+ mph down one descent when I just knew my brakes werent going to help if anything happened was somewhat worrying.

I do need to get profficient at wheel building, its just the time - it would take me hours and hours, and I rather be out on my bike

palinurus · May 2007

I switched to Kool-Stop salmon brake pads after a recommendation from someone on here. They pick up less debris- they don't get "gritty" after a wet ride like harder pads- and I find I don't need to pick bits of metal out of them. They should reduce rim wear, although I've only been using them a few months so I can't tell you if they do, but indications are that they should. They stop better too.

Unknown · May 2007

I'm already using Kool Stop "Dura" (which have the dual compound). I've had them on for a 4 months or so in an attempt to get a bit more life out of my rims, so cant really comment as its not really long enough - maybe the wear rate has gone down a bit?

pbiggs · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fpdave
I'd much rather wear down brake pads than rims, and a side effect of having softer brake pads would be better braking I guess (?)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Unfortunately the idea is not going to work because soft pads pick up more bits of grit to wear out your rims faster.

I think you're better off using Kool Stop salmon pads and cheaper rims and just accepting that they will wear out. Standard Open Pros last just as long as the CD versions.

A more radical answer is to brake less in wet conditions as that's when most of the wear happens. That is possible on the flat at least, if you ride more slowly and carefully.

~Pete

Unknown · May 2007

I need to learn to build wheels!!

pbiggs · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CraigUK

Ideally it would be a good idea to become proficient at building wheels then you wouldn't worry too much when the rims came to the end of their life.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You don't even need full wheel building skills to replace a rim - because the lacing pattern is already done for you.

Tape new rim besides wheel and swap spokes over one at a time.

Of course it takes skill to tension it afterwards - but you might already have much of this if you've done any wheel truing. You don't actually need to have built a wheel before. In fact it's a good way to get into wheel building.

sloxam · May 2007

go fixed and use your legs to slow down too!!!

winning is everything
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AndyGates · May 2007

Clean your bike more often, you mucky hound.

No longer looking for a pennyfarthing as I've got some powerbocks instead. Casualty here I come!
It is by will alone I set my ride in motion.

cooper.michael1 · May 2007

Ive had Kool Stop pads for 3 years, the slamons are fantastic. A couple of months ago, to be cheap i bought some Aztec blocks, and within 2 rides i was picking bits of metal out of them.

Kool Stop all the way, im never going back now.

Coops

Anonymous · May 2007

My old school racer has steel chromed rims, from 19 years ago. Perfect for the hack bike!

Unknown · May 2007

steel chromed rims - have you got a death wish xroads?

I was out riding in the peaks with agroup, and I'd just upgraded to alloy rims but my best riding mate hadnt yet (I was about 16 I guess). It was wet misty and we were coming down a descent off some moor, to a T junction with a B road. He just shot straight accross the B-road, over the stone wall on teh other side and ended up flying head first into the field on teh other side!

Had to call out my parents to rescue him as his bike was a right-off, and he wasnt much better!

Unknown · May 2007

to clartify, I'm now 40, so that was ~24 years ago

andrew_s · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by xroads

My old school racer has steel chromed rims, from 19 years ago. Perfect for the hack bike!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's the solution to wet weather braking wearing your rims out! - don't brake in the wet.

nmcgann · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pbiggs

You don't even need full wheel building skills to replace a rim - because the lacing pattern is already done for you.

Tape new rim besides wheel and swap spokes over one at a time.

Of course it takes skill to tension it afterwards - but you might already have much of this if you've done any wheel truing. You don't actually need to have built a wheel before. In fact it's a good way to get into wheel building.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

For once I disagree with you Pete. I've done quite a few wheels now and really the lacing up is the easy bit - time consuming, but simple compared to tensioning and truing. I don't think simply re-truing a fully tensioned wheel really prepares you to start on a completely slack wheel - it's a lot harder.

I agree it's much quicker to do a rim swap than start from scratch. [I once snapped a pinned rim at the joint due to over-enthusiastic stress-relieving. Only the ease of swapping a new rim in lessened the pain!]

Neil

monty_dogcp · May 2007

Stop using your brakes - lay off the brakes rather than riding them - better off the brake hard when you need it rather than just wearing them out. Watch good riders in the wet, they stay off the brakes and only use them when they need them. For touring / heavily laden riding, get discs ands eliminate the problem.

Magnus Thor · May 2007

I have ceramic coated rims on my mtb (Mavic 721) and I use that for my daily commute. That means I ride it through the Icelandic winter, sleet, snow and rain. Right now I think they are around the 15000km mark and there is no sign of wear. Usually a set of rims would barely last me the winter before wearing out.

Magnus Thor
Iceland

My new thing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70951302@N00/sets/109683/

PHcp · May 2007

TryRigida Chrina rims cheaper than open pros, double eyeleted, last a lot longer, the only disadvantage is the extra 80g.

I'm fed up with worn out rims!!

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