Carbon rims. Why?

DaveMoss

Apart from being expensive, carbon rims appear to beset with problems. Fragile, expensive special break pads, issues with wet weather braking, overheating on long descents and so on.
Whilst I can understand a top level racer wanting to gain every small advantage, for your average club/sportive rider why take on all these problems for such a marginal performance gain over the better alloy rimmed wheels?

I have never ridden with carbon rims, am I missing something? Are there advantages I am unaware off?

RowCycle

Because they look cool.

Wirral_paul

And they sound cool.

Mine are a lot lighter than an equivalent deep alloy / carbon mix rim. They arent that fragile either - same as carbon frames arent as fragile as some would have you believe (mostly those without, who have a bit of a complex and need to justify it)

BruceG

Why not?

mr_dobbo

Why not?

Isn't that covered by all the points in the OP's first sentence? :roll:

BruceG

Mr Dobbo wrote:

Why not?

Isn't that covered by all the points in the OP's first sentence? :roll:

Nope never experienced any of those issues with mine :roll: :roll: :roll:

NWLondoner

They are very light, spin up really quickly and are a lot smoother than alu rims.

mr_dobbo

Nope never experienced any of those issues with mine

Maybe that might have been more insightful than posting 'Why not' then.

BruceG

Mr Dobbo wrote:

Nope never experienced any of those issues with mine

Maybe that might have been more insightful than posting 'Why not' then. [/quote
How?

ugo.santalucia

These days they are not that expensive. I can get them from taiwan for less than 100 pounds each, a decent alloy rim retails around 50-60 pounds.
They have their use and their limitations. The braking is often poor and the longevity is a big issue... Outside time trialling and racing on a track/circuit, I suspect most people just buy them to show off... Fair enough

Herbsman

Because people have more money than sense. Same with everything else really.

thegreatdivide

NWLondoner wrote:

They are very light, spin up really quickly and are a lot smoother than alu rims.[/quote]

Ever tried Racing Zeros or similar top-end alu clinchers with ceramic bearings?

asprilla

I wouldn't say 'smoother' at all. In my experiance carbon rims have less vertical give than alu rims and so you feel more of any rough surface.

Don't get out on mine very often (not often enough to justify the so I'm selling them) but they bring a smile to my face every time I do ride them.