Avoiding rim damage

outdawesfoxed

So previously I've done few rides over ten miles. I did 30 miles on Saturday which was lots of fun, but my rims seem not to have enjoyed it. They were pristine before, but there is now the slightest (barely perceptible) wobble on the front, but the back now has a flattened section I can feel on very smooth surfaces and a larger horizontal wobble. I've removed both whilst cleaning the bike and the hubs, blades & dropouts all look fine.

I try my best to avoid riding over divots, cracks & holes in the road etc but hit a coupe I'd rather have not. So I have a few questions I hope you'll be able to help me with:
Is it usual for rims to be damaged like this already? (Fulcrum Racing 7 btw)
Is it safe to ride on them?
Any general tips for keeping them in good condition (I'm looking at signing up to a wheel building course at London Bicycle Workshop)?

Thanks for any help, I really appreciate any advice! I realise it may be the case I'm too careless and should endeavour to reduce speed or avoid nasty bits of road more.

cougie

You can feel the wheels wobble as you ride ?

Road wheels are fairly sturdy - look at clips of Paris Roubaix or Road Bike Party on YouTube.

You need the tyres pumped up hard enough to absorb knocks - 95 psi or so. You also need to know how to ride. Avoiding the worst potholes, bunny hopping, un weighting the wheels.

I can't see that a crack in the road would harm them ?

Truing wheels is easy to do if they're only slightly out. Plenty of resource on the web.

Fursty Ferret

Too early in the mornong to make smutty jokes about rimjobs?

Thought so.

Gizmodo

As cougie said, tire pressure plays an important role, but it is more complicated than just saying 95psi. The correct pressure depends on your weight (including the bike) and the tire widths.
See this chart for recommended pressures: http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf

Bike wheels depend on spokes under tension to keep them true. If you have low spoke count wheels (yours are medium, 20 front, 24 rear) and you weigh 25 stone then they may buckle when hitting a pot hole. Similarly if some of the spokes have come loose and are no longer under tension then they may go out of true.

You can true a bike wheel yourself, check out one of many YouTube videos such as this one or take it to your local bike shop who will do it for you for about £5.

Your Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels should be fine, the Cycling+ review of them said "Sturdy and reliable wheels that are ideal for training and club runs". But only if you have the correct tire pressure, the spokes are under tension and you are not too heavy for them.

ugo.santalucia

What you mean by wobble?
If there is a wobble, it has nothing to do with the rims... it's the hub that needs to be checked for play

outdawesfoxed

Thanks for the advice. I followed the PSI rating on the tyre, but I'll be sure to check the pressure again and checkout that chart gizmodo.

Yes - bunny hopping and weighting wheels is something I don't know about, I'll read up on it and practice on some quiet roads. I'm 12 stone so weight shouldn't be an issue.

By 'wobble' I meant that if I spin the wheel and observe the brake pad closely, the distance to the rim is not constant. Have ordered a spoke wrench.

keef66

"Thanks for the advice. I followed the PSI rating on the tyre"

Most tyres give a maximum pressure only. You'll be more comfortable and have better grip if you use the correct / recommended pressures.