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Ksyrium Elite Rim Fail (again)

cgfw201cgfw201 Posts: 669
edited January 2017 in Road buying advice
Just want to check how normal this is.

My bike came with some Mavic Ksyrium Elite S wheels when I got it 3 years ago.

This time last year, I had to get a new front wheel, as the rim had gone on the original. (>1mm concave and nothing that could be done to save it.) This was after 22,000km or so, which I guess is a fair amount for a wheel?

The “new” one’s rim has now gone too, this after 11,000km.

I’ve filed a rather speculative warranty claim with CRC, as I only discovered the rim was dead when I went to have it trued at a local LBS. It couldn’t be trued as the spoke nipples had seized onto the rim, surely this shouldn’t happen?

Is 11,000km the lifespan of a wheel? Feel like it should have a bit more life in it.

Posts

  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 25,596
    I think the mileage you mention is very normal... actually 22K is well above average. I think you should lower your expectations or move to disc brakes
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • keef66keef66 Posts: 13,286
    They are lightweight wheels. Mavic go to a lot of trouble to shave off quite a lot of alloy from the rims in the pursuit of low weight.

    Durability will depend on the conditions you ride in, how much you weigh, and how much braking you do.
    For a heavier rider, a couple of winters riding with a lot of braking could easily wear out a lightweight front rim. Alloy nipples becoming seized in an alloy rim is also pretty common.

    Given your high mileage I'd say get some handbuilts with a beefier rim and brass nipples. If you wear out a rim your wheelbuilder can just replace it. Brass nipples far less likely to seize.
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,918
    Extend your rims lifespan and improve braking by using softer compound pads like Swissstop yellow . Designed for carbon but work fantastic on Alu as well.
  • cgfw201cgfw201 Posts: 669
    Ok. Sounds about right. Bought a replacement Aksium for the rest of the winter, will get some nice hand built ones in March probably and use the current pair as winter wheels.

    I've only used SwissStop black with this set, as had heard they were better for rim health. Alas not enough.
  • keezxkeezx Posts: 1,311
    Cleaning rim and brake pads after each wet ride extends the rim life significant.
  • cgfw201cgfw201 Posts: 669
    keezx wrote:
    Cleaning rim and brake pads after each wet ride extends the rim life significant.

    I remove the wheel and wash the whole bike, brakes in particular, after pretty much every ride.
  • keef66keef66 Posts: 13,286
    cgfw201 wrote:
    keezx wrote:
    Cleaning rim and brake pads after each wet ride extends the rim life significant.

    I remove the wheel and wash the whole bike, brakes in particular, after pretty much every ride.

    :shock: Jeepers! My winter bike gets a wash in the spring once it warms up a bit. Most years anyway...
  • BobbinogsBobbinogs Posts: 4,928
    Yeah, I always clean the wheel rims after a mucky ride...and the brake pads...and still usually only get about 5,000 - 6,000 miles to a set of wheels. No point me fretting over why some folks get more/less mileage as there are too many variables like parcours, riding conditions, grinding qualities of the local mud, group riding (more taps on brakes, less hard braking), etc. I view wheelsets as the consumables they inevitably are.

    I now only have sets of handbuilts, with some old factory wheels to tide me over where needed or turbo use.
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