Worth replacing rims or new wheels

kingrollo
kingrollo Posts: 3,198
edited October 2017 in Workshop
https://www.columbusbike.com.br/loja/co ... race-xero/

I currently have the the above wheels - they have been pretty good - but they are 8 years old now and the rims have some grooves in - I have relegated them from my best bike - but now they are eating pads on my winter bike.

I am a bit pushed for cash at the moment -Is it possible/ feasible to replace just the rims - and get someone to reassemble the wheel for me ?

Comments

  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    In theory it is feasible. In practice though, likely not as straight forward.

    With 8 year old wheels there is going to be wear and tear elsewhere - nipples, spokes, free hub, bearings etc. Unless you replace the rims with exactly the same ones the chances are you would need different length spokes. If you are replacing the spokes (which I am sure a wheel builder would want to do anyway on such an old wheelset) you will want new nipples as well.

    So now you are replacing the rims, spokes and nipples. That only leaves the hubs as original. Unless they are of a particular high quality (I don't know what those wheels have fitted), with little wear then is it worth putting old cheap hubs in what will be otherwise a new wheel? Add in the build cost and the spend will not be far off buying a set of new, similar quality wheel which will have some form of warranty attached to them.

    I am sure you could probably get a lighter set than the 1700 odd grams quoted for your current wheels for not too much more than the rebuild cost.

    So in my opinion unless your hubs are something special and worth keeping then I reckon a rebuild is false economy.

    All the best.

    PP

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