Cracked carbon rims

pblakeney

OP needs to tell us the brand so we know not to buy them.

MidlandsGrimpeur2

owners of carbon rims amongst you have similar markings or your expensive or 'cheap' carbon rim

Yes, pic 1 is (to my eyes) clearly the carbon lay up. I have had a number of sets of carbon rims over the years and have seen similar. On rims with clearcoat finish you tend to only see them in bright sun light at certain angles.

I agree pic 2 looks more like a crack as it is clearly not linear. However, the more I look at it, the more it appears like a rather poor carbon layup. I have seen similar markings on other components of mine (carbon seatpost for example), albeit much smaller in length.

Just purely my opinion though, and the OP is right to get it checked by the retailer, as they are doing.

ugo.santalucia

imposter2.0 said:

And if that's how the wheels look out of the box, then that is indeed what they 'should' look like. Aesthetics are not the issue here.

I tend to disagree. Maybe 25 years ago a bad carbon layup would have been forgivable for cycling components, as they were a novelty, but these days you can't get away with a shoddy job like that. Clearly that rim should have been rejected by quality control. Aesthetics are just as important as performance, when it comes to retail

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

And if that's how the wheels look out of the box, then that is indeed what they 'should' look like. Aesthetics are not the issue here.

I tend to disagree. Maybe 25 years ago a bad carbon layup would have been forgivable for cycling components, as they were a novelty, but these days you can't get away with a shoddy job like that. Clearly that rim should have been rejected by quality control. Aesthetics are just as important as performance, when it comes to retail

The OP has already said he can't feel anything in terms of a split or a crack where that line is. Furthermore, there is a QR code sticker right across the join in one of those pics. You would have to assume that whoever put it there saw the join before placing the sticker there. There is no obvious reason why the rim should have been rejected by QC. Just because you don't like how it looks, does not mean it is not supposed to look like that.

ugo.santalucia

imposter2.0 said:

There is no obvious reason why the rim should have been rejected by QC. Just because you don't like how it looks, does not mean it is not supposed to look like that.

So if you were to walk into said shop and were after wheels similar to those and they were within your budget, then you would buy them with no hesitation...

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

There is no obvious reason why the rim should have been rejected by QC. Just because you don't like how it looks, does not mean it is not supposed to look like that.

So if you were to walk into said shop and were after wheels similar to those and they were within your budget, then you would buy them with no hesitation...

If that was the look I wanted - yes. Obviously.

ugo.santalucia

imposter2.0 said:

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

There is no obvious reason why the rim should have been rejected by QC. Just because you don't like how it looks, does not mean it is not supposed to look like that.

So if you were to walk into said shop and were after wheels similar to those and they were within your budget, then you would buy them with no hesitation...

If that was the look I wanted - yes. Obviously.

Nobody would want the crack-a-like look, it's clearly unintended

MattFalle

First piccie looks fine second is a crack as far as I can see - its jagged and different depths, no?

Anyhow, if they are new and 500k they should be covered under warranty, so send 'em back.

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

There is no obvious reason why the rim should have been rejected by QC. Just because you don't like how it looks, does not mean it is not supposed to look like that.

So if you were to walk into said shop and were after wheels similar to those and they were within your budget, then you would buy them with no hesitation...

If that was the look I wanted - yes. Obviously.

Nobody would want the crack-a-like look, it's clearly unintended

I just told you - if that was the look I was after, I wouldn't have an issue. If you don't like carbon layup, stick to extruded aluminium alloys...

imposter2.0

MattFalle said:

First piccie looks fine second is a crack as far as I can see - its jagged and different depths, no?

No. If that was a crack - of that magnitude - the OP would be posting this from his hospital bed, or from 6ft under (wifi permitting)...

trevor.hall12

imposter2.0 said:

trevor.hall12 said:

Wether it's a crack or normal a high end set of wheels shouldn't look like that ,saying it looks terrible is an understatement

The OP has not stated the make or value of the wheels - so we don't know whether they are 'high-end' or otherwise.

And if that's how the wheels look out of the box, then that is indeed what they 'should' look like. Aesthetics are not the issue here.

They are Fulrum ,I scanned the barcode as its for authenticating them

MattFalle

That don't look good from that piccie tbh.....

trevor.hall12

First.Aspect said:

Well he's nearly 1000km into them already so I think the cosmetic complaints return option has now passed.

Agree if he's ridden them ,I was giving my thoughts in them .I would have put them back personally .

DeVlaeminck

It wouldn't bother me so long as I knew they were structurally sound.

I certainly don't think there's a case for rejecting them on cosmetic grounds after fitting tyres and riding them.

Like everyone I'd like to know the make and model just to see if they are all like that though.

ugo.santalucia

trevor.hall12 said:

imposter2.0 said:

trevor.hall12 said:

Wether it's a crack or normal a high end set of wheels shouldn't look like that ,saying it looks terrible is an understatement

The OP has not stated the make or value of the wheels - so we don't know whether they are 'high-end' or otherwise.

And if that's how the wheels look out of the box, then that is indeed what they 'should' look like. Aesthetics are not the issue here.

They are Fulcrum ,I scanned the barcode as its for authenticating them

Possibly a pair of Quattro DB carbon... can't see any big crack-like feature here

ugo.santalucia

However, on the 55 there is a lay-up line, but it's not crack-like and much more acceptable, this is the way it should look like

trevor.hall12

Looks pretty much like 1 side of the ops wheel with the sticker on .
Only slightly better

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia said:

However, on the 55 there is a lay-up line, but it's not crack-like and much more acceptable, this is the way it should look like

That's pretty much what it does look like. You seem obsessed with what you think they 'should' look like. The carbon is hand-laid, so they will all be different.

First.Aspect

MattFalle said:

First piccie looks fine second is a crack as far as I can see - its jagged and different depths, no?

Anyhow, if they are new and 500k they should be covered under warranty, so send 'em back.

It'll be made from pre-preg. It is a void, not a crack.

Have all the people who are advocating sending it back because it looks ugly missed that the OP has spent at least 25 hours riding them?

ugo.santalucia

imposter2.0 said:

ugo.santalucia said:

However, on the 55 there is a lay-up line, but it's not crack-like and much more acceptable, this is the way it should look like

That's pretty much what it does look like. You seem obsessed with what you think they 'should' look like. The carbon is hand-laid, so they will all be different.

Yes, they should look like the one in the picture I linked to and not like the second picture of the OP

pangolin

First.Aspect said:

MattFalle said:

First piccie looks fine second is a crack as far as I can see - its jagged and different depths, no?

Anyhow, if they are new and 500k they should be covered under warranty, so send 'em back.

It'll be made from pre-preg. It is a void, not a crack.

Have all the people who are advocating sending it back because it looks ugly missed that the OP has spent at least 25 hours riding them?

He also said they're responsible for 500 deaths which suggests they are not up to scratch.

gubber12345 said:

The marks are on both wheels and are completely smooth and no cracking of lacquer...was thinking it was just the lay up of the carbon and have done 500 kills on them but the big looking crack has me a bit scared of it tbh...have contacted the retailer about it and they have asked for them back for an inspection so see what happens then....although I won't ever have confidence in them if they don't/won't replace them

ugo.santalucia

However... in this case the line doesn't look nice and straight either, look between 9 and 10 o'clock... it might be that the OP photo makes the problem look lot worse than it actually is. Carbon tends to reflect the light and often fools the camera into highlighting these defects, maybe?

First.Aspect

pangolin said:

First.Aspect said:

MattFalle said:

First piccie looks fine second is a crack as far as I can see - its jagged and different depths, no?

Anyhow, if they are new and 500k they should be covered under warranty, so send 'em back.

It'll be made from pre-preg. It is a void, not a crack.

Have all the people who are advocating sending it back because it looks ugly missed that the OP has spent at least 25 hours riding them?

He also said they're responsible for 500 deaths which suggests they are not up to scratch.

gubber12345 said:

The marks are on both wheels and are completely smooth and no cracking of lacquer...was thinking it was just the lay up of the carbon and have done 500 kills on them but the big looking crack has me a bit scared of it tbh...have contacted the retailer about it and they have asked for them back for an inspection so see what happens then....although I won't ever have confidence in them if they don't/won't replace them

If he's notched up 500 kills on them, I assume he has excellent balance and aim.

ugo.santalucia

And more, at 4 o'clock...

First.Aspect

ugo.santalucia said:

However, on the 55 there is a lay-up line, but it's not crack-like and much more acceptable, this is the way it should look like

It's not much different though is it. Both look like voids to me. One looks cheaper, which it probably was. We should complain to the person who was paid $5 that day that their work isn't up to snuff.

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia said:

imposter2.0 said:

ugo.santalucia said:

However, on the 55 there is a lay-up line, but it's not crack-like and much more acceptable, this is the way it should look like

That's pretty much what it does look like. You seem obsessed with what you think they 'should' look like. The carbon is hand-laid, so they will all be different.

Yes, they should look like the one in the picture I linked to and not like the second picture of the OP

You don't seem to understand the concept of hand-laying. By definition, no two rims are ever going to look the same. Once again though, you're assuming that your own perception must the correct one, which is odd.

ugo.santalucia

First.Aspect said:

It's not much different though is it. Both look like voids to me. One looks cheaper, which it probably was. We should complain to the person who was paid $5 that day that their work isn't up to snuff.

I have no idea if these rims are made in China, how much workers are paid and whether that pay compares unfavourably to the equivalent in the west, once you factor in the cost of living.
One could argue that since the cost of houses in the UK is broadly 3 times the equivalent in France, then we are all massively underpaid...

pblakeney

ugo.santalucia said:

First.Aspect said:

... the cost of houses in the UK is broadly 3 times the equivalent in France, then we are all massively underpaid...

Main bugbear of mine. We are not under paid. Housing is broadly 3 times over priced.
But I digress....

First.Aspect

So have we all agreed that the rim the OP has is actually fine, and not that much different from others that are also fine? And that if he's ridden the lejog on it it's a bit hard to take it back now?

redvision

I had a set of the carbon quattros. Absolutely loved them. They had the naked carbon weave but did not have anything like that line/ crack in the image.