De Ja Vu - my buckling rim....

sirlylos
sirlylos Posts: 234
edited March 2010 in MTB general
Hi guys,

I was at Dalby yesterday and had almost completed the circuit when I was going on a downhill area with burms and suddenly my tire slipped from underneath me and I came crashing to the groud, I wouldn't care but I did nothing wrong and this is now the second time it's happened. The previous time was exactly the same!

photo3-1.jpg
photo2-1.jpg

That's the damage above. This shouldn't happen, has anyone else had this problem or any idea why it keeps happening? I'm losing all faith in the bike...
1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
1997 - Specialized Hardrock
2003 - Specialized FSR XC
2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
2009 - Giant Defy 3
2010 - Voodoo Wanga
2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
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Comments

  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    What are the wheel components & where was it built?
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Is it the same rim as last time? If so, it might just be that it's knackered, you can generally straighten a rim but that doesn't mean it's going to stay straight sometimes.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    These are the rims:

    DT Custom for Specialized X430, 24mm w/eyelets, 32h

    They are built at my local bikeshop 'BikeScene' who are a decent shop. It's a brand new rim from the last time it happened, so it isn't that it's weak...
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • lock1981
    lock1981 Posts: 546
    one of friends rims done this on the weekend in guisborough

    dunno what rims they are, but its the second time its happened too!

    ill ask him where he got them,
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    Thanks lock1981, I'd appreciate it if you can find out where he got em.

    Any know why a rim would be so weak?
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    usual down to a bad build, rather than the components (unless the components are used outside of their recommended usage)
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Yes, I agree, a bad build or too many sideways landings ;-)

    Also the X430 rims are XC rims.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    the thing is the same bike shop built my last bike, including the rims and I never had a problem the 5 years I had it...I've read a bit about the DT rims being very lightweight and therefore weak, could this be a possibility? I'm 16 stone so I'm wondering if I'm too heavy and need get stronger rims.

    What do you think?
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Sounds like you need stronger rims
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    What bike is it on, on what terrain do you ride? But I agree with Andy again, sound too light for you.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    right, could be getting somewhere here..

    It's on my Specialized Epic Comp 2007
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Is the bike maybe a bit too xc/lightweight for what you are doing to it?
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    supersonic wrote:
    Is the bike maybe a bit too xc/lightweight for what you are doing to it?

    I honestly don't know...When I bought the bike they knew what I'd had and the type of riding I did so I was taking their word for it that it was the right choice. How would I know it was too light for what I'm doing?
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Are you dong jumps, larger drops, smashing through boulder fields?
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    supersonic wrote:
    Are you dong jumps, larger drops, smashing through boulder fields?

    pretty much yeah, I go to Dalby forest so it's all that kind of stuff. Why wouldn't my Epic be able to cope with that though?
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    The Epic is more of a wheels on the ground lightweight competitive xc bike, it won't like jumps at all
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Aye, I think you need a burlier bike. As aAndy says, the Epic is very much a race XC/marathon type of bike and just not built for harder riding.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    mmm, anyone want an Epic Comp 2007...!?

    What kind of thing from the Specialized range would be right for what I'm doing?
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    To be on the safe side, the Pitch or Enduro FSR.
  • Yup a Pitch would suit you- its makes up for my clumsy riding style!
    08 Pitch Pro
    14 Kona Unit
    Kona Kula SS
    Trailstar SS
    94 Univega Alpina 5.3
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    mmm, I have a dilema now then - what am I going to do with the Epic?

    My mate got a CUBE bike which he's loving and it's a hardtail so I wouldn't necessarily go down the full sus route again, although I do like Specialized bikes.
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I would get some more opinions first, and consider the heavier duty wheelset. Why not test ride one of the Enduros? You might find the geometry suits your riding better too.

    Dalby isn't a hard place to ride, it is a long XC course. But there are places that are difficult if you choose to ride them. The Epic suits so much of what is there - but maybe a more all round ride would just be better.
  • SPIRO
    SPIRO Posts: 200
    sirlylos wrote:
    mmm, anyone want an Epic Comp 2007...!?

    What kind of thing from the Specialized range would be right for what I'm doing?

    I can vouch for the enduro. I have a 2009 model, am about same size as you weight wise and it handles drops/jumps with no issues.

    You might get a 2009 model cheap since 2010 range has just been released

    .
  • Get some spank stiffy rims, you won't break them in a hurry, I managed to ride (i say ride; more crash) straight into a tree front wheel hit it dead on and just laughed at the tree!!! They are some of the strongest rims you can buy... but they're not small or particularly lightweight being 40mm wide!
  • tompug
    tompug Posts: 227
    Did you check the spoke tension after bedding in the new wheels, as almost all my wheel builds loosen up after the first week and need tightening up again. I don't think much of your LBS if they haven't told you this.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    tompug wrote:
    Did you check the spoke tension after bedding in the new wheels, as almost all my wheel builds loosen up after the first week and need tightening up again. I don't think much of your LBS if they haven't told you this.

    No they didn't tell me to check the tension, how do you actually go about doing that? My LBS have a pretty good reputation so I'm reluctant to start dissing them too much.

    I'd seriously go with stronger rims if it meant I didn't keep crashing out, I'm in pain today :(
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    they should loosen off if they've been pre-tensioned properly unless you're hitting them really really really hard (which i guess you are) Might be worth getting a stand and tensionmeter and learning to do your own, it'll get expensive leaving them at the bike shop all the time!
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    You could look at a stumpjumper. A mate is your weight (a bit heavier) and uses one for all the stuff you are doing.

    He has bent two of those wheels though, they're a bit on the light/xc/weedy side. Upgraded to dt5.1s on hope pro 2's now for a bit more burliness.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    A properly built wheel will not lose tension when used for its intended purpose.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    Well I put the Epic in to the LBS today and they suggested trying out a different, stronger rim and if that fails on me then maybe look at a new bike. It's gonna cost me about £130 with the rim and the spokes (can't remember the type their replacing it for) which I'm a bit gutted about. I did ask if Specialized would cover it but they assured me they will not put any warranty on rims....

    Gonna hopefully have it for the weekend so I'll take it out and rag it about a bit and see what happens, if it buckles again I'm going to be very sad :cry:
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105