Wheel Rims are wearing....

anthonyv
anthonyv Posts: 6
edited November 2009 in Workshop
The rims on my Fulcrum 1's are starting to wear now after about 32,000km of fairly hard riding. Wheels have never needed truing in all that time, so they have been a great set of wheels!

But now the dilemma! Are they worth getting new rims installed, or do I just thank them very much for loyal and trusty service and replace the wheel?

Comments

  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    32,000km? That's what, 2-3 years, maybe 4? Have the hubs been serviced in this time? Personally, after that kind of lifespan I'd accept that the wheels owe me nothing and buy new ones. Put the used ones on ebay - somebody will buy them and that'll help offset the cost of the new ones. However with prices having gone up on bike parts the way they have I can see why it may be more economical to have them rebuilt around new rims, but will you also need new hubs (and therefore spokes perhaps ending up with what amounts to whole new handbuilt wheels!). I'm not sure what the feasibility of that is though or the specific ins and outs of wheelbuilding? Have you tried phoning any wheelbuilders to see what they recommend? Perhaps food for thougt until someone who comes along who actually knows something about wheels!
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    After that mileage, I'd hang them in the garage for spares or use the rear on a turbo-trainer.

    Maybe good timing for a present from Mrs. anthonyv? :wink:
    Cycling weakly
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    dont reccomend the ebay thing its irresponsible and dangerous to let some poor sod ride on these.youl use em-you pay for them.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    I don't think they'd go for much on ebay if you're honest and say they've done 32,000km!
    More problems but still living....
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I would look at the cost of a pair of replacement rims vs a complete new pair of wheels - I expect it'll be about half the cost of new wheels and expect they'll be good for another 32,000km or riding. I'm in the same boat with a pair of Ksyrium SLs that finally gave up on me this year - £200 for new rims vs £600 for new wheels? BTW Fulcrum hubs are same design as Record - easy to service and very durable - no need to junk them.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    rake wrote:
    dont reccomend the ebay thing its irresponsible and dangerous to let some poor sod ride on these.youl use em-you pay for them.

    I'd counter that it is irresponsible and dangerous to buy things off ebay if you are unsure what it is. It is also irresponsible and dangerous if the all-important 32,000 km bit is missing from any ebay listing. Selling them as a pair of used (done 32K) wheels is hardly irresponsible or dangerous. That said, I take your point, but everything is worth something to someone.
  • Just clicked on the Chain Reaction advert on this page..... replacemetn Fulcrum 1's on special at ridiculouskly low price. So I will take the forum advice and invest in new wheels, and then I will play with old wheels as wheels for project bike.

    Thanks from Melbourne
    Anthony
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    There are no holes in the rim bed; this means that there is no need for rim tape

    That means that even if you can get hold of new rims, you've the problem of posting the nipples through the valve hole and getting them out the spoke holes using magnets, or whatever they do.