Is this rear wheel no longer rideable?

carlosrj
carlosrj Posts: 3
edited April 2014 in Workshop
I had a bad spill the other day due to a blowout and that caused the braking surface to be scratched on the rear rim (the one that suffered the blowout). I am just wondering if this damage is repairable (sanding maybe?) or wether this rim is done for?

Comments

  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    Visit a reputable LBS for an assessment. Not worth asking on here IMO, unless you dont value your front teeth, collar bone, etc
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    If the rim is not bent or damaged, you need to sand it, starting with a smaller grade (rough) and finishing it with something like 600. You can finish it off with some steel wool.
    left the forum March 2023
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    jordan_217 wrote:
    Visit a reputable LBS for an assessment. Not worth asking on here IMO, unless you dont value your front teeth, collar bone, etc

    A little melodramatic perhaps! If you took that line you'd be having the frame x-rayed after every time you hit a decent sized pothole.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    Rolf F wrote:
    jordan_217 wrote:
    Visit a reputable LBS for an assessment. Not worth asking on here IMO, unless you dont value your front teeth, collar bone, etc

    A little melodramatic perhaps! If you took that line you'd be having the frame x-rayed after every time you hit a decent sized pothole.

    How can ANYONE on here tell the extent of the damage via a low res/poor photo? The fact the OP is asking means he should be getting an assesment by someone who can physically inspect the rim IMO.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    jordan_217 wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    jordan_217 wrote:
    Visit a reputable LBS for an assessment. Not worth asking on here IMO, unless you dont value your front teeth, collar bone, etc

    A little melodramatic perhaps! If you took that line you'd be having the frame x-rayed after every time you hit a decent sized pothole.

    How can ANYONE on here tell the extent of the damage via a low res/poor photo? The fact the OP is asking means he should be getting an assesment by someone who can physically inspect the rim IMO.

    If you don't ask you never learn - the fact that the OP is asking on here indicates that he's willing to learn.

    Ok - we may not be able to see the rim in the flesh but at least the OP can receive some pointers as to what to look for. From the brief look at the photos it looks like it's surface damage - Ugo has told him how he can resolve that. I'd suggest that the OP needs to look carefully at the damaged area and compare against non-damaged areas - check there is no deflection of the sidewall and no cracks visible. I'm sure there's a way to check for cracks using a dye.

    If the OP still isn't sure then he can take it to a wheel builder or LBS - who will quite probably say that he needs a new wheel because it's not worth the liability if they assess it wrongly.
  • dgunthor
    dgunthor Posts: 644
    i'd file it smooth and use it - rode 20 miles on a flat front tub wheel and did the same, no probs for me
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    If there is no crack or large dent, it's only a scratch... sand it smooth and happy days...
    If there is a crack/large dent or similar, then it is a different story...
    left the forum March 2023
  • carlosrj
    carlosrj Posts: 3
    I'll post pics later tonight, but I have sanded the wheel and the damage on the first pic is mostly cosmetic... it now feels smooth.

    The second pic doesn't show, but it is also a scratch (road rash of sorts...), however it has dilapidated the outside corner of the top of the rim (it is no longer square-ish, one side is now slightly diagonal)

    I am concerned this can structurally weaken the wheel and cause it to fail suddenly...
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    The side that matters is the internal side... if that's damaged or bend or dented, I would bin the rim... any outer damage might reduce your brake pads life but should not interfere with how the tyre sits on the rim.
    Try to inflate the tyre to 120-130 PSI and bounce it on the floor a few times, hitting the floor at the spot where the damage is...
    left the forum March 2023