Broken Rim

72hundred

Another broke rim, not Home:Ballyhoura's nice carbon type though, more the bog-standard cheap-o rim.

Its the rear on my commuter bike (BeOne Briza 1.0 '08), Alexrims R450 (probably as cheap as you can reasonably get). Anyways, it looks like its coming apart at the manufacturer's "seem" as its a perfectly perpendicular fracture line. It extends at both side of the rim and over the middle bit (it had torn the sticker).

Firstly is the wheel sh^gged? And is it a dangerous to keep riding it?

And secondly, what would be a cheap, bomb proof replacement?

niceonetom

That looks like the weld has split. Best place for that is the bin I'm afraid.

If you want to replace it with a new rim you can do a lot worse than the might Mavic OpenPro.

Golfanatic

plus one on the open pro dealdy rim. but bear in mindyou might be able to find a second hand rim destined for the trash in a bike shop. i did ad replace my bros rim cost me nothing. i could replace it for you for a better price for a bike shop if youd like if your in dublin

blorg

I'd check with the shop where you bought it first. That really shouldn't happen. They may replace it.

Open Pros are a good option but hardly cheap. I'd look out for something secondhand, they pop up from time to time.

72hundred

Thanks for suggestions, it was a purchase off CRC, in Sept '08. They've been very good for customer service previously. I think I'll email them before doing anything else. The front wheel's weld is also starting to "show" and will fail in a matter of time.

redmaxi

'Rims are formed from straight material that is rolled into a hoop and joined. Many solid-section rims have welded joints, as do some hollow aluminium rims. For hollow rims, however, welding is not only difficult and expensive, but also unnecessary because the joint as well as the rest of the rim of a properly tensioned wheel is always under compression. Most hollow rims are joined with a close fitting plug. Welding generally produces poorer alignment than a plug joint, and it has no strenght advantage because there is no tension at the joint, only compression.' ......'In fact a wheel could be built from 36 segments not held together at all except during assembly. Such a wheel would perform normally except that if several adjacent spokes were cut, the rim would explode into 36 pieces'

Ref: The Bicycle Wheel, 3rd edition by Jobst Brandt

It might be just a case of re-tensioning some loose spokes, worth asking a 'competent' mechanic anyway.

72hundred

Hey redmaix, that's an interesting idea. I'm fearful though, as it my commuting bike, and gets alot of abuse from potholes around Dublin that popping a spoke might be a real possibility.

kumate_champ07

Ive seen NOS rims sold with that join at the manufacturers sticker open, I think you can glue it and it will be fine, tho Im no expert

72hundred

Emailed CRC last night, no reply nor acknowledgement.... emailed again this evening. A quick reply would have been nice as its the commuter bike (read hate public transport)

gman2k

72hundred wrote: »

Emailed CRC last night, no reply nor acknowledgement.... emailed again this evening. A quick reply would have been nice as its the commuter bike (read hate public transport)

I've found that if you hit them with a query on Facebook it's nearly instantly answered, I'd say they have one person dedicated to that desk.

Also, the Mavic Open Sport rim is available on CRC for 22 stg at the mo. There's no need to push the boat out to the Open Pro rim.

72hundred

gman2k wrote: »

I've found that if you hit them with a query on Facebook it's nearly instantly answered, I'd say they have one person dedicated to that desk.

Also, the Mavic Open Sport rim is available on CRC for 22 stg at the mo. There's no need to push the boat out to the Open Pro rim.

Cheers thanks. So if I bought just the rim, can I use the old spokes with it? (Don't have any experience of wheel building beyond truing a wheel)

gman2k

72hundred wrote: »

Cheers thanks. So if I bought just the rim, can I use the old spokes with it? (Don't have any experience of wheel building beyond truing a wheel)

A wheel rebuild will cost you 30e including spokes. Your old spokes will not be reused!

72hundred

So €60 roughly. An option I guess, bit messy though as I've to order rim, collect from post office, bring to bike shop collect from bike shop.

Going to wait and see what CRC say, I'm expecting good news!

72hundred

Word back from CRC - 10% discount (which could end up being a few quid). Not a happy bunny. I've spent **** loads with them over the years and would have thought that was good enough to smooth out a little problem like this. Class act CRC!


Right now - so the options.

1) New wheels - expensive!

2) But new rims and get someone to lace 'em up for me.

3) Buy rim and spokes and try to build the wheel myself! (Italics as wondering if this is nuts! and how much does equipment cost? Maybe less than the €60 cost for getting F & R done)

CheGuedara

Built up wheels myself with advice picked up from the forum - it's not that difficult just takes a bit of time and make sure you get the right spoke length.

If you have the Effective Rim Diameter, the hub dimensions and the number of crosses (typically radial front these days and three cross rear) then the DTswiss website has a good spoke length calculator.

After that there's some very good instructions on Sheldon Browns website on lacing a wheel and if you've a spoke key and flat head screwdriver you should be able to get the wheel under tension whilst making a stab at dishing/centering while in the dropouts of your own bike.

If you bring the wheel into your LBS and explain that you're giving wheel building a go and that you need the last bit of expert dishing/centering you should be golden.

(or you could give Mr Skeff a PM if you're in the Dublin area, would bet he'd be able to help you too)

Lumen

It's only a commuter rear wheel. I'd just ride it until it explodes, and in the meantime just get it tensioned properly by a wheelbuilder.

zzzzzzzz

72hundred wrote: »

Word back from CRC - 10% discount

I think that's quite reasonable to be honest. You've had the wheel a year and a half and as you've said, they've taken a lot of abuse.

The exact same thing happened to my front wheel after about 7 or 8 months of use. Same manufacturer - not sure if it was the same model.

Another option would be to get a set of Mavic Aksiums - think they're €125 for the set from cycle superstore IIRC.

72hundred

CheGuedara wrote: »

Built up wheels myself with advice picked up from the forum - it's not that difficult just takes a bit of time and make sure you get the right spoke length.

If you have the Effective Rim Diameter, the hub dimensions and the number of crosses (typically radial front these days and three cross rear) then the DTswiss website has a good spoke length calculator.

After that there's some very good instructions on Sheldon Browns website on lacing a wheel and if you've a spoke key and flat head screwdriver you should be able to get the wheel under tension whilst making a stab at dishing/centering while in the dropouts of your own bike.

If you bring the wheel into your LBS and explain that you're giving wheel building a go and that you need the last bit of expert dishing/centering you should be golden.

(or you could give Mr Skeff a PM if you're in the Dublin area, would bet he'd be able to help you too)

Cheers I've found some cheap wheels on CRC. Shimano R500's, at roughly €80 seems like a easier option. Don't know I've the time/patience to build up a wheel, although I'm interested in learning the process at a later date.

Lumen wrote: »

It's only a commuter rear wheel. I'd just ride it until it explodes, and in the meantime just get it tensioned properly by a wheelbuilder.

! I'd prefer not to be on it when it explodes. I'll have to replace 'em with some quality rims/wheels at some stage so may as well do it now, and skip the crash that might ensue if it fails at an inopportune time.

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I think that's quite reasonable to be honest.

The exact same thing happened to my front wheel after about 7 or 8 months of use. Same manufacturer - not sure if it was the same model.

Another option would be to get a set of Mavic Aksiums - think they're €125 for the set from cycle superstore IIRC.

Reasonable indeed in one light. But I've spend a lot of money and bought 3 bikes off them and a Garmin 705 recently, I'm evidently a serial customer of theirs. It would have been nice if this had amounted to something more than €8 (~10%), when they were acting of good will (i.e. weren't contractually obliged to do so!). BTW Did you not return those wheel as <1year?


In any case, I'm going to order a new set of wheels of 'em with the discount. Still miffed about not getting more off, but I will no doubt continue to shop there if it continues to be cheaper!

zzzzzzzz

72hundred wrote: »

BTW Did you not return those wheel as <1year?

I probably should have I guess, but they came with a bike and I didn't particularly want another set of them.

72hundred

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I probably should have I guess, but they came with a bike and I didn't particularly want another set of them.

Can I return 'em at get some wheels :rolleyes:. Haha.

Lumen

72hundred wrote: »

! I'd prefer not to be on it when it explodes. I'll have to replace 'em with some quality rims/wheels at some stage so may as well do it now, and skip the crash that might ensue if it fails at an inopportune time.

Fair enough, the wheel is clearly dangerous and worthless. Can I have it for cyclocross?

72hundred

Lumen wrote: »

Fair enough, the wheel is clearly dangerous and worthless. Can I have it for cyclocross?

Sure. You mean for free, or is there any offer of some money?!?

Lumen

72hundred wrote: »

Sure. You mean for free, or is there any offer of some money?!?

It's dangerous - you should be paying me to safely dispose of it!

Seriously, I would be quite happy to ride that wheel, trust in physics. It'll go badly out of true before it fails, and you'll get epic brake rub.

Maybe just keep it as a spare.

72hundred

Lumen wrote: »

It's dangerous - you should be paying me to safely dispose of it!

Seriously, I would be quite happy to ride that wheel, trust in physics. It'll go badly out of true before it fails, and you'll get epic brake rub.

Maybe just keep it as a spare.

Haha, its dangerous for me. You're probably much luckier.

Well if you want 'em let me know. Front one is fine and you can see the back wheel's experience spots.

Lumen

72hundred wrote: »

Haha, its dangerous for me. You're probably much luckier.

Well if you want 'em let me know. Front one is fine and you can see the back wheel's experience spots.

I'll happily take the back one for nothing if you're otherwise going to chuck it. I have wheels already but cyclocross is pretty hard on equipment and I'd be curious to find out what the failure mode is.

72hundred

Lumen wrote: »

I'll happily take the back one for nothing if you're otherwise going to chuck it. I have wheels already but cyclocross is pretty hard on equipment and I'd be curious to find out what the failure mode is.

Aha! I was waiting for that. I'm on awful horder, so I might hold on to it if the offer is €0!

72hundred

New wheels arrived today and are sitting on the bike.

Out of curiosity I weighted the new and old wheels.

Old

Front;914g and Rear; 1.180. Total - 2094g


New

Front; 880g and Rear; 1.123. Total - 2003g


So no difference really in weights. Hopefully I'll get a bit longer out of 'em that last pair. BTW Wheels arrived completely true which was nice.