Disc braked wheel life?

[Moodyman]

Just out of curiosity....

...disc braked wheels are supposed to last longer than rim braked, but is it reasonable to conclude that they should last for life so long as you don't crash and service the hubs on time?

or is there other factors to consider like fatigue with aluminium rims / spokes?

 

[ColinJ]

Just out of curiosity....

...disc braked wheels are supposed to last longer than rim braked, but is it reasonable to conclude that they should last for life so long as you don't crash and service the hubs on time?

or is there other factors to consider like fatigue with aluminium rims / spokes?

Well, I've got a pair on my Rock Lobster MTB that are 11 years old and still going strong, and I don't think I've even looked at the hubs!

 

[asterix]

No probs on mine so far. Had 'em at least 2 months.

Seriously, I don't believe there is a fatigue issue with aluminium rims over any reasonable time period, say 20 years and my first broken spoke is a future event despite doing loaded touring in hilly regions. However, I do like my wheels to be built by experts and I don't care if I have a few more spokes than the weight-weenies.

 

[VamP]

Well, I've got a pair on my Rock Lobster MTB that are 11 years old and still going strong, and I don't think I've even looked at the hubs!

My rim braked wheelset on my Rockhopper is 18 years old, and likewise still going strong! Never seen a hub service either.

 

[ColinJ]

My rim braked wheelset on my Rockhopper is 18 years old, and likewise still going strong! Never seen a hub service either.

Do you do many long, wet, muddy rides on those wheels? I found on some of the killers round here that I could wear brake blocks out in a few such rides and the worn blocks had slithers of alloy in them so the rims were also taking a battering. I wore one pair of blocks through mid-descent, but it was too dangerous to stop braking. By the time I got to the bottom, my wheel rim had been destroyed!

 

[VamP]

Do you do many long, wet, muddy rides on those wheels? I found on some of the killers round here that I could wear brake blocks out in a few such rides and the worn blocks had slithers of alloy in them so the rims were also taking a battering. I wore one pair of blocks through mid-descent, but it was too dangerous to stop braking. By the time I got to the bottom, my wheel rim had been destroyed!

That was one expensive descent!

My Rockhopper has led a fairly sheltered life TBH. I think he's a bit put out to find he's on racing duty now he feels he's in his dotage.

Totally agree muddy and wet rides, particularly if there's a lot of sand in the soil, are absolute block and rim killers. My next MTB will naturally be on discs.

 

[smokeysmoo]

My next MTB will naturally be on discs.

My next MTB will be................

another road bike

 

[ColinJ]

That was one expensive descent!

I wasn't a happy chappy, especially since it was my own stupid fault! I'd noticed how worn the blocks were, but I was in miser-mode and thought 'Maybe I'll just squeeze just one more ride out of them'.

£5 worth of blocks cost me £80 worth of wheel!

My next MTB will be................

another road bike

MTBs are great if you have some decent bridleways to ride them on, as we do round here. I really must start doing more MTB riding again - I miss it. (My MTB needs servicing.)

There are some fantastic places that you just can't get to by road, and there is no traffic to worry about.

In an ideal world, I'd do one MTB ride for every two or three road rides.

 

[VamP]

My next MTB will be................

another road bike

I've got two of those already



Unfortunately they are not legal to enter in MTB races