Hard wearing rims?

[confusedcyclist]

My Shimano R501 alloy rims have done about 6000 commuting miles in all weather conditions and I just noticed my front rim (just on the right hand side oddly enough) is seriously worn. Theses were budget wheels £60 for the set, if I spend more, will I get more hard wearing rims, our should I just churn through these cheaper wheels?

Something tells me, blowing 200-300 on more expensive wheels would get old fast if I was replacing them every 6000 miles.

I would consider reusing the hub and spokes if I can source a decent hard wearing set of rims, not too heavy mind, so steel is out.

Oh and before I get any comments on the subject, I do clean the grinding paste of my rims after bad weather!

 

[screenman]

10 miles to 1p, now that is value.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Not to mention the rear wheel is still going strong! I imagine it will last maybe another 6000, (rarely touch rear brakes!)

 

[Globalti]

Why don't you buy a new rim, tape it alongside the old and transfer the spokes over one by one? It's easy with a front wheel and a great way of teaching yourself how to true a wheel. The new rim will need to have the same depth as the original for the spokes to fit and your spoke nipples will need to be in good shape and not rusted. If you can't do it, a good bike shop will fit a new rim for you with new spokes, in the fine tradition of rebuilding rather than just throwing away.

 

[Pale Rider]

Converting the front to a disc brake might be a viable option.

About £70 for a disc specific fork, and a tenner for the rotor.

The cost of the levers and callipers will depend on what handlebars your bike has.

 

[Tim Hall]

I don't know if some rims are harder wearing than others, but it seems likely. Back in the day when Mavic dropped the MA2 in favour of the MA3 there were reports that the latter wore very quickly. The other variable you need to consider is the brake block. I get good results from Koolstop salmons.

 

[palinurus]

I have wheels built at the local bike shop, the idea is the hubs last so I can get them rebuilt when the rims wear. So far though I haven't actually worn a rim out- although I have damaged two in a single pothole-related incident. In the past have used various Mavic rims (A719s, Open Pros) mixed with midrange hubs (e.g. 105), I have a few sets spread over three bikes. In about 9 years of doing this I've not broken a spoke or replaced any parts except the two crash-damaged rims- although some of the wheels get moved from bike-to-bike and get various levels of usage that I don't really keep track of.

On my most used bike (commuting) only the front rim wears (fixed, no rear brake), but when my front hub dynamo wears out I'm thinking of moving to a disc or hub brake version. I brake less riding fixed so the front probably wears less than in typical use. Do about 6000 miles/ year, all conditions.

Having said all that you can buy a new set of R501s at Ribble at the moment for £70.

 

[Milkfloat]

Personally for commuting I would stick with what is proven to be value for money. The shimano 500/501 wheels fit that criteria beautifully.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Why don't you buy a new rim, tape it alongside the old and transfer the spokes over one by one? It's easy with a front wheel and a great way of teaching yourself how to true a wheel. The new rim will need to have the same depth as the original for the spokes to fit and your spoke nipples will need to be in good shape and not rusted. If you can't do it, a good bike shop will fit a new rim for you with new spokes, in the fine tradition of rebuilding rather than just throwing away.

Wheel building is on my list of skills to learn. I'll definitely reuse the hub, even if I just opt for another set of 501s in the short term, I like the idea of having spares around in case of failure.

Quick question though, why bother taping the two rims together? Is this just to make transferring the spokes over easier? Just curious.

 

[phantasmagoriana]

I got about 6000 miles out of my last set of R501s too - they were less than £60 for the pair, so I just bought a new set when the rims wore out. At that price they're about the same as a decent set of tyres!

 

[screenman]

I got about 6000 miles out of my last set of R501s too - they were less than £60 for the pair, so I just bought a new set when the rims wore out. At that price they're about the same as a decent set of tyres!

Or 12 gallons of Petrol which may have got you 400 miles rather than 6,000 that is something to think about.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

My Shimano R501 alloy rims have done about 6000 commuting miles in all weather conditions and I just noticed my front rim (just on the right hand side oddly enough) is seriously worn. Theses were budget wheels £60 for the set, if I spend more, will I get more hard wearing rims, our should I just churn through these cheaper wheels?

Something tells me, blowing 200-300 on more expensive wheels would get old fast if I was replacing them every 6000 miles.

I would consider reusing the hub and spokes if I can source a decent hard wearing set of rims, not too heavy mind, so steel is out.

Oh and before I get any comments on the subject, I do clean the grinding paste of my rims after bad weather!

Some rims last longer than others but I don't think you would get double the mileage by spending double the money. I have a feeling you would wear the rims sooner than the average rider.

The important thing here is that you have a pretty good idea how quickly you wear your rims and at 6000 miles it's reasonably quickly. That might be entirely the fault of your route or your cycling style and it doesn't matter.

You can buy another wheel / set and run it to the ground again. At that cost I think you can't complain.

The alternative is to get something that you can easily replace the rim time and time again, something around the Open Pro would be easy to source and replace.

 

[Globalti]

Quick question though, why bother taping the two rims together? Is this just to make transferring the spokes over easier? Just curious.

Er.... yes! That's the whole point. You tape the new rim alongside the old and just unscrew the nipples and move the spokes over one by one then un-tape the old rim. I did it a few times in the pre-disc brake era. It helps to have a dishing gauge, which you set to ensure that the rim is exactly central on the axle, which is especially important with the rear wheel. You can make one with a length of batten and three bolts or screws. For the front wheel is much less crucial because the spokes are the same lemgth both sides and the rim will settle centrally as you tighten them up.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I don't know if some rims are harder wearing than others, but it seems likely. Back in the day when Mavic dropped the MA2 in favour of the MA3 there were reports that the latter wore very quickly. The other variable you need to consider is the brake block. I get good results from Koolstop salmons.

Another vote for Koolstops, I've used salmons for years. I don't know if its my riding style or that I'm a small rider, five and a half feet and about eleven and a half stone but I've yet to have to replace a rim, I normally find the wheel is seven or eight years old before the rims knackered and then I just replace the wheel.

 

[Globalti]

As somebody pointed out recently on here, softer compound pads will grip the rim and brake better but they will wear out faster. Harder compound pads will wear more slowly but braking will be less effective and the rims will wear faster.