Hard wearing rims?

[andrew_s]

It is (or has been) possible to get rims with a hard coating that brake blocks take a very long time to wear through.
The downsides are that they cost more, that they bend just the same on a pothole, and that braking is different (i.e. may require different pads).

I've got a Mavic Open Pro Ceramic on my back wheel, that has lasted about 3 times longer than a regular Open Pro so far (and cost double). The coating is now worn off in patches, so I don't expect a great deal of extra life.
I bought it as one of a pair, but never trusted wet weather braking enough to put the other rim on the front.

Rigida/Ryde offer a similar "SSC" (SuperSonic Carbide) on some of their rims.

On the whole, I'd recommend swapping brake blocks to something more rim friendly as a first option.

 

[AlanW]

Just had to scrap a pair of RS610 wheels that I fitted on the 19th November last year, just over 3000 miles and they are both knackered. The rim thickness on rear is down to 0.65mm in places, so amazed its lasted this long before the tyre exploded off to be honest!

And that's using Koolstop Salmon blocks front and rear as well....

So its back to some trusty handbuilts I think, at least you can replace the rims when they are worn out, instead of chucking the whole wheel.

 

[AlanW]

I've got a Mavic Open Pro Ceramic on my back wheel, that has lasted about 3 times longer than a regular Open Pro so far (and cost double). The coating is now worn off in patches, so I don't expect a great deal of extra life.

I tried these ceramic rims when they first came out, absolute great braking in the dry, but despite trying all sorts of different material brake blocks I could never stop in the wet, or even when mildly moist for that matter?? They had to go in the end, as I felt they were to dangerous.