How long should you get from a wheel?

[bennydorano]

I've had Kysrium Equipes for 2 years, probably pushing 5,000m by now and they are showing signs of wear and tear. While talking to a mate I said back wheel needed a bit of a service (I thought a Trueing) and he reckoned 2 years could be as good as it gets and they could be done? What do you think? I've been over some seriously dodgy roads in that time.

 

[SquareDaff]

I've done about 5k miles on my Kysrium Elites and they still look and spin like new (and are still true) - so I'm expecting many, many more miles from them. Think I've read on here before that people have had 30k+ out of a well maintained wheelset.

 

[numbnuts]

My rear lasted 10,000 miles, my front is still going at nearly 30,000 miles
but it all depends on where you ride gritty roads, mud ect and how many times you use your brakes do you have wear marks on the rim ??

Ps mine are heavy duty touring rims

 

[adds21]

I get about 3,000 miles from a wheel before the rim gets thin enough for me to change it. However I ride in all weathers and in a hilly area, so my rims get a fair bit of wear, and I tend to use cheap rims in the first place. My next commuter will have disc brakes for this reason!

 

[Mile195]

I ride all year round on some of London's worst third-world style road surfaces. I just changed mine on 12'000 miles. They would have lasted a little longer had someone not knocked me off.

Those were Shimano RS10's so nothing special, but in all the time I was running them, I never once had to true the rear, and only one occasion on the front. I've got RS30's now and rather hoping for a similar mileage.

 

[fossyant]

I get 18 months max from the commute bike or 6 to 7k miles. The rims wear. I just rebuild them.

 

[ianrauk]

I get 18 months max from the commute bike or 6 to 7k miles. The rims wear. I just rebuild them.

Yup, that's about the time scale I used to get. But then again we are both all year, all weather commuters.
Now I have disc brakes...I think the wheels on my commute bike, which are pretty bombproof, will last forever.

 

[HLaB]

I get 18 months max from the commute bike or 6 to 7k miles. The rims wear. I just rebuild them.

My Mavic Askium, Quasar (Dutch Wheels), Ace rims have all lasted similar but my Kashim and Planet X rims have lasted longer and aren't worn out yet, although they are off the bike just now untill winter.

 

[accountantpete]

Basically the life of a wheel is determined by the braking surface.

If that is heavily worn with a concave groove then the wheel is toast.

Otherwise - everything else can be serviced replaced reasonably cheaply.

Bearings are quickly serviced by knocking the old ones out and replacing them with new ( £12 or so).

The freehub is the only other thing that wears. There is a female plastic collar inside the freehub which fits snugly over the metal male part of the hub but the male part actually turns with the wheel when you coast and wears out the plastic collar. You can either buy a new freehub off ebay (£30-£50) or buy a new plastic collar from USA for £10 or so.

NB- the plastic collar is called a mavic freehub bushing

 

[bennydorano]

Plan on leaving it with LBS for a service soon anyway, so I'll hopefully get an honest appraisal. They've been Summer only wheels, so if they are on the way out I might just use them this Winter. Rims well worn, but then again I'm not experienced enough to know how worn.

 

[accountantpete]

Rims well worn, but then again I'm not experienced enough to know how worn.

Rough guide:

Edge of ruler across brake surface - you will see a gap of light between. 1 page of glossy paper between rim and ruler ok, 2 pages slightly dodgy and 3 pages new wheel.

Use good quality brake pads which wear out quickly - not £10 pads which last but wear out the £200 wheel!

 

[J1780]

Rough guide:

Edge of ruler across brake surface - you will see a gap of light between. 1 page of glossy paper between rim and ruler ok, 2 pages slightly dodgy and 3 pages new wheel.

Use good quality brake pads which wear out quickly - not £10 pads which last but wear out the £200 wheel!

Spot on. That's how I'd look on the pads. Good guide for rim wear too

 

[zacklaws]

I'm on my 4th Kysyrium Equipe rear wheel in less than two years. Luckily I took out the MP3 replacement programme because at about 2500 miles and 160 hours riding, each rim has cracked at the spokes badly and had to have the wheel replaced. The original front is OK so far. But I have been told that if the same happens to this new one I have, then it too will be replaced, but I just cannot go on like this swapping the wheel every four months.

I have a set of Mavic Askiums too, but I get nothing but problems with the spokes twisting and coming loose.

I'll never buy a set of Mavics again.

 

[Edge705]

FWIW had Ksyrium elites for 5 years never run out of true probably 12000 miles on them with plenty of breaking surface they are now spares. Have a new set of elites now and get similar performance However I do look after my wheels I slow down towards junctions to avoid breaking at the last minute I break front and back evenly so hit the front break release quick hit the back break release quick and so on until stop. I also clean them every fortnight. so in answer to the OP a decent set of wheels, without constantly breaking harshly, and cleaned often should last quite a long time indeed. BTW my wheels get ridden all year round

 

[VamP]

My Ksyriums also looking strong after 10k odd. Have changed bearings once in that time, but the rims are in good shape. Went out of true once, but that was due to a 35mph crash, other than that have been reliable in all weathers. Good pads (GHPII) used throughout.