Wheel Wear indicator

[HLaB]

After cleaning up my commuter bike, the rear wheel indicator on one side seems to be worn out, I'm going to take it to a lbs to get a second opinion. In the meantime I just wondered how much of an early warning is the wear line, hopefully its not a sign of imminent failure?

The bike has only 2yrs old (5,200 mls) but it is used in all conditions and its kept in a bike shed which is partially open to the elements. They're Alex ace-19's if that matters.

 

[spandex]

It is just a sign saying (look you may wish to change me in the next 1000 miles or so) you can leave it for some time but the longer you do the more you need to be checking them. When you can see what looks like cracks in the side wall that is the time you need to change it Now.

 

[02GF74]

yep - once cracks start to appear of the rim starts to bow outwards, then it is tool late. I am sure the manufacturers will have a fair bit of margin to avoid being sued.

 

[John the Monkey]

From CTC website;

If you can borrow or if you have a micrometre or a vernier gauge (I bought a good digital one new off ebay for £15).
Cut a couple of short pieces of spoke about about 25mm long,with the tyre off the rim place a piece of spoke on the braking surface in the direction of rotation and the other one on the inside of the rim (in the direction of rotation not across the braking surface),trap these with the vernier/micrometre (so you're measuring the thickness of the two spoke pieces and the thickness of the braking surface of the rim.keep this measurment in mind,we will call it 5mm, then measure both thicknesses of spokes seperately we'll call these 2mm and 2mm subtract the spoke thicknesses ie 4mm from the first reading 5mm = 1mm that is the thickness of the braking surface of the rim,do this in a few places around the rim and if its less than 0.9mm the rim is worn out.

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?p=79750&

 

[HLaB]

Thanks Folk, I'll keep my eye on it and probably replace it in Spring.

 

[byegad]

Probably wise. The thing to watch far while riding is an uneven braking on that wheel. IF it blows its a BIG bang and you can come to grief. Uneven braking means its about to go and would see me walking home rather than risking a failure.

 

[gavintc]

The problem with everyday commuting bikes is that we do not clean them quite as frequently and the build up of crap on the rims can turn to a grinding paste reducing the life span of a rim.