Open Pro CD rims?

[AlanW]

I had a new pair of wheels built just a few weeks ago and opted for the CD rims as I "thought" that the anodised finish would help protect the rims better......wrong!

After just a few hundred dry miles the coating is wearing away already at quite an alarming rate! Both wheels are affected, but as you would expect the rear is worse.

Has anyone else had bad experiences with these rims, or is it just me again.

 

[PapaZita]

This is normal for CD rims. The hard anodising is applied after the rims are machined, and it wears away from the braking surfaces. I'm not really sure what the point of it is supposed to be. On the plus side, braking performance will improve as the coating wears through to the raw metal.

PZ.

 

[andrew_s]

There's not much point in paying extra for CD.
As you are finding, it wears off relatively soon.

Disadvantages:
Until it wears off the braking is worse
It can cause cracking around the spoke holes
It costs more

Advantages:
The wheels look shinier and are easier to clean

 

[AlanW]

There's not much point in paying extra for CD.
As you are finding, it wears off relatively soon.

Disadvantages:
Until it wears off the braking is worse
It can cause cracking around the spoke holes
It costs more

Advantages:
The wheels look shinier and are easier to clean

Looks like another poor choice of rim on my part then!

I should have learned my lesson with the purchase of the ceramic rims a couple of years ago.

It would appear that the older I get the dafter I get, stick to what you know works.

 

[ASC1951]

Both wheels are affected, but as you would expect the rear is worse.

I wouldn't, actually - most of my braking is on the front wheel. Tyre wear, yes, but not brake wear.

+1 about those rims. I had a pair a few years ago but am now back with plain metal. Still Open Pros, though, which are good kit for the money.

 

[AlanW]

I wouldn't, actually - most of my braking is on the front wheel. Tyre wear, yes, but not brake wear.

Well actually that's a fair point?

In saying that, if I have to stop in a hurry then the front brake is used in more anger, but as a rule I tend to use the rear brake more.

How odd...

 

[ASC1951]

In saying that, if I have to stop in a hurry then the front brake is used in more anger, but as a rule I tend to use the rear brake more.

That's unusual. For ordinary slowing I just us the front brake, for quick slowing I use 75% front and 25% rear with the front applied first.

Maybe that's from my motorcycling days, although the late great Sheldon agrees with me. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

[Going back to the OP, I find that I also have a pair of Mavic Open CDs (not Open Pro CDs) on which I must have done 15,000 miles. The anodising is still visible here and there.]

 

[fossyant]

Ah, that's where the braking surface is anodised. Does wear off.... I opted for CXP33's on two wheel sets - machined braking surface, but not 'coated'

 

[dan_bo]

Even ceramics look poo after 200 miles-brakings good but they do look flaky.

 

[andrew_s]

Both wheels are affected, but as you would expect the rear is worse.

I wouldn't, actually - most of my braking is on the front wheel. Tyre wear, yes, but not brake wear.[/QUOTE]

The rear rim often wears quicker than the front because the front tyre sprays gritty water on it.

 

[ASC1951]

The rear rim often wears quicker than the front because the front tyre sprays gritty water on it.

A good point; and now I actually go and look at mine, rather than theorising, I see that you are correct.

 

[Crankarm]

I have always had Open Pro Cd rims. Even the ones that are 14 years old polish up like new. Of course the coating on the braking surface is going to wear - durr! Through snow ice grit and crud the 3 year old ones ones currently on my commuter bike scrub up like new everytime when I wash them. I have previously had Rigidas and normal finish Open Pro rims which have quickly pitted in the crudddy conditions of winter. So IME I think Open Pro Cd rims are brilliant. If you get eyelets splitting then the spoke tension is far too high - blame your wheel builder. I have never had this happen on any of mine despite having about 8 of these rims. All wheels bar one single rear and the first pair have been built by Monty at Condor, the first pair were built by Geoffrey Butler cycles in 1995/1996 with Campag Record 8 spd hubs which are still going strong. These are the skinner 13mm width rims which are still lovely to ride on. The single CD rim (rear) was built by a local LBS that did an okish job.