Rim damage - worth saving old bike or not?

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Brand X

Guest
Just an old Ridgeback I found; I hate to throw a bicycle away but the rim of the back wheel is damaged so I'm wondering whether to take it to the recycling centre or if it's salvageable without spending any money. The bike's not really worth anything.

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Tangoup51

Well-Known Member
No my friend, that's split right on the weld. You can't just bend that back because it's split, which means if you did bend it back over it'd just cave in again the second a brake pad runs across it and more than likely lock up your wheel and throw you off. That's spent i'm afraid!
 

gazza1286

Active Member
That looks as though it could be repaired. The braking surface appears to run just above the damaged edge.

Just remove the tyre and some grips/pliers will edge the rim back in line. A file will smooth out any minor imperfections. The fault is at the natural joint on the rim and it appears structurally sound. Does it spin true? Even if slightly out the spokes could easily be adjusted.
 
Location
Loch side.
I would remove the tyre and tube and try and bend the rim back into position with some pliers.

No, that's poor advice. The pliers always leave another dent as well as some abrasive little holes. Let's first find out if the brakes pulse when used and how bad, before attempting to take that dent out.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
It might not set your Y fronts ablaze with excitement, but from what little we can see of it the wee beastie looks clean enough. Hopefully that wheel can be sorted, but if not it must surely be worth a tenner on a used wheel.

If it were mine it get on a bench vice with the soft jaws.
 
Location
Loch side.
No my friend, that's split right on the weld. You can't just bend that back because it's split, which means if you did bend it back over it'd just cave in again the second a brake pad runs across it and more than likely lock up your wheel and throw you off. That's spent i'm afraid!
Absolute nonsense.
There's no weld on that rim. It is a pinned rim. Take your scare tactics somewhere else. Maybe to the financial markets or Trump-watching.
 
Location
Loch side.
P.S. OP, your chain is so badly rusted that the links are kinky.
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
If you find the brakes grab as it rotates, you might get a better result by flipping the wheel round, thus reversing the direction the dent hits the brake block.
 
OP
OP
Brand X

Brand X

Guest
It might not set your Y fronts ablaze with excitement, but from what little we can see of it the wee beastie looks clean enough. Hopefully that wheel can be sorted, but if not it must surely be worth a tenner on a used wheel.

If it were mine it get on a bench vice with the soft jaws.

I guess you're right. I shall keep my eyes open for a wheel the next time I'm at a car-boot. :okay:
 
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