Rim RIP?

[swee'pea99]

How can you tell when it's time to kiss goodbye to a rim? I was changing brake blocks last night and cleaning crud off the rim, and couldn't help noticing that the sidewalls are distinctly concave. Can't remember whether they've always been like that, or to that extent, but is there any definitive way to know when it's time to call it a day?

 

[accountantpete]

Hold a ruler or something flat to the rim and try and gauge how much has worn.Then work out the original thickness.

Rims etc are usually "over-made" by 1/3rd or so - therefore if the rim has worn by more than a third I'd scrap it.

 

[PpPete]

Or get one of these to measure accurately what's left. I think I've read that down to about 1 mm is OK.

 

[Kestevan]

A sort of splintery cracking noise, heard just before you are propelled head first over the bars is a dead giveaway

I seem to recall the advice I was given by the LBS was to look at replacement when the rim wall got down to about 1mm thick (assuming there is no wear indicator on the rim itself).

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Many years ago I left a rim to long before I changed it. I suddenly found I was adjusting the brake by backing off the adjuster! It had got that thin that the pressure from the inner tube had started to spread the sides of the rim. Fortunately I realised what was going on and got it changed before it split. I remember one fella on a club run had his front start to split when he braked at a junction. He left us at that point and made his way home slowly by the most direct route and managed to get home before it failed totally.

 

[speccy1]

The back wheel locked almost solid on mine, I got off because of the obvious trouble, and watched the split spread around the rim in front of my eyes. I was quite proud of it in a silly way!!

 

[swee'pea99]

Excellent! So basically you keep going till it explodes, then you have a great story to tell. Works for me.

 

[speccy1]

In this case yes!! I`m not usually like that though

 

[MacB]

The back wheel locked almost solid on mine, I got off because of the obvious trouble, and watched the split spread around the rim in front of my eyes. I was quite proud of it in a silly way!!

superb, I totally get the the pride bit as well