Rim wear / wheel recommendations

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pfm401

Well-Known Member
I've used the following on my Trek Alpha 1.5:
- Bontrager wheels (came with bike) - 4.5k before rims wore, freehub replaced twice
- Fulcrum Racing 7 - 4.5k before rims wore, sealed bearings replaced at 2k
- Shimano WH501, hubs fine, rims worn at 3k

I ride all through winter in hills etc so know my rim wear will be lower than most. I've not changed style or pads!! Are Shimano rims soft?

Any wheel recommendations? I'm looking at RS010 or RS11 - don't need anything too flash as riding for fun and throughwintert.

Any advice greatly appreciated!!

Paul.
 

wonderloaf

Veteran
I had the same experience using RS11's rear rim was worn in less than 1500 miles or so. Replaced them with 501's and they seem to be going the same way. However the Campagnolo Khamsins on the summer bike have done about 3500 miles and still going strong ... I know what I'll be getting next time!
 

Nigelnightmare

Über Member
Try coolstop pads or pad's for wet weather they're softer and give better braking and modulation (they wear out quicker though) but I know what I'd rather replace if it's a choice between brake pads and wheel rims.
Brake pad's are a LOT CHEAPER than rims.
I've found shimano pads to be hard and abrasive.
JMTPW
 
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twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
Mavic Open Pro. Got 45k miles out of a pair so far. But those ones don't go out in the worst weather on my no mudguard bike. My Open Pros that do go out in the worst weather last a couple of years or so at ~6 or 7k miles per year.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
If you're getting through rims quite fast perhaps look at some regular brake block maintenance, remove, inspect, dig out debris (flint and glass etc) with the tip of a Stanley knife or similar. You'd be amazed how much I used to dig out when winter commuting.
It started after I heard scraping when braking...ooer...some stone was embedded and that was digging into my rims.
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
look at some regular brake block maintenance, remove, inspect, dig out debris (flint and glass etc)
Which is good, but some brake blocks pick up abrasive objects a lot more easily than others do.
If you check and de-crud the blocks, then find them with new embedded things within a month, swap the type of blocks.
In my case, that was a Simano to Koolstop change.
 
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