Worn wheel rim on my Birdy folder

[sbird]

After four and half years of commuting on my Birdy about 10 miles a day the rim on my rear wheel has worn through.

I've never worn through the rim of the wheel on any of my other bikes so a first for me.

And because my commute takes me through that London and the Brompton is the most popular folder of choice I wondered if this is a common problem for those who do?

 

[Kell]

Mine spilt after a year if that's any consolation. (Brompton.)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rear-rims-just-cracked.205315/

 

[the snail]

If you add up all the miles you've done, not that surprising really. If you've got rim brakes, the rims will wear out eventually. Watch our for grit getting embedded in the pads, and use your front brake more?

 

[mjr]

Common problem on any rim-braked bike (which is part of why I upgraded my daily Dutchie dapper to hub brakes) and likely to happen after fewer miles on smaller wheels simply because you've less rim to scrape the pads along. It can be reduced by keeping pads and rims cleaner and by not fitting b'stard hard brake pads (yes, they last a long time, but it's a false economy because they wear your rims more). After that, take the wheel into a good shop and ask them to put a new rim on it.

 

[Kell]

Cost me about £50 in parts and labour to get a new rim.

 

[TheDoctor]

As other have said. it's a problem. Small wheels wear out faster than large ones. Softer brake pads will wear the rims less - I use the salmon pink ones. Replacing brake pads is a lot cheaper and easier than replacing rims!

 

[fossyant]

Just wear and tear. Used to wear out rims in 18 months on a fixie in city traffic so you did well.

 

[Kell]

I do think factory discs on Bromptons would be a massive step forward.