Originally Posted by
79pmooney
Celticgirl, rims wear out from caliper brakes over time. Fact of life. It's part of the stopping process. (Discs do too.) How fast depends on a lot of factors mentioned above. Riding in the wet speeds up the wear a lot. Likewise riding in abrasive dust, sand and gravel. (Now, not all dust, sands and gravels are alike. There are places famous for really abrasive rock, sand and dust. Where I live and ride, the Pacific northwest, is one. All of us here know we go through rims at a rate we are frequently told is impossible by those in other areas. I kill rims in less than two winters commuting 60 miles/week.
Here's what happens when you let a rim go too long. I barely felt a bump when I started the ride- 15 miles later... KABOOM. The rim let go with a louder bang than I'd ever heard. Fortunately I wasn't going fast and I was able to walk to a nice bagel shop to await rescue.
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Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..