woodcraft

The rear wheel looks the same as the front, so better fret about that too.

Cyclist0108

I have no idea.

Over-reaction is a family trait.

Cyclist0108

That's why I asked him to send me a picture of it. I thought it was a good positive control.

I can't even find any seams on my Belgium + rims.

Cyclist0108

1. A few miles.

2. Bus.

CliffordK

Bikeforums is a good place to come then.
They are usually exactly opposite the valve stem.

Is it possible that older rims would be pinned, and newer ones welded? Fakes?

mpetry912 

I was talking to a good friend yesterday who is an authority on the topic of bike wheels and rims.

He mentioned this very thing ! Specifically in the earlier HED rims. Said it usually was caused by over-inflation. pump tires up to 130 psi, a couple inflation cycles to very high pressure, these cracks start to appear.

I think this is an excellent case study regarding life cycle expectations we have of very light equipment. Despite the high cost, it may not last forever, and certainly will not absorb crash damage or other misuse / neglect.

don't ride it.

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA

rumrunn6

that's tuff. hope he has easy access to an LBS

Cyclist0108

He does. He can get to Universal Cycles fairly easily from where he lives.

Cyclist0108

I don't think he (or I) over-inflate by any stretch of the imagination, but I get the point about the fragility.

CliffordK

Portland?

There is also a bike coop within a couple of blocks of Universal Cycles. And, I think that one buys and sells. Sometimes a bit high on the prices, but they typically have a good selection.

Last ride 76 

Am I off base here? Deflate, and put a pair of hands on it. if still unsure take the tire tube and rim tape and try again. Does it feel/look solidly in one piece? Then if not sure do the other recommendations...
I mean this isn't mysterious like carbon apparently can be. Or am I wrong?
Regards, Eric
Don't shops/mfrs worry about liability and thus often just say "replace"?

trailangel

Pic not sharp enough, lighting not good enough to evaluate over the internet.

AnkleWork

Nobody in this thread wants first-hand experience (such as a careful inspection) which would reveal exactly what this is. Thus we have this third-, fourth-, fifth-hand "discussion" full of absolutes and pontification. Never mind that this exact question has been asked here repeatedly and answered definitively. Never mind that rims don't crack that way. Never mind that many rims are constructed in precisely the way depicted and that's easy to confirm -- again by first-hand experience (nobody wants that). Never mind that such rims have racked up billions of safe miles.

The stupider the internet gets, the more the chattering class relies on it.

Cyclist0108

You might want to get your glasses checked. I stated in the O.P. I told him to have it checked in a bike shop, and several others posting here said the same thing.

If you don't want to bother reading the thread, that's perfectly fine, but why waste your time typing if you have nothing to contribute?

​​​​​​​
The un-intended irony is kind of dimly amusing:

Homebrew01

Rims sometimes have a seam that's noticeable. It's rarely problem unless it catches the brake pades which would cause them to wear quickly. I see a Disc brake rotor, so it's not an issue here.
So, I suspect it's just fine to ride, but as already determined, first hand inspection by experienced eyes is recommended.

Rim failure is rare, and is not catastrophic the way fork or frame failure is.

AnkleWork

"first-hand" -- sorry to have to explain it to you.

delbiker1 

WTH wgscott? You ask for advice or opinion on the safety of the wheel, and then get offended when members give you what was asked for. Don't bother posting if you don't want you asked for.

Cyclist0108

If you read the thread, you will see that I thanked most of the posters individually, with replies, or at least with the "Like" button. I did this for a variety of viewpoints offered. Also, my post number 12 explicitly says "thanks, everyone." Words that can only be mistaken with considerable effort.

To whatever degree you wish to read "offended" into this, I was a bit surprised that the post in question ignored all of the suggestions (including mine) for a first-hand inspection by a bicycle mechanic/shop. There were at least six instances of that.

Someone comes along at the end and clearly has read nothing and offers nothing, apart from insulting everyone who took the time and made the effort to offer sincere (and from my point of view, very much-appreciated, advice). I simply corrected his misinformation. I didn't pass judgement. Some people need to convince themselves that everyone else is a snowflake in order to give their lives some meaning (presumably the motivation for the troll sig line).

Homebrew01

The only non-crash rim failures I've ever had were from cracking at the spoke nipples. And that just causes the rim to slowly go out of true.
Of all the things on a bike that can break, rims are just about the least risky.

Cyclist0108

Thanks, and thank you for bringing this back on topic.

FWIW I'm going to get him a new wheel (or set) for x-mas.

Please feel free to close the thread.

Homebrew01

Thread closed