ser_gio

Hello all, I have completed my vintage MTB restoration project (see one photo: Suntour mechs, Made-in-Italy Bianchi frame). As a last-minute surprise, I realized the rear rim has major damage (laterally) and needs replacement. 32-year-old single-wall aluminum rim. I want to match the original color and rim width. I found two suitable options. 'Rhyno Lite 36 Hole Silver' or 'Rhyno Lite 36 Hole Polished'. I am trying to understand which one is better. For silver (565 grams), it says 6061-T6 aluminum with non-machined sidewalls. For polished (545 grams), it does not say aluminum grade but says machined sidewalls. Pricewise, silver is a few bucks more expensive in most suppliers. ModernBike has the opposite, polished is a few bucks more expensive. Which one I should buy? Appearance-wise I think polished may fit better to this 1991 MTB. Thank you for your suggestions in advance. (I am 180 pounds if it matters)

Silver: Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite 26" 36h Silver Rim, Presta valve drilled - Modern Bike
Polished: Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite 26" Rim, 36h - Polished - Modern Bike

Jeff Wills

The rims are the same material- it makes no sense that they’d be different. I agree that the polished would be more period-appropriate but it will need more maintenance to keep it looking good. Is the bike for “show” or for “go”?

ser_gio

Thank you, Jeff, for your reply. I am the first owner and use this bike regularly and often. I have a new pair of Michelins 26 x 1.85 which I will install after upgrading rims.

icemilkcoffee 

If I was building up a pair of MTB wheels, I would most definitely go with tubeless ready rims. Like this:
https://www.modernbike.com/alex-adve...h-black-silver

3alarmer 

.
...is your question about which of these two choices will look more like your old front rim in appearance ?
In your picture, the rims on the bicycle currently do not look like polished rims to me.

The polished rims that I have bought and used are highly reflective, and the aluminum surface almost looks like chrome.

smd4

I think I’d worry less about rims and more about getting an appropriately-sized frame.

Garthr

Sun polished rims are very shiny, a little too cheap-looking-shiny for my taste. The satin/brushed finish, while rather flat of course, goes well with anything. Personally I'd rather have a raw finish that I could polish by hand, which gives it a nicer softer sort of shine, but few do that anymore. I have the satin RL rims, and the non-machined brake track if just fine with me, as I grew up before machined sidewalls even existed and everything worked fine.

That said, I agree with smd4, if that frame is for you, it's too darn small based on on the means by which the seat and bars have been raised.

ser_gio

Great points! Thank you. I will go with the silver version. I don't want to have mirror-like chrome rims.
There is nothing much I can do for the frame size at this point The raised seat tube and handlebar used to raise it up especially for hill climbing. I have other bicycles with larger frames as well. I liked them very much; still for some reason smaller frames feel more playful and fun.

maddog34

match the finish of the rims you choose to the finish of the crank arms.

grumpus

The rims in your photo are silver finish, not polished.