Cracked rim - rebuild or buy new?
09-02-23, 04:03 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Cracked rim - rebuild or buy new?
I have a rim brake All City Mr Pink and the stock rear wheel has a cracked rim (Alex rim 32h). The hubs are shimano hg500 tiagra10 speed. Very heavy wheel. And apparently not well built if cracked from 2 summers of pavement riding. I’m 190lbs.
should I build a new wheel from scratch or keep the hub and replace the spoke and rim? Difference is only about $50 if I get a shimano RS 400 hub, but part of me is thinking of getting a higher end hub (Hope or Bitex). Would I even notice a difference while riding? Freehub noise notwithstanding (if I’m using notwithstanding correctly here)
If new hub - should I build it for 28h or 32h ? Will the stiffness benefits offset weight penalty? I’m already a bit fat so I’m guessing stiffness is more important than weight.
And should I avoid rims that are tubeless compatible? I’ve read many threads on here that these rims are hard to get the tire on and off.
should I build a new wheel from scratch or keep the hub and replace the spoke and rim? Difference is only about $50 if I get a shimano RS 400 hub, but part of me is thinking of getting a higher end hub (Hope or Bitex). Would I even notice a difference while riding? Freehub noise notwithstanding (if I’m using notwithstanding correctly here)
If new hub - should I build it for 28h or 32h ? Will the stiffness benefits offset weight penalty? I’m already a bit fat so I’m guessing stiffness is more important than weight.
And should I avoid rims that are tubeless compatible? I’ve read many threads on here that these rims are hard to get the tire on and off.
Last edited by Dimago123; 09-02-23 at 11:15 AM.
09-02-23, 10:10 AM
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Is HG500 a hub? Gear cassette, yes, but I don’t think that’s a hub series. If RS400 is the upgrade, though, it probably is a pretty low grade, heavy hub.
It’s a tough call, what to do here, but I’d be inclined to just spend up a little and get a new, matching wheelset. You could, for example, get an RS400/Velocity A23 wheelset from Velo Mine on eBay— I’ve used them in the past; legit vendor and stuff— for $269; what’s it going to cost to have your shop rebuild the wheel with new rim and spokes, even using the old hub? $150? For the ~$150 premium to get a new wheelset, I’d go that route, preferring the peace of mind in having higher quality and matching (f/r) parts.
Spoke count is kind of irrelevant, and really depends on the components used in the build more than anything else, including rider weight. Assuming a kind of old fashioned build, though, with a shallow aluminum rim, symmetrical hub flanges and narrow flange spacing, I don’t think there’s anything at all in the difference between 28h and 32h, particularly at 190lbs. Start pushing north of 250lbs and I’ll give a slight edge to the 32h, but otherwise it doesn’t matter in my opinion and experience as veteran Clydesdale class rider. I haven’t ridden my main roadies with more than 18/24 spokes in a decade. I’m currently on 16/21 carbon spoked wheels.
Regarding tubeless, no, there’s no reason to avoid TL compatible rims. You won’t know which tires are a PITA to mount/remove on any rim until you try it. I’ve never struggled more in my life with tires than when, many years ago, I stopped to help a clubmate fix a flat on his Continental GP4000s on Velocity A23 rims! Broke a tire lever and took us, man, probably 30 minutes with skinned knuckles and everything. It was epic. But the fact is, between design goals and manufacturing variances of rims and tires, no one knows what’s going to work easily or otherwise until it’s actually tried, so don’t sweat that part.
It’s a tough call, what to do here, but I’d be inclined to just spend up a little and get a new, matching wheelset. You could, for example, get an RS400/Velocity A23 wheelset from Velo Mine on eBay— I’ve used them in the past; legit vendor and stuff— for $269; what’s it going to cost to have your shop rebuild the wheel with new rim and spokes, even using the old hub? $150? For the ~$150 premium to get a new wheelset, I’d go that route, preferring the peace of mind in having higher quality and matching (f/r) parts.
Spoke count is kind of irrelevant, and really depends on the components used in the build more than anything else, including rider weight. Assuming a kind of old fashioned build, though, with a shallow aluminum rim, symmetrical hub flanges and narrow flange spacing, I don’t think there’s anything at all in the difference between 28h and 32h, particularly at 190lbs. Start pushing north of 250lbs and I’ll give a slight edge to the 32h, but otherwise it doesn’t matter in my opinion and experience as veteran Clydesdale class rider. I haven’t ridden my main roadies with more than 18/24 spokes in a decade. I’m currently on 16/21 carbon spoked wheels.
Regarding tubeless, no, there’s no reason to avoid TL compatible rims. You won’t know which tires are a PITA to mount/remove on any rim until you try it. I’ve never struggled more in my life with tires than when, many years ago, I stopped to help a clubmate fix a flat on his Continental GP4000s on Velocity A23 rims! Broke a tire lever and took us, man, probably 30 minutes with skinned knuckles and everything. It was epic. But the fact is, between design goals and manufacturing variances of rims and tires, no one knows what’s going to work easily or otherwise until it’s actually tried, so don’t sweat that part.
09-02-23, 11:17 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
Is HG500 a hub? Gear cassette, yes, but I don’t think that’s a hub series. If RS400 is the upgrade, though, it probably is a pretty low grade, heavy hub.
It’s a tough call, what to do here, but I’d be inclined to just spend up a little and get a new, matching wheelset. You could, for example, get an RS400/Velocity A23 wheelset from Velo Mine on eBay— I’ve used them in the past; legit vendor and stuff— for $269; what’s it going to cost to have your shop rebuild the wheel with new rim and spokes, even using the old hub? $150? For the ~$150 premium to get a new wheelset, I’d go that route, preferring the peace of mind in having higher quality and matching (f/r) parts.
Spoke count is kind of irrelevant, and really depends on the components used in the build more than anything else, including rider weight. Assuming a kind of old fashioned build, though, with a shallow aluminum rim, symmetrical hub flanges and narrow flange spacing, I don’t think there’s anything at all in the difference between 28h and 32h, particularly at 190lbs. Start pushing north of 250lbs and I’ll give a slight edge to the 32h, but otherwise it doesn’t matter in my opinion and experience as veteran Clydesdale class rider. I haven’t ridden my main roadies with more than 18/24 spokes in a decade. I’m currently on 16/21 carbon spoked wheels.
Regarding tubeless, no, there’s no reason to avoid TL compatible rims. You won’t know which tires are a PITA to mount/remove on any rim until you try it. I’ve never struggled more in my life with tires than when, many years ago, I stopped to help a clubmate fix a flat on his Continental GP4000s on Velocity A23 rims! Broke a tire lever and took us, man, probably 30 minutes with skinned knuckles and everything. It was epic. But the fact is, between design goals and manufacturing variances of rims and tires, no one knows what’s going to work easily or otherwise until it’s actually tried, so don’t sweat that part.
It’s a tough call, what to do here, but I’d be inclined to just spend up a little and get a new, matching wheelset. You could, for example, get an RS400/Velocity A23 wheelset from Velo Mine on eBay— I’ve used them in the past; legit vendor and stuff— for $269; what’s it going to cost to have your shop rebuild the wheel with new rim and spokes, even using the old hub? $150? For the ~$150 premium to get a new wheelset, I’d go that route, preferring the peace of mind in having higher quality and matching (f/r) parts.
Spoke count is kind of irrelevant, and really depends on the components used in the build more than anything else, including rider weight. Assuming a kind of old fashioned build, though, with a shallow aluminum rim, symmetrical hub flanges and narrow flange spacing, I don’t think there’s anything at all in the difference between 28h and 32h, particularly at 190lbs. Start pushing north of 250lbs and I’ll give a slight edge to the 32h, but otherwise it doesn’t matter in my opinion and experience as veteran Clydesdale class rider. I haven’t ridden my main roadies with more than 18/24 spokes in a decade. I’m currently on 16/21 carbon spoked wheels.
Regarding tubeless, no, there’s no reason to avoid TL compatible rims. You won’t know which tires are a PITA to mount/remove on any rim until you try it. I’ve never struggled more in my life with tires than when, many years ago, I stopped to help a clubmate fix a flat on his Continental GP4000s on Velocity A23 rims! Broke a tire lever and took us, man, probably 30 minutes with skinned knuckles and everything. It was epic. But the fact is, between design goals and manufacturing variances of rims and tires, no one knows what’s going to work easily or otherwise until it’s actually tried, so don’t sweat that part.
09-25-23, 08:19 AM
#4
Newbie
Plus one to the comment about tubeless rims. I have had both tubeless and tubefull?? rims, and I have not noticed a large in ease of tire replacement.
09-25-23, 02:44 PM
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I live about 65 miles from Velomine and they are a great place to do wheel or any busness with. I can build my own wheels but these guys just have have what you need for a ery decent price. I have a set of H and Son archtype wheels with Shimano hubs. I have at least 25000 miles on them they spin great and never needed anything other than when I first put them on a did a few tweaks of spokes to get absolutely true.
09-26-23, 08:50 AM
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You can replace the rim only, if the spokes are ok. Tape new and old together, and just transfer each spoke.
09-26-23, 12:21 PM
#7
Senior Member
Check which hubs are available in their builds. The mentioned hub is FH-RS400, which is a 11 speed capable hub. 11 speed hubs have a higher dish that 8-10 speed hubs. This will mean a greater variation in the left to right tension balance, with the left spokes having less than half the tension of the right side.
Although many wheels have a tension balance in this range, it is not ideal and could cause issues. Many things can be done to mitigate the effect and the proper build to suit the intended use should be considered. There are many threads on here that discuss wheel design.
If a 11 speed capable is not needed, an 8-10 speed hub will result in a wheel with slightly better tension balance.
Although many wheels have a tension balance in this range, it is not ideal and could cause issues. Many things can be done to mitigate the effect and the proper build to suit the intended use should be considered. There are many threads on here that discuss wheel design.
If a 11 speed capable is not needed, an 8-10 speed hub will result in a wheel with slightly better tension balance.
