Anyone seen open mold rims with textured brake tracks?
Moderator: robbosmans
I've been looking at the LB 28mm wide rims but now the big brands have all been coming out with their next generation textured brake tracks which seem to be getting good reviews other than increased pad wear. Has anyone seen any open mold company offering something similar? I figure it's only a matter of time, but they have been slower to respond than with the increased width models and a fellow can only wait so long.
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You will probably be waiting a while as open mold manufacturers typically take about 4-6 months to mimic current trends.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
I use 404 copies with the NSW ridged look alike brake tracks. Do you mean that or like basalt surfaces? I think the first one is long lasting but initial impression is less of a bite.
In the end it comes down to the riding weight and average descend grade (and preference). A 65kg riding weight will likely get away with no texture open mold rims (and wonder what all the fuss is about) while a 100kg riding weight might not find the best open mold textured brake tracks sufficient and have to turn to the brand items or disc brakes.
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In the end it comes down to the riding weight and average descend grade (and preference). A 65kg riding weight will likely get away with no texture open mold rims (and wonder what all the fuss is about) while a 100kg riding weight might not find the best open mold textured brake tracks sufficient and have to turn to the brand items or disc brakes.
/a
Yeah, that seems like a reasonable assessment of the timelines. I know Bontrager just came out with their new brake track, but Zipp, Mavic, Campy, etc...all had launched theirs by last Summer, so I'd hoped that open mold versions would be trickling out by now. From the look of the other reply, there are Zipp clones with textured tracks out there already.
Last edited by TheKaiser on Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I've heard mixed reviews on the basalt brake tracks. Some people seemed to be getting wheels that had some sort of coating that included basalt, and it was peeling/wearing off, kind of like the ceramic issue on the Al33 rims. Others seemed to be getting a resin that was infused with basalt particles at the brake track, which seemed like a more sound design.alcatraz wrote: ↑Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:16 amI use 404 copies with the NSW ridged look alike brake tracks. Do you mean that or like basalt surfaces? I think the first one is long lasting but initial impression is less of a bite.
In the end it comes down to the riding weight and average descend grade (and preference). A 65kg riding weight will likely get away with no texture open mold rims (and wonder what all the fuss is about) while a 100kg riding weight might not find the best open mold textured brake tracks sufficient and have to turn to the brand items or disc brakes.
/a
So your 404 copies have the "Showstopper" style brake track, but you find it to have less bite? Is that just in dry conditions, and if so, what about in the wet?
That is my main thing, wet weather braking. I have a few routes that incorporate steep descents with a stop sign at the bottom. If you get caught in the rain, it can be a little iffy with poor braking. Many of the early reports on the Mavic and Zipp textured tracks indicated that they had equal bite to aluminum and little to no drop in performance in the wet.
Yes showstopper imitation. They are however just ridges and not particularly abrasive like basalt. I feel confident descending as they help cool the brake track. For rain I don't think they do much though.TheKaiser wrote: ↑Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:48 pmI've heard mixed reviews on the basalt brake tracks. Some people seemed to be getting wheels that had some sort of coating that included basalt, and it was peeling/wearing off, kind of like the ceramic issue on the Al33 rims. Others seemed to be getting a resin that was infused with basalt particles at the brake track, which seemed like a more sound design.alcatraz wrote: ↑Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:16 amI use 404 copies with the NSW ridged look alike brake tracks. Do you mean that or like basalt surfaces? I think the first one is long lasting but initial impression is less of a bite.
In the end it comes down to the riding weight and average descend grade (and preference). A 65kg riding weight will likely get away with no texture open mold rims (and wonder what all the fuss is about) while a 100kg riding weight might not find the best open mold textured brake tracks sufficient and have to turn to the brand items or disc brakes.
/a
So your 404 copies have the "Showstopper" style brake track, but you find it to have less bite? Is that just in dry conditions, and if so, what about in the wet?
That is my main thing, wet weather braking. I have a few routes that incorporate steep descents with a stop sign at the bottom. If you get caught in the rain, it can be a little iffy with poor braking. Many of the early reports on the Mavic and Zipp textured tracks indicated that they had equal bite to aluminum and little to no drop in performance in the wet.
I wish I could help you but I live in a dry place. Nearly no precipitation. So can't comment on wet performance.
For wet I reckon you need some kind of abraisive surface or disc brakes. Or be a light rider and any surface would be "so-so"/"ok" in the rain with the best rain carbon pads.
For rain and heavy rider on a budget I'd recommend disc brakes. Possibly there could be some long lasting open mold basalt rims available but you'd have to find them and baby those brake tracks with super soft pads. Then that would be a viable solution.
/a
I've asked Light Bicycle about a year ago about this, but they didn't seem too eager to do something about it.
They will need new machinery and a lot of engineering and testing to copy this. The carbon-basalt layer can be bought (https://german.alibaba.com/product-deta ... 21945.html), but here you need to treat the brake track after the production process - that's something completely new.
I guess, we will see it some day, but when...
They will need new machinery and a lot of engineering and testing to copy this. The carbon-basalt layer can be bought (https://german.alibaba.com/product-deta ... 21945.html), but here you need to treat the brake track after the production process - that's something completely new.
I guess, we will see it some day, but when...
at a guess, the Nextie looks like resin standing proud of the matrix, in which case it won't last long, and will wear down to fiber pretty quickly. Lazer treatment removes the resin from 2K/3K matrix, leaving the fiber more exposed for the pads to grab.
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