Rim brake rims durability

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

Talking rim brake bikes and carbon rims durability.
Ex withstand * numbers of braking before it's worn down.
Which rims/ brands are considered the best today?
Some rims seem to wear much faster :(
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

mattr
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by mattr

Too many variables.
Pad compound, riding conditions, bike type, braking technique, cleaning regime, batch variability, tyre pressures, front/rear at least, probably 10 more i can't be arsed to think of.

I've had identical rims last both a few months and ~3 years. On the same bike, with the same pads/calipers/tyres and use profile.

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LouisN
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by LouisN

I have the same experience than Juanmoretime.
2 wheelsets with Flybike rims (40mm X 25mm tubular) used for 3.5 years. Approx. 12000 km's on each, and they are still fine. I use blue lifeline pads, and change them often.

Louis :)

Marin
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by Marin

I also have a set of 2013 Farsports 50x23 clichers (1330g) with 20k on them and the brake track looks like new.

fromtrektocolnago
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by fromtrektocolnago

I ride Dura Ace C-24's. I'm not a good descender and have done a number of HC climbs and descents over the last few years traveling to the French Alps twice, Pyrenees once Girona three times. Mallorca twice. The bottom line with all that braking my rims lasted under four seasons.
Colnago C-59 (Dura Ace)
Firefly(Ultegra)
Colnago C-64 disc(ultegra) with Bora 35 wheels

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Calnago
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by Calnago

I have yet to wear out a carbon rim from braking, and have never had one fail on me for any other reason either. I actually at one point thought I would intentionally try to wear out a set of Boras by riding them all winter in the nastiest of Pacific Northwest conditions. But the thing is, I just don’t enjoy riding in those conditions enough to carry out the experiment. Till then, I will just keep riding them with zero concern over wearing them out. When they eventually do wear out (they have to at some point, right?), then so be it. But till then, I just keep riding.
Alloy rims are far softer than carbon and will wear faster, but even so... it takes some time and bad conditions. Bits of alloy also get embedded in pads which exacerbates the wear if you don’t clean the bits out. I don’t notice anything like this on carbon rims. Either way, despite rim wear often being one of the main benefits cited in favor of discs, in reality it’s just not that prevalent. When someone tells me that’s their reason for going to disc I ask how many rims they’ve worn out from braking. The answer is usually “well, uh, er... none actually, but it can happen. I googled it”.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
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Svetty
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by Svetty

Riding in North Yorkshire through winter I have worn out a set of alloy rims over 3 months. The muddy roads act as grinding paste.....

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Asteroid
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by Asteroid

fromtrektocolnago wrote:
Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:21 pm
I ride Dura Ace C-24's. I'm not a good descender and have done a number of HC climbs and descents over the last few years traveling to the French Alps twice, Pyrenees once Girona three times. Mallorca twice. The bottom line with all that braking my rims lasted under four seasons.
Same wheels on my clincher bike, but without all your crazy descents. :shock:
My wheels rarely see wet weather or technical descents, resulting in good rim longevity.
Like others said, that comprises an important variable. Absent that, my C24's ought to reach 50k miles.
Oldbie

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Calnago
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by Calnago

Keep in mind that the OP is asking about carbon rims, which I presume means carbon brake tracks. Alloy is softer, has been around for decades, and of course anything abrasive rubbing on another surface will wear, so sand, grit and water are going to speed that process up for sure. I’ve just not had it happen to any carbon rims I’ve had, and haven’t personally seen it on any one else’s bike either. I’m sure it happens, but I think it’s pretty limited to extended use in extreme conditions.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

Calnago, i've seen it on several rims. Delaminating, some have looked like it's worn to a point there is no resin.
It looks dangerous. Though i have not seen it on any wheels i have owned.
I don't really know how those wheels have been treated or what kind of brake pads they've used over the years.
Back when Madfiber was rather new, the importer had a buddy who brought his to the alps.
The guy forgot to change brake pads, so he used same pads he had been using on alloy wheels.
His Madfibers was severly damaged very very fast.
But that is hardly what i really was fishing for.
I merely ment full carbon rims and what is considered the best.
I have heard basalt is not a good idea. It supposedly was worn down rather quick and after that, the rims was damaged very fast.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

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Calnago
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by Calnago

Ahh... Madfiber days. Developed locally here. Didn’t last long. Bad timing (marketwise) for introducing those wheels. But hardly something to compare in light of today’s offerings. And delamination is separate from just wear and tear from braking. Although, with today’s resins etc that seems to largely alleviated in the higher quality wheels at least, but again, under extreme conditions nothing is indestructible.
Which is best? Lol. Depends who you ask I suppose. I am fine with my carbon rims in all aspects... braking, performance, weight, use in wet or dry conditions, hills, no hills, durability and serviceability. All good.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

bilwit
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by bilwit

For what it's worth, I rode on cheap chinese carbon rims every day in the Seattle area throughout its rainiest 6 months in recorded history (2015-2016) and clocked 13,800 kms on them before it was very, very apparent that the rims were severely concave and the texture looked like smooth plastic rather than the original basalt/weave.

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Calnago
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by Calnago

@Bilwit... in the spirit of real world tests, I’m almost inclined to loan you a set of Boras for the winter, with the intent of carrying out the experiment I was just not willing to do, that being to ride them every day through thick and thin in all kinds of weather just to see how they fare. Like I say... “almost”, but the seed has been planted in my mind. :)
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

bilwit
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by bilwit

Calnago wrote:
Fri Aug 10, 2018 9:14 pm
@Bilwit... in the spirit of real world tests, I’m almost inclined to loan you a set of Boras for the winter, with the intent of carrying out the experiment I was just not willing to do, that being to ride them every day through thick and thin in all kinds of weather just to see how they fare. Like I say... “almost”, but the seed has been planted in my mind. :)
I wouldn't want to put a proper set of carbon rims through that and now that I have a trainer, not sure if I want to do the everyday-through-thick-and-thin thing either. No use going through all that abuse when there's not much workout quality to be gained at the same time either :noidea:

I think that higher end rims would probably last a bit longer, but I think any time you mix in bad weather the lifespan is exponentially accelerated no matter what. Putting any sort of remotely "consumable" high-end equipment consistently through horrible conditions is always a bad idea IMO

by Weenie


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