Rim Flare

[winterdog]

Wonder if any one has seen this before or can recommend a course of action.

yesterday i noticed my rear brakes were sticking on a bit.

i had a look a when i got home and the where the rim meats the tire has stared to flare out over about half the wheel.

is this a new wheel rebuild (ala local wispier dealer) or some magic trick i can do.

i am very nice to my wheels and keep them in good working order and am at a loss as why this would happen.

i have put marathon plus tires a while ago and had no problems till now

is this something that would be covered under a warranty as it only 10 month old

davidk (worried about my poor wheel)

 

[NRG]

Are the rims worn down, sometimes there's a groove around the circumference or a wear dot on the rim. As the rim wears the groove/dot will slowly disapear.

 

[monster]

if its an aluminium rim then you will have to replace it which involves respoking it. its possible to do it yourself but it takes a few hours and a spoke key. if its steel then you can bend it back with some grips.

you probably went over something like a large pothole or debris. i had it happen once 5miles from home. i over heated the controller trying to limp home at 4mph.

some rims kink in vertically, some rims flange outwards at the braking surface.

 

[monster]

get disc brakes and you could just continue riding on it.

 

[Mussels]

It does sound like they are worn out, that's not a warranty issue. The only other reason is if you have the pressures too high.
I would recommend a rebuild by SJS Cycles as I've had a rebuild by a Wisper dealer that failed after 4 miles, SJS know quite a bit about these bikes and built me an excellent wheel.

 

[winterdog]

It does sound like they are worn out, that's not a warranty issue. The only other reason is if you have the pressures too high.
I would recommend a rebuild by SJS Cycles as I've had a rebuild by a Wisper dealer that failed after 4 miles, SJS know quite a bit about these bikes and built me an excellent wheel.

thanks chaps
i was wondering about that that but i try not to use the back brake because of this.
and the grove is still very visible.

i did not think it was a pot hole just because it was half rim and not a 10cm
dunt

 

[Alex728]

the Alex rims have a line on the entire circumference, I think if this is no longer there then they have been worn down. given the state of the roads a collision with debris/potholes seems most likely unfortunately

Although I hope I won't need this for a few thousand miles yet, but thinking ahead how do you best get the wheels/motor back and forth between London (or anywhere else) and SJS cycles?

Last time I had to replace rims on a push bike the LBS did it but I think they just replaced the entire wheelsets rather than rebuild them, which of course won't be as feasible due to the presence of the motors.

Which couriers can be trusted not to mangle them?

 

[winterdog]

im not sure if it is steel but if it is i think i should try that.
i have been keeping them at 75 psi witch is what is stamped on the tyres.
and the line is clear all the way round

 

[Mussels]

Although I hope I won't need this for a few thousand miles yet, but thinking ahead how do you best get the wheels/motor back and forth between London (or anywhere else) and SJS cycles?

Last time I had to replace rims on a push bike the LBS did it but I think they just replaced the entire wheelsets rather than rebuild them, which of course won't be as feasible due to the presence of the motors.

Which couriers can be trusted not to mangle them?

I don't know unfortunately as mine was a warranty job and I think the guys from Wisper picked it up themselves.
The problem I had with the Wisper dealer is they didn't do wheel rebuilds themselves but used an LBS who didn't have the experience of ebike wheels, a tandem specialist should have a good idea though.

 

[Straylight]

Why not just phone SJS and see who they recommend as a courrier, and how the motor should be packed?

 

[winterdog]

Why not just phone SJS and see who they recommend as a courrier, and how the motor should be packed?

I must admit I was not looking forward to disconnecting the motor

 

[Mussels]

I must admit I was not looking forward to disconnecting the motor

Ah, you will need a Wisper dealer then. If they don't build wheels in house then ask them who does their builds and what sort of experience they have.

 

[onmebike]

This is only a thought, but could this be the result of using the puncture proof tyre's? More flexibility in the tyre wall's than the treaded area causing more side way's expansion under pressure/stress.
Causes could be over inflation, road surface, user weight, a combination of all three or simply crap rim's.
I have to wonder about these deep V shaped aluminium rim's, not like the old day's, good solid British, put some up em, steel.
I'm sure David at Wisper will sort you out.

 

[Old Timer]

This is only a thought, but could this be the result of using the puncture proof tyre's? More flexibility in the tyre wall's than the treaded area causing more side way's expansion under pressure/stress.
Causes could be over inflation, road surface, user weight, a combination of all three or simply crap rim's.
I have to wonder about these deep V shaped aluminium rim's, not like the old day's, good solid British, put some up em, steel.
I'm sure David at Wisper will sort you out.

I will have to check my wheels with the Marathons on. I keep mine at 60psi, I inflate them to 80psi after a puncture repair or tyre change just to stretch and settle them and then let them donw to 60psi.

I must say that when they are up near 80psi they are very solid and have next to no give in them. Do we really need more than 60psi?

What onmebike says might well be the reason although even normal tyres seem to reach a max that the tread area can expand. Hmm, worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Old Timer]

im not sure if it is steel but if it is i think i should try that.
i have been keeping them at 75 psi witch is what is stamped on the tyres.
and the line is clear all the way round

Well, that`s the tyre maximum not the rim. Can I be so blunt as to ask you why you inflate to 75psi, I`m around 15stone and find 60psi is a good compromise for my weight and rolling resistance. Of course a few stone more and extra inflation might be needed.

 

[eddieo]

60-65 psi is more then firm enough for me! and I am 17 stone......Hope you get it sorted

 

[Mussels]

Well, that`s the tyre maximum not the rim. Can I be so blunt as to ask you why you inflate to 75psi, I`m around 15stone and find 60psi is a good compromise for my weight and rolling resistance. Of course a few stone more and extra inflation might be needed.

On anything but balloon tyres I prefer the pressure as high as it can go, but as already mentioned the max pressure for the tyre may not be suitable for the rim.

 

[winterdog]

old timer: thank you for asking the question bluntly , i was keeping them at 75 because that what they said on the tin

I think maybe pressure is to heigh for the rims and i am a good 15 stone.
and as said puncture proof may be a contributing factor
but I am surprised that with the amount of marathon plus/wispier users out there this I have not seen this mentioned.

 

[Phil the drill]

I use Specialized Nimbus tyres on my Wisper rims (2008 model), they are 26" x 1.5, and I keep them at 80 psi on the rear, a little less on the front. I've used them for over a year without any problems. My lanes are very steep, fast (well, on the way down ......) and full of open mineshafts often mistakenly referred to a 'pot holes' . I've not had any problems with the rims. Incidentally I was also about 15st. (now just under 13st. tho'...thanks to the bike...).
I keep the tyre pressures highish for two reasons; first it reduces the rolling resistance, makes pedaling easier and helps to increase the powered range of the bike a little. Second, the original tyres supplied with the bike (Kenda's) failed as a result of side wall splits just above the rim. This is more likely if the tyre pressures are on the low side as they spread over the edge of the rim and are then susceptible to wear as they flex and rub on the side wall where it overlaps the rim. The tyre is at its' thinnest and most vulnerable at that point.

Phil

 

[onmebike]

Well, that`s the tyre maximum not the rim. Can I be so blunt as to ask you why you inflate to 75psi, I`m around 15stone and find 60psi is a good compromise for my weight and rolling resistance. Of course a few stone more and extra inflation might be needed.

Dave, you've had your tyre's off to repair punture's. What is in the construction of the rim to stop it spreading out?