Wrecking rims

[1Squadr0n]

Thanks again Gary.

Buying a full wheelset from a good builder. Enve M9 rims with DT Swiss hubs. Let'ssee if this solves my problem!

Internal rim width affects tyre profile.
25-30mm gives the optimum profile for a 2.5 DH tyre.
Sure you can fit a 2 5 to a wider or narower rim but you're not gaining anything in doing so. Far from it.

No cushcore isn't too difficult to fit taking your time and using the correct procedure you shouldn't ever dent a rim.
Either the Halos are super soft rims or your LBS is ham-fisted.
I don't have any experience of current halo rims. Sorry.

 

[Gary]

No half measures, eh?

 

[1Squadr0n]

No half measures, eh?

Well I've spent in the region of £600 in nine months on wheels and wheel related services. On that basis if these last me a few years they will have paid for themselves! Lifetime warranty with Enve is a bit of a clincher too. I am just so fed up p1ssing about with wheels. So much downtime. Having to jump on my rim at the trailside to get home with pulled ligaments. Enough!!

 

[1Squadr0n]

Those will make you happy.

still, up those pressures.

I will

 

[Flemming]

Earlier this year on my summer vacation I smashed a Santa Cruz DH reserve with cush core and maxxxis dh on my commencal meta power sx, so no they are not indestructible. Got a mavic wheel at a LBS, which lasted almost 2 runs before it needed a new rim. I am 105 kg and pretty aggressive rider.

I figured it was caused by 2 things, low tire pressure (was running 24 psi) and too soft spring (650 lbs) and or too little compression dampening on the shock. On even "smaller" hits the shock would hit the rubber bottom out stop, which leaves all the stress on the tire and rim.

I have changed the shim stacks in the shock so there is much more compression and rebound dampening, it isn't as buttery smooth as before but I can feel the shock is not blowing through the travel as fast. I have also upped the pressure to 28 psi.

When I got back home from the vacation and contacted santa cruz, they got me a new wheel within 14 days. I guess the bike industry is quiet ready for big boys on ebikes riding them had.

 

[1Squadr0n]

Interesting feedback thanks. I by no means believe that a hefty carbon rim is indestructible, but it should at least be much less destructible!

I will also try to be just a little bit more sympathetic and I will up the pressures a little.

The bike shop is adamant that I won't need Cushcore to protect the rim any more. The Enve M9 comes with an anti pinch flat insert between rim and bead and the shop is convinced it will offer at least the same level of protection as Cushcore did. That remains to be seen! They have said that if I want the CC put in there, they won't do it!!

Hopefully with a bit of an increase to the pressures I'll not feel I need the CC. But I can't help but wonder if I will miss the interesting sort of compliancy that it seemed to introduce to the tyres in cornering. A kind of damping effect and perceived improvement in cornering traction that I have an odd level of affection for.... Let's see. At the same time I am looking forward to shedding that weight. Swings and roundabouts.

Earlier this year on my summer vacation I smashed a Santa Cruz DH reserve with cush core and maxxxis dh on my commencal meta power sx, so no they are not indestructible. Got a mavic wheel at a LBS, which lasted almost 2 runs before it needed a new rim. I am 105 kg and pretty aggressive rider.

I figured it was caused by 2 things, low tire pressure (was running 24 psi) and too soft spring (650 lbs) and or too little compression dampening on the shock. On even "smaller" hits the shock would hit the rubber bottom out stop, which leaves all the stress on the tire and rim.

I have changed the shim stacks in the shock so there is much more compression and rebound dampening, it isn't as buttery smooth as before but I can feel the shock is not blowing through the travel as fast. I have also upped the pressure to 28 psi.

When I got back home from the vacation and contacted santa cruz, they got me a new wheel within 14 days. I guess the bike industry is quiet ready for big boys on ebikes riding them had.

 

[Gary]

it should at least be much less destructible!

Not so much "less" as "differently"

But at least it sounds like you've finally come round to the idea that running air inside tyres is beneficial to the rim's longevity

 

[1Squadr0n]

Not so much "less" as "differently"

But at least it sounds like you've finally come round to the idea that running air inside tyres is beneficial to the rim's longevity

 

[RoktMyDog]

I agree about the weight difference, but not that it is irrelevant. Who puts their rims through that treatment? I found it to be a convincing demo of their robustness. Does any other rim manufacturer dare to do that?

Bontrager has lifetime warranty too. I know because last week I had a redwood limb whip into my back wheel where it broke 2 spokes and ripped a third spoke nipple out of the carbon rim. Luckily, bonty had a new wheel a week out.
My bike shop guy said he'd never seen damage like that and I'm lucky that the nightstick sized limb entered ABOVE the derailleur...

 

[Straker]

What tyres are you running?

 

[KnollyBro]

I have to say that I am impressed by all the rim damage I am reading about here. When I did my research about buying carbon wheels, I read that if you tend to dent or bend rims, carbon is NOT the answer. Both Nobl and We Are One carbon wheels do offer a life time warrantee but clearly state that if you keeps breaking their wheels, they will work with you to find an alternate solution. I think the implied point they are suggesting is that their wheels are made for riders who have bikes that are setup properly (tire pressure and fork/shock settings) and don't expect carbon wheels to make them better riders, capable of doing things they are NOT capable of doing, due to a lack of skill.
For my little bit of anecdotal 2 cents of experience, I have run Mavic 729 rims (beefy rim) with tubes, on my DH bike at Whistler for over 10 years and routinely put in several small dents (some big ones too) in them, mostly due to running low tire pressure (20/22 PSI - by choice, for comfort) and my skill set, when hitting the Double Black trails. I had to replace them several times mainly for aesthetic reasons. Since switching over to a modified Levo SL with DT Swiss 511 rims and running Cushcore (still low tire pressure - 20/22 PSI) I have not put any dents in my 511 rims. Granted I many be riding a little slower than I used to cruise on my DH bike due to injuries and age, but I am still hitting all the same trails.
Mountains don't dent/break wheels, poor technique and bad decisions do. I own my fair share of both!


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2zZG25wQ970XJ2Amk1yC9A

 

[Gary]

Cushcore's benefit isn't just rim protection though.
I suspect the shop's flat refusal to fit cushcore with your M9 rim will be them thinking it will be too time/labour consuming a job rather than your new rims negating all benefit from cushcore.