MODERN WORLD OF RIMS
Bicycle rims have very long history in cycling industry. I’m gonna try to explain all types, materials and use of them below with a brief history of rim itself.
Wood rims were competing with very popular steel rims on the end of 19th century.
Prime cuntry of manufacturing wood rims was obviously America and some companies like Waddel Wooden Ware Works or Winona Wood Rim Company developed very effective methods of producing wood rims to 1000 pairs a day! Fairbanks Wood Rim Company developed another method that rims were made of curvilinear laminated maple segments which were cemented together under hydraulic pressure, stating that and which because of this principle of jointure, remain perfectly true both laterally and periphery, while the transverse grains of the adjoining segments or laminate absolutely prevent splitting along the line of spokes in the impact of collision or shock. Each segment is planed (both sides) to a thickness of mathematical exactness through the entire length, insuring absolutely unbroken contact when cemented – the adjoining segments.from marble segments. Real piece of engeenering and work of art at the same time because they had rims beautifully finished with wide range of colours, they also have few different profiles of the rims. Once the rim was produced single tube tire which was equivalent to ruberised hose pipe was glued to the rim. Fairly simple system which it’s evolution (inner tube sawn inside) survived to times we live in and it is called tub mainly used in racing.
Genius, considering fact that was 19th century and many rims survived to 21st century. I’ve had in my workshop pair of wheels with american wood rims in fully working condition from 1904! That’s absolutelly incredible. More interestingly some of the machinery used in America you can find in Italy. They are in fully working condition still at work making wood rims by Cerchio Ghisallo company!
Addition to old school method of producing wood rims Cerchio Ghisalloo have rims reinforced with carbon fibre insert which allows for higher spoke tension.
All these rims are trully beautiful.
Modern world of rims from material, type and implementation perspective.
Rim material:
Quickly going further in history of bicycle rims we hade mainly steel single wall rims being on market for many decades with first aluminium rim “Dura” produced by Mavic in 1934 with rim eyelets shaped like thimbles carry the stress of the spokes on the lower and upper wall of the rim. Sort of revolution in cycling industry.
1. ALUMINIUM
Apart from having steel rims as cheap option in modern world, main trend we have been seing on market for decades to now days is evolution of aluminium as main material with regards to weight, profile and drilling options. Very universal, easy to work with and cost effective material.
By improving grade of material itself and process of manufacturing we gained lots of features:
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stronger rims
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decreased weight
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different higher profiles not just shallow one
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different drillings allowing for lighter still strong wheels
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radial spoke lacing (mainly on front wheel with dedicated hub)
Main leading brand for decades have been Mavic. Well established, very innovative and most known rim/wheel company in the world.
2. CARBON FIBRE
Carbon fibre as material for rim production have been in development for around 30 years. As far I can remeber first carbon disc wheel was introduced by ZIPP in 1988. 10 years later in 1998 Lew Composites introduced the first full-carbon clincher rim. Company owner Paul Lew, an avid triathlete, wanted the same weight savings and aerodynamics that a carbon tubular could offer, but with the ease and versatility of a clincher. Hi Modulus carbon fibre that Lew used for that wheels was six times more expensive then carbon fibre used for tubular rims because it’s very good heat properties. Further developments in carbon fibre rims were continuing by leading brands ZIPP, DT SWISS, HED, ENVE, MAVIC, LIGHTWEIGHT and few other comapnies. Carbon fibre era started. Main problem has been heat building up while braking and dissipation of it as quickly as possible.
Because of that heat issues clinchers have been still far less popular then tubulars. Tubular rim was more sturdy, stronger and tub was glued on top opposed to standard tyre/inner tube sitting inside the rim exposed to heat builds up from braking as well.
Very intresting material with impresive features:
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incredibly stiff
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super light weight
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higher spoke tension allowed (with good quality branded rims)
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impresive strenght/weight ratio
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even lower number of spoke holes compering to aluminium rim
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very efective in moulding different aerodynamic shapes of the rims
Rim sizes:
Rim/tyre sizes chart would look similar to bottom bracket and headset sizes combined together, so I do not want to unnecessarly overload your head with sizes that do not even exist any more.
I’m gonna focus on common sizes we have today:
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27 1/4″ and 26 3/8″- old size of the rim which you can still find on some dutch bikes
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26″ – sadly speaking nearly gone offroad standard (I’m still happy owner of my Chris Dekerf Team SL from 1997, beloved stainles steel 26″ offroad bike 🙂 )
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650b or 27.5″ – you can see that size of wheels and tyres in road cycling and also in new offroad trend
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700c or 622 – most popular road cycling standard
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29″ – also commonly called twenty niner offroad standard
Rim type:
1. CALIPER BRAKE compatible rims with very visible braking track on them.
Classic rims used for decades on all types of bikes and sizes of wheels.
Very popular designed to be used either with canti lever brakes, newer V-brakes on off road bikes and caliper brakes on road bikes.
Basically rubber brake pads rubbing against rim to stop the wheels and eventually bike and cyclist.
Pretty effective but very sensitive to weather conditions, very poor braking performance in rain and also nearly no mudulation compering to disc brakes.
Once the rims are worn out you will have to replace them which cost time and money whereas disc brake specific rims can last theoretically for ever (unles you have accident) because there is no braking track at all.
2. DISC BRAKE compatible, no braking track. These rims are very quickly pushing classic rims with braking track out of business.
Simply I can say that they have nothing but benefits.
No braking track so no worn rims from braking.
Can be lighter and more durable.
Look nicer without braking track.
You have more options to go for, aluminium, carbon fibre (no heat issues as on rim with braking track)
Multiple implentations from off road through comuting, touring up to road riding (gravel bikes – very popular type on market) to racing bikes.
Further classification of the rims from tyre perspective:
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Tubular – mainly seen as racing wheels with tubs glued or taped on to them
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Clincher – most common type of rim Today across whole cycling industry (road cycling, off road)
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Tubeless clincher – very slowly coming to market standard developed by Mavic (UST), Michelin and Hutchinson with few other brand joined in recent time ie Specialized, Shimano, DT Swiss. I would say that is clincher rim with great advantage of using sealant opposed to inner tube as in standard wheel. I love it on my off road and road bikes! No more punctures (more the less).
Please look below to see pictures of different road and off road rims, from the left: Mavic Open Pro aluminium rim with visible braking track (tubeless compatible), Mavic Open pro and Pacenti disc specific rims wthout braking track (tubeless ready), less popular now days alumium tubular rim, Zipp carbon clincher with braking track (also tubeless compatible), DT Swiss carbon tubular rim with braking track, Zipp disc specific carbon clincher rim without braking track, DT Swiss disc off road rims, Stans and Mavic off road disc rims:
Few words about rim profiles and width in modern bicycle world
I’ve tried to explain above big world of rims we have on modern bicycle market.
Now I’m gonna write down few lines about shape and profiles of modern rims and width of these rims. Regardless material wich rim was made of there have been two main profiles of the rims on market
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shalow rim profile good specially for climbing and generally light weight set of wheels
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deeper profile rims called V/shape, more aerodanamic, stronger seen in time trial riding. There is one maybe more then one company which have been following that standard for years – Lightweight. Very fast, super light and aero wheels according to their own tests
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modern rims specially carbon fibre have new shape called U/shape which was proven as better, stronger, more aerodanamic rim shape used by many brand ie: ZIPP, ENVE, MAVIC, DT SWISS etc.
Recent researches show that wider rims can accomodate 25mm + tyres better without so called bulb effect. They expand on rims much nicer giving bigger contact area with road and allow for lower tyre pressure. They are more comfortable and have better grip. Inner width of these rims start from 21mm+. Tubeless tyres going along with wider rims very nicely. Offroad wheels with tubeless tyres can ride much lower tyre pressure without off course getting punctures (snake bites specially) and also having grippier wheels with terrain.
Please have look at Lightweight narrow v/shape rim and ZIPP wide u/shape rim below:
Three types of tyres on market across all displines:
1. CLINCHER tyres – most common type of tyre going along with inner tube inside.
2. CLINCHER TUBELESS compatible tyres – no inner tube inside. Becoming more common standard now days pushing slowly but surely standard clinchers off the market.
I love this standard which I have on my road and specially on off road bikes. Once properly installed on pair of wheels become puncture proof.
Most rims on market are tubeless ready across many brands standards UST from Mavic, Tubeless ready from Specialized and Hutchinson etc. Most of the rims can be turned into tubeless by using correct tape, valve kit and sealant from off road to road wheels.
Ready to use wheel have hook less rim, tubeles ready tyre, valve kit and sealant.
It is really important to choose correct sealant for road or off road wheel. Tyre pressure is different in both wheels and seallant good for off road wheel where is 30-35 psi may not be best for road wheel where is 80-95 psi. Sealant for road wheel has to dries off quicker because of higher tyre pressure inside.
Good option is TUFO tubular sealant for road tubeless tyres and also it is good for off road wheel. It dries off very quickly. I’ve tested it on my off road and road wheels. Last conversion I did was on pair of DT Swiss Mon Chasseral full carbon wheels. It did work very well.
3. TUBULAR tyres – mainly seen on racing wheels. Less issues with heat dissipation from braking – tubular tyre seats above braking track.
Tyres are glued to the rim or taped using TUFO glue or tape. Pure performance option.
Please have a look at some photos below, from the left: Clincher tyre, Clincher tubeless tyre, Tubular tyre and off road Hutchinson Cobra tubeless tyre.
What rims shoud I get?
The simplest answer which rims to get is down to application of rims, displine, style of riding and whether you are racing or you are very keen cyclist who does not need super light and expensive carbon fibre wheels.
For someone who does race I would reccomend wheels with good quality, branded carbon rims either shallow profile for climbing or deeper profile for more aerodynamics. For training, all around wheels I would choose aluminium 32 holes rims ie Mavic, DT Swiss, Hed.
Keen cyclist can also get carbon fibre rims but also very good maxtal aluminium rims from Mavic could perform equally good without spending good few thousands pounds on high end carbon set of wheels.
Everything depends on application and prefferences with brands and other wheeel components.
If you need more detailed advise on pair of wheels/rims to get please drop me some more information via contact form.
