Buying Rims For Custom Wheels
Oct 20 '01
The Bottom Line Speed or strength, narrow down your selection before you get to the store.
Custom wheels are one of the best investments you can make for your performance bike. There may not be a single upgrade that can have more positive or negative influence over your ride than your wheels. The tension and lacing patterns may arguably be the most important part of the wheel, but the rim comes in a very close second.
When choosing your rim you need to take several things into account. First, what kind of riding are you going to do most? Are you cross country racing, or are you a little more aggressive? Next you need to look at your weight. Are you a 125 lb. featherweight or a 225 lb. clydesdale? Then you need to decide where you will be doing most of your riding. Smooth rolling trails or rock-strewn paths down the side of cliffs?
The cross country racer is obviously going to want a lighter rim, like the Mavic X-517 or the Sun 0 degree, with a lower rotational weight. However, there's a limit to how light the rim gets before the strength is comprimised. This is where your riding style and weight comes in. If you're an aggressive rider you are going to put a lot of strain on the rim that it might not be designed to handle. The same if you are a heavy rider. And if you're a heavy, aggressive rider bombing down the side of a mountain that light rim will probably fold right under you.
So what does the heavy or aggressive rider need? Well, if you're pushing the scale past the 200 mark, you probably shouldn't be all that concerned about the weight of you bike. I know because I go for about 220 these days. No, you're going to be much more concerned about strength than weight, and the Velocity Deep-V or the Sun Rhino Lite might be the optimal choice.
The Deep-V has a high profile which reduces the distance between the crown of the rim and the hub flange, which in turn reduces the length of the spoke and increasing the strength and rigidity of the wheel. People who desire quick acceleration might also like the performance of the rim.
The Rhino Lite is a little more over built, using a triple cavity design which offers a lot of extra radial strength. Built with 14g. spokes laced 4-cross makes a rock solid wheel that handles and accelerates well, even under extreme pressure.
It is best to save your money, however, until you can buy the good stuff. The off-brand rims I've encountered have lacked in quality of both materials and workmanship. It is a true case of getting what you pay for.
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