Slightly dinty rim... ..any action recommended?

[Phil Bixby]

Hi folks

During the late summer I ran over a rather large, sharp-edged stone at speed (chasing someone's back
wheel in the chain gang) and got a pinch flat and, later inspection showed, the very smallest of
dents in the front rim (Bontrager Race Lite). By small I mean almost imperceptible except for the
fact that it has "bulged" one side of the rim very slightly (0.5mm? something like that) and this
leads to grabby braking at speed on long hills. As a right nervous wimp at the best of times, grabby
brakes is not what I need. Does the team think I should:-

(a) leave well alone and wait for the passage of time (and brake pads) to abrade it back level?

(b) give it a little gentle attention with some emery cloth or similar on a flat block?

(c) panic and start thinking about a new rim?

Many thanks in advance for any help!

Phil Bixby York, UK

[Tony Raven]

Phil Bixby wrote:

>
> (a) leave well alone and wait for the passage of time (and brake pads) to abrade it back level?
>
> (b) give it a little gentle attention with some emery cloth or similar on a flat block?
>
> (c) panic and start thinking about a new rim?
>

Actually (d) take a small hammer and tap gently back into place. It can be useful to take the tyre
off and put a wooden block of the right width to sit snuggly between the two walls when you do this.
A straight edge along the rim wall tells you when you/ve got it right The other two methods will
give you thinner and weaker rim walls at that point and should be avoided.

Tony

[Pete Biggs]

I agree that sorting with hammer or vice is better than sanding but don't get your hopes up too high
Phil. Braking still may be a bit lumpy. Personally I would replace the rim if it was for a good bike
and braking was still affected.

~PB

[Andymorris]

Tony Raven wrote:
> Phil Bixby wrote:
>
>>
>> (a) leave well alone and wait for the passage of time (and brake pads) to abrade it back level?
>>
>> (b) give it a little gentle attention with some emery cloth or similar on a flat block?
>>
>> (c) panic and start thinking about a new rim?
>>
>
> Actually (d) take a small hammer and tap gently back into place. It can be useful to take the tyre
> off and put a wooden block of the right width to sit snuggly between the two walls when you do
> this. A straight edge along the rim wall tells you when you/ve got it right The other two methods
> will give you thinner and weaker rim walls at that point and should be avoided.
>
> Tony

Agreed, If OP feels nervous about wacking wheels with hammer, the emphasis is on small oand tap.

You can use a vice and various wooden blocks, shims, cone spanners etc to apply for in a more
controled manner.

--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK

Love this: Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/

[Dave Kahn]

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 00:36:59 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pbiggmellon{remove_fruit}s2000@onetel.net.uk> wrote:

>I agree that sorting with hammer or vice is better than sanding but don't get your hopes up too
>high Phil. Braking still may be a bit lumpy.

Definitely worth a go though. There's nothing to lose.

--
Dave...

[Phil Bixby]

Thanks for the very sound advice folks. The wheels are indeed on a nice bike (a Cervelo Soloist) but
as part of my blimey-I'm-enjoying-this-let's-give-it-a-proper-go shift from recreational rider to
having a go at vet's racing I'd already talked myself into a pair of more seriously light wheels for
"best" and using the Race Lites as training/spare wheels. (I'm selling my motorbike - doesn't take
me long to "recycle" money!) So, a bit o' lumpiness I can cope with; I just don't want soiled shorts
on 40mph+ descents.

Phil B York, UK

"Dave Kahn" <dkahn400@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:sjeerv8n4irju8a13bc41jtqr76mlprmk3@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 00:36:59 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
> <pbiggmellon{remove_fruit}s2000@onetel.net.uk> wrote:
>
> >I agree that sorting with hammer or vice is better than sanding but don't get your hopes up too
> >high Phil. Braking still may be a bit lumpy.
>
> Definitely worth a go though. There's nothing to lose.
>
> --
> Dave...

[Zog The Undenia]

Phil Bixby wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> During the late summer I ran over a rather large, sharp-edged stone at speed (chasing someone's
> back wheel in the chain gang) and got a pinch flat and, later inspection showed, the very smallest
> of dents in the front rim (Bontrager Race Lite). By small I mean almost imperceptible except for
> the fact that it has "bulged" one side of the rim very slightly (0.5mm? something like that) and
> this leads to grabby braking at speed on long hills. As a right nervous wimp at the best of times,
> grabby brakes is not what I need. Does the team think I should:-
>
> (a) leave well alone and wait for the passage of time (and brake pads) to abrade it back level?
>
> (b) give it a little gentle attention with some emery cloth or similar on a flat block?
>
> (c) panic and start thinking about a new rim?
>
> Many thanks in advance for any help!
>
> Phil Bixby York, UK
>
>
(c) to avoid any risk of the tyre popping off at that point. It happened to me in 1990, in the
middle of a central Birmingham roundabout at 5.30pm with a loud bang. I had to wait for over 10
minutes before I could escape the island I was standing on and reach the safety of the pavement
- the traffic was that bad.

[Richard Goodman]

"Phil Bixby" <constructive@zen.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3fb75d47$0$12686$fa0fcedb@lovejoy.zen.co.uk...
> So, a bit o' lumpiness I can cope with; I just don't want soiled shorts on 40mph+ descents.
>

Yup, then you've got to try and fix or trash that rim - 'a bit of lumpiness' that's cope-able on
low braking effort could turn into very nasty sudden snatches of the wheel at a higher
speed/braking effort.

Rich