chrome rims for BMX

[Davet]

Hi,

In BMX chrome rims are considered to increase braking power, but from what I remember from 70's road
bikes and what I've been reading here chrome rims give less braking power than aluminium. Is this
becuase of the nature of U-brakes? Thanks for any input.

 

[Paul Southworth]

In article <[email protected]>, davet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>In BMX chrome rims are considered to increase braking power,

Bong hits probably do too.

> but from what I remember from 70's road bikes and what I've been reading here chrome rims
> give less braking power than aluminium. Is this becuase of the nature of U-brakes? Thanks for
> any input.

Unless chrome BMX rims have changed a lot in recent years, they do not offer a better braking
surface than bare aluminum. And a well-adjusted U-brake can stop a bike pretty well whatever the rim
is made of.

The other nasty thing about chrome BMX rims is that unlike that 1970s road bike, the rim is not
steel - it's chrome on aluminum. A very modest amount of weather exposure will usually get that
chrome flaking right off. It is pointless except for looks, and adds useless weight. I'd figure the
gram-counting BMXer would avoid chrome for that reason alone.

Now if you could get some Motomags in chrome, that would be worth the price of admission.

--Paul

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Mon, 13 Jan 2003 12:38:03 -0500, davet wrote:

> Hi,
>
> In BMX chrome rims are considered to increase braking power, but from what I remember from 70's
> road bikes and what I've been reading here chrome rims give less braking power than aluminium. Is
> this becuase of the nature of U-brakes? Thanks for any input.

Yeah, sure. Those U brakes work in a special, physics-defying way that provides friction where no
sidepull could.

I would not put much faith in what is considered to be braking power in the BMX crowd.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Arguing with an engineer is like mud wrestling with a pig... You _`\(,_ | soon find out the
pig likes it! (_)/ (_) |

 

[Kapers]

Hey. Actually, the chrome rim phenom seems to be exclusive to Freestyle Bmx bikes.
Dirt/Street/Ramp/Park lords like the consistancy of the braking surface, even if it is not as grippy
as a machined or brushed aluminum surface, because it does not clog with dirt or pad material.
Strangely the racer types should love the brushed/machined type as much as we all do but actually
seem to fall for the hype. Just think, if the TDF were an X-Games event, all teens would be tooling
around the neighborhood wearing lycra astride oclv Treks...... Take care. Keith.

*------------------------------------------------* < > < "The knack lies in learning to throw
yourself > < -at the ground and miss" >
< D. Adams. > < > *------------------------------------------------*

"davet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> In BMX chrome rims are considered to increase braking power, but from what I remember from 70's
> road bikes and what I've been reading here chrome rims give less braking power than aluminium. Is
> this becuase of the nature of U-brakes? Thanks for any input.

 

[David Damerell]

David L. Johnson <David L. Johnson <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Mon, 13 Jan 2003 12:38:03 -0500, davet wrote:
>>In BMX chrome rims are considered to increase braking power, but from
>I would not put much faith in what is considered to be braking power in the BMX crowd.

Chaps doing stunts on BMXen don't typically ride in the rain, though.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?