Nisi Rims

[Pasquale]

i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi rims. they came from a 1980s
track bike and are built up (so i can't weigh them individually right now). they are silver 36h with
the standard nisi logo (wings with "cerchi moncalieri"). on the rear rim, near the valve is a stamp,
which is very worn and partially illegible; I think I can make out "Nisi Torino Italia" though. At
the same location on the front rim is another sticker; it's silver and bears a "Nisi" signature.

The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done to
lighten (or balance?) the rims.

Very good craftsmanship all around.

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:28:45 -0500, Pasquale wrote:

> i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi
rims. ...

> The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done to
> lighten (or balance?) the rims.

I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a lot of
people went nuts with drills. Not wise in general, but not particularly harmful where these rims
were drilled. Not done to balance the rim. The tire (specifically the valve) is the largest source
of inbalance in a bike wheel, anyway.

I don't know about yours (it's newer, I guess), but mine have no visible model number anywhere, only
the label. Since they also had no eyelets, I would not suggest the craftmanship was all that
outstanding, though they are light as all get-out.

When I got back on the bike after a long hiatus and 70lbs of adipose, I used my old Nisi rims for a
while. Even re-dished them and spread the frame for 8-speed. But the rear rim could not stand the
strain, and all the spoke holes cracked.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | The lottery is a tax on those who fail to understand _`\(,_ | mathematics. (_)/ (_) |

 

[Jeff Martin]

Nisi rims were made to be built up with a small washer installed under each spoke nipple. My brother
used them for racing in the late 70's untill he started using Fiamme Ergal's (gold label). "David L.
Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:28:45 -0500, Pasquale wrote:
>
> > i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi
> rims. ...
>
> > The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done
> > to lighten (or balance?) the rims.
>
> I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a lot
> of people went nuts with drills. Not wise in general, but not particularly harmful where these
> rims were drilled. Not done to balance the rim. The tire (specifically the valve) is the largest
> source of inbalance in a bike wheel, anyway.
>
> I don't know about yours (it's newer, I guess), but mine have no visible model number anywhere,
> only the label. Since they also had no eyelets, I would not suggest the craftmanship was all that
> outstanding, though they are light as all get-out.
>
> When I got back on the bike after a long hiatus and 70lbs of adipose, I used my old Nisi rims for
> a while. Even re-dished them and spread the frame for 8-speed. But the rear rim could not stand
> the strain, and all the spoke holes cracked.
>
> --
>
> David L. Johnson
>
> __o | The lottery is a tax on those who fail to understand _`\(,_ | mathematics. (_)/ (_) |

 

[A Muzi]

"Pasquale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi rims. they came from a 1980s
> track bike and are built up (so i can't weigh them individually right now). they are silver 36h
> with the standard nisi logo (wings with "cerchi moncalieri"). on the rear rim, near the valve is a
> stamp, which is very worn and partially illegible; I think I can make out "Nisi Torino Italia"
> though. At the same location on the front rim is another sticker; it's silver and bears a "Nisi"
> signature.
>
> The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done to
> lighten (or balance?) the rims.
>
> Very good craftsmanship all around.

Maybe Nisi "Sludi"?

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[A Muzi]

> On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:28:45 -0500, Pasquale wrote:
> > i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi
> rims.
> > The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done
> > to lighten (or balance?) the rims.

"David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a lot
> of people went nuts with drills. Not wise in general, but not particularly harmful where these
> rims were drilled. Not done to balance the rim. The tire (specifically the valve) is the largest
> source of inbalance in a bike wheel, anyway.
>
> I don't know about yours (it's newer, I guess), but mine have no visible model number anywhere,
> only the label. Since they also had no eyelets, I would not suggest the craftmanship was all that
> outstanding, though they are light as all get-out.
>
> When I got back on the bike after a long hiatus and 70lbs of adipose, I used my old Nisi rims for
> a while. Even re-dished them and spread the frame for 8-speed. But the rear rim could not stand
> the strain, and all the spoke holes cracked.

I don't think that "balancing" is a reasonable explanation. If I recall correctly that was to give
the impression that effort had been made to lighten them ( and boy were they light!) as opposed to
using a thinner extrusion with a full spoke insert.

But I suppose you could be right in a way - it could have been done to give the _imprssion_ of
having been "balanced"!!

Your experience is typical - they were very prone to cracking at the nipples.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[Sergio Servadio]

Talking about Nisi rims ... . Last week I had two sets of wheels built on shelf-new Nisi rims, from
Moncalieri (Torino) in fact, for a friend and for myself. I know a bike shop that still has dozens
of such rims hanging up against the ceiling. A real bargain, if anyone cares.

Sergio Pisa

 

[Sergio Servadio]

On Wed, 26 Mar 2003, A Muzi wrote:
> "David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a
> > lot of people went nuts with drills.

I always knew that those indentations were to hold better the Clement glue, and so the
tube in place.

> Your experience is typical - they were very prone to cracking at the nipples.

Maybe so. Still, I have never trashed such a rim due to crack failure.

On the same topic, let me add. True, there were no eyelets, and washers were added under nipples
heads. There were also such rims with washers already in place: in fact I was presnted a pair of
such rims this past monday! Do you want me to read labels?

Sergio Pisa

 

[Pasquale]

i hear you re: the lack of eyelets, and I've also heard stories of cracking, although my rims
haven't suffered from this yet. i'd still argue that they're nicely made though.

"David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:28:45 -0500, Pasquale wrote:
>
> > i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi
> rims. ...
>
> > The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done
> > to lighten (or balance?) the rims.
>
> I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a lot
> of people went nuts with drills. Not wise in general, but not particularly harmful where these
> rims were drilled. Not done to balance the rim. The tire (specifically the valve) is the largest
> source of inbalance in a bike wheel, anyway.
>
> I don't know about yours (it's newer, I guess), but mine have no visible model number anywhere,
> only the label. Since they also had no eyelets, I would not suggest the craftmanship was all that
> outstanding, though they are light as all get-out.
>
> When I got back on the bike after a long hiatus and 70lbs of adipose, I used my old Nisi rims for
> a while. Even re-dished them and spread the frame for 8-speed. But the rear rim could not stand
> the strain, and all the spoke holes cracked.

 

[Pasquale]

thanks. i guess i'll have to weigh them sometime to get a better idea as to what model...

"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Pasquale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > i'm wondering if someone can help me identify the model of my nisi rims. they came from a 1980s
> > track bike and are built up (so i can't weigh them individually right now). they are silver 36h
> > with the standard nisi logo (wings with "cerchi moncalieri"). on the rear rim, near the valve is
> > a stamp, which is very worn and partially illegible; I think I can make out "Nisi Torino Italia"
> > though. At the same location on the front rim is another sticker; it's silver and bears a "Nisi"
> > signature.
> >
> > The inside of the rims have drilled indentations near the spoke holes, which I assume are done
> > to lighten (or balance?) the rims.
> >
> > Very good craftsmanship all around.
>
> Maybe Nisi "Sludi"?

 

[John Dacey]

On Wed, 26 Mar 2003 10:39:50 +0100, Sergio SERVADIO <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Wed, 26 Mar 2003, A Muzi wrote:
>> "David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > I have a few old Nisi rims, and they all have those drillings. That was from the '70s, when a
>> > lot of people went nuts with drills.
>
>I always knew that those indentations were to hold better the Clement glue, and so the tube
>in place.

This is my understanding as well. In fact, many Nisi rims had additional texturing of the tire bed
to provide the best adhesion for the base coat of rim cement. See the photo at
http://www.businesscycles.com/graphics/nisi_rimbed.jpg
>
>> Your experience is typical - they were very prone to cracking at the nipples.
>
>Maybe so. Still, I have never trashed such a rim due to crack failure.
>
>On the same topic, let me add. True, there were no eyelets, and washers were added under nipples
>heads. There were also such rims with washers already in place: in fact I was presnted a pair of
>such rims this past monday!

As the picture shows, there were also several Nisi models which were socket & eyelet types. The one
I'm building in the photo is Nisi's "Countach", but the Sludi 290, Sludi 320 and AN85 models (among
perhaps others) all shared the same socket & eyelet design.

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