Cycling UK Forum

A simple question, are Rigida Sputnik rims still made? Note (not are they still available.

I bet the answer is more complicated.

Yes but they're now made by Ryde so are Ryde Sputnik.

Spa Cycles list them new for sale, suppose they are still in production?

John1054 wrote:Spa Cycles list them new for sale, suppose they are still in production?

They're a bit slow in updating the text on their website. Still saying Rigida yet the rim pictured is labelled Ryde Sputnik.

Hi ,
After building a set I liken Them to the fourth bridge, lacking symmetrical spoke hole Offset, Thus nice nipple sweet alignment is impossible, further complex spoke stress relieving is required At nipple.

(Typed by voice)

OK, Ryde, thanks.

I do remember reading something about the demise/takeover of Rigida a while ago, but didn't connect, especially as they are often still referred to as Rigida eg Spa.

FWIW I have trialled a method of 'tweaking' Sputnik eyelets using a special tool so that the spokes don't kink near the nipples in the same way as if you do nothing to them. Seems to work OK.

cheers

consider Exal SP19 as an alternative. As good maybe better. ( Maybe) Less kink ( on my pair) at the eyelets than the Sputniks I also have.

It will be sad day if these two rims stopped being made?

Hi,
I remember.
What a pity that they did not offset the spoke holes just a tad.
Do you tweak inline with kink which will depend on the application front rear NDS DS and hub (compound angle), or do you just tweak out a bit / perpendicular with axel.
I forget this is a hand tool.

At least there is some offset on Exal like mavics.

there is a (tiny) offset on sputniks; it is so small that you can hardly see it.

My tweaking depends on what kind of hub is being built; there is a big difference in the spoke angles between (say) a SF hub and a Rohloff .

Tweaking described in more detail here

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=118625

cheers

When I built a Sputnik onto a Rohloff hub I used Sapim Polyax spokes which worked beautifully.

Interesting extra posts.

Should have said, I will be replacing my front Sputnik when I get home and was ordering from LBS.

It's worn, but not down to wear indicator, but it took a nasty knock on the flight here. A little tweak (by local, cost £1.30) has got it straight and true. Nonetheless I don't like the little ding in it so that's why I'm replacing.

It's nearly 7 years old, must've done about 50,000 kms, 30 of which on tour. Gotta laugh when all the disco boys say rim brakes wear out rims - yes, eventually.

Replaced rear last year after 5½ years, that was down to wear indicator.

simonhill wrote:Interesting extra posts.

Should have said, I will be replacing my front Sputnik when I get home and was ordering from LBS.

It's worn, but not down to wear indicator, but it took a nasty knock on the flight here. A little tweak (by local, cost £1.30) has got it straight and true. Nonetheless I don't like the little ding in it so that's why I'm replacing.

It's nearly 7 years old, must've done about 50,000 kms, 30 of which on tour. Gotta laugh when all the disco boys say rim brakes wear out rims - yes, eventually.

Replaced rear last year after 5½ years, that was down to wear indicator.

Thanks for the perspective simon.

And I rather have the feeling that your rims face a tough life - lots of rain, fair bit of mud and grit and that you can't always clean them as religiously as when at home.

By the by, can you educate me about the wear indicator?

I have a set of Mavic rims and they have a groove/channel all the way round the breaking surface which I take to be the wear indicator.

But I have never noticed anything obvious on my two sets of Sputniks, one labelled Rigida, the other Ryde.

Hi Sweep - I asked about the wear line thing when my back rim was getting low viewtopic.php?f=5&t=109035&p=1049639&hilit=Wear+rigida+Sputnik#p1049639

The best picture is the link in my last post. To sum it up, when you see a hole, it's worn! Actually, I started to see a dark line in the middle of the braking area first.

Yes, my bike doesn't always get the best of treatment. But sometimes..... yesterday I took a detour on what was a marked and numbered road on Google maps. Turned into a rough waterlogged 10 km jungle trail. Maybe great on an MTB, but tough on a loaded touring bike.

I managed to wipe the worst of the dirt off when it dried. Later, when I checked into a hotel, they foolishly advised me to keep my bike in my room for safety. Next morning it reappeared nice and shiny thanks to a session in the shower.

this sort of thing

cheers