Sputnik vs Grizzy CSS rims

[SimonCelsa]

I haven't been too impressed with the last couple of Sputnik rims fitted to the rear of my general workhorse bike. The previous rim was retired after 2 yrs/8500 miles and the current rim is showing considerable wear at only 18 months/5000 miles. I use cheap Clarks red (or sometimes black) vee brake pads which usually last about 1200 miles or so. Conversely my front rims seem to last indefinitely. I do try and utilize both front/rear brakes to an equal degree.

Anyhow, I am thinking of trying out the Grizzly CSS rim on the rear only for the next refurbishment. I saw this offer on eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... s&_sacat=0
Seems like a good deal although annoyingly only available in 32 hole......all my gear is 36 hole.

Any thoughts on that ebay deal......seems a lot cheaper than anywhere else.....too good to be true perhaps?

[Sweep]

I haven't been too impressed with the last couple of Sputnik rims fitted to the rear of my general workhorse bike. The previous rim was retired after 2 yrs/8500 miles and the current rim is showing considerable wear at only 18 months/5000 miles. I use cheap Clarks red (or sometimes black) vee brake pads which usually last about 1200 miles or so. Conversely my front rims seem to last indefinitely. I do try and utilize both front/rear brakes to an equal degree.

Anyhow, I am thinking of trying out the Grizzly CSS rim on the rear only for the next refurbishment. I saw this offer on eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... s&_sacat=0
Seems like a good deal although annoyingly only available in 32 hole......all my gear is 36 hole.

Any thoughts on that ebay deal......seems a lot cheaper than anywhere else.....too good to be true perhaps?

out of interest (not an attack i assure you) do you keep your rims clean?

[SimonCelsa]

Rim cleanliness - I must admit my cleaning regime is fairly lax. However if I've been riding on muddy trails then I will give the bike a quick fresh water rinse. This would be fairly rare, generally the bike is well used but reasonably clean I would say.

[slowster]

Ryde have apparently discontinued the CSS rims. If you buy one or a pair of those rims, you might find that there was nothing equivalent available to replace it with when it wore out, and you would be left with 32 hole hubs and spokes which you might struggle to find a suitable rim to use with.

I guess your other options are to take a bit of gamble and buy several of the rims, so that you will have replacements, or buy the more expensive 36 hole version from Spa.

[SimonCelsa]

I was hoping the CSS rims would last almost almost indefinitely

I read some rave reviews!

[531colin]

I'm running these Carbide rims on 2 roughstuff bikes, with no sign of any brake wear at all, except at one rim join which doesn't line up perfectly.
(Of course, in line with Sod's Law, I used that rim on a front wheel.)
I used the "hard" brake pads until the rims smoothed off a bit, when I had no brakes in the wet; I went back to Koolstop red and the brakes are back.
They are fairly light rims, and only single eyelet, so my only reservation about them is don't overdo it on the spoke tension, avoid very dished rear wheels where the driveside spokes have to be extra tight. (or threadlock the NDS spokes)
The bloke selling them is either in the bike trade or a kleptomaniac for Park Tools; but if I were selling rims I would have had a wheel jig in the background!

[andrew_s]

Nothing lasts for ever, but in terms of wear life, CSS rims more than justify the extra cost.
However, the sides wearing through isn't the only reason why rims die, and they aren't any stronger than standard rims when it comes to trashing them on a pothole or similar.

[SimonCelsa]

I'll pontificate for a few days before pulling the trigger.

I could build the CSS rim into a new 8 speed 32h Deore hubbed rear wheel for around £60, using relatively cheap ACI spokes ex cyclebasket.com. However, for the heavyish duty usage that bike gets it may be just as well to buy 3 new Sputnik 36h rims from SPA instead, & concentrate on favouring front wheel braking more.

[Sweep]

Rim cleanliness - I must admit my cleaning regime is fairly lax. However if I've been riding on muddy trails then I will give the bike a quick fresh water rinse. This would be fairly rare, generally the bike is well used but reasonably clean I would say.

mm - I think I'd clean more. Don't see how you are going to clean rims with just clean water.
I think in view of the other stuff I'd stick to the sputniks and clean a bit more - maybe I'm odd but I find rim cleaning quite therapeutic.

[Bowedw]

I bought an unused 26 inch CSS rim locally and it replaced a Mavic that had cracked arond the spoke holes. I then had the opportunity to purchase a front wheel with CSS rim that I know had done several thousand miles. Frankly after a few rides I could not see any difference between the braking surfaces.
If it was not for the 32 spoke holes I would be buying two of these for my other bike.
There is a discussion at present on the forum regarding alloy rims with machined faces and I agree that their wear rate is extremely poor and probably due to the case hardened surface of the extrusion being machined away as suggested by Brucey.
I have had several sets of wheels built by Cyclebasket.com (Nelson Cycles) and always have been happy with their work.

[simonhill]

Sputniks aren't made anymore. Still some around, but will come to an end sometime.

Ryde (formerly Rigida) do Andra as a replacement.

As said above about not lasting forever, in another discussion on CSS rims a user reported that the brake surfaces lasted well, but after about 60,000 Kms the spoke holes started to split and rims failed.

Cost wise this worked no better than using standard rims and pads.

[Brucey]

Sputniks aren't made anymore....

reports of their death may be greatly exaggerated; they are still available to buy wholesale, the UK distributor knows of no plans to stop this rim (I had my LBS ask them), and it is still listed on the Ryde website.

cheers

[PH]

Any thoughts on that ebay deal......seems a lot cheaper than anywhere else.....too good to be true perhaps?

Looks a steal at that price, don't leave it to long they, might not be available for long.
I have three, two front wheels and a derailleur rear, none are showing any signs of wear other than the braking surface is now smooth.
I've also had two fail when built onto a Rohloff hub, both built by respected wheelbuilders, both split around some of the nipples, neither lasted 10,000 miles.

[pwa]

The only reason t be wary of CSS rims is the attention you have to pay to getting the brakes to work at all in the wet when the rims are settling in, but that problem seems to be a phase they go through. 531 Colin's comments above cover that issue.

But Grizzly CSS rims, for me, don't seem to wear at all. I have heard it said that they outlast normal rims by four times. I think that may be an underestimate. Mine have outlasted their original hubs.

[pwa]

For anyone who isn't aware, CSS rims seem to be being flogged off at the moment so it is a good time to bag a couple if you think you might want some in the future.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s116p23 ... rizzly-CSS

£50 each from Spa (36hole) as an example, is only double the price of an "affordable" rim and is likely to last more than twice as long, possibly much more.