Rusty Double Eyelets

[Mick F]

Just stripped the rims off my broken wheels.

Rigida Chrina silver - double eyeleted. Nice rims.

Took the rim tape out, to find rust on the inside of the double eyelets. Rather disappointed as they're only a year or so old.





As I need to re-build my wheels onto my Campag Chorus hubs, which rims do people recommend, preferably that don't rust?

I want 32h and 36h, in silver.

[cranky]

I want 32h and 36h, in silver.

With potholes like yours, Mick, I'd have thought maybe 40h/36h

[Mick F]

I don't think 60h 6x would have helped!



Any ideas about rust proof/stainless inner eyelets?

[PW]

Check out DRC model ST17. I don't know which colours are currently available (mine are black and I know there are alternatives) but they are a decent narrow section rim and available in the drillings you want. I don't know of any rims with stainless eyelets.

[PH]

I've just taken the rim tape of a knackered DRC ST19 to have a look, 4 years old, used in all weathers and not a spec of rust. They look like steel eyelets, though I can't be sure.

[Mick F]

Thank PW and PH,

I used to have Mavic MA40s, they had double eyelets. When I ditched those, the eyelets were quite rusty both inside and out.

These Rigida Chrina's seem SS on the outside, but not on the inside.

My spare wheels, Mavic MA3s, only have single eyelets.

The good thing about double, is that it makes a stronger wheel, and the nipples are easier to adjust - I think. Rust negates any advantage???
Am I right?

[Mick F]

Which rim is the Rolls Royce of rims?

Money no object, which rim would YOU chose?

[PW]

I don't like Mavics because I've seen too many go bang - I only use them if they're considerably cheaper than anything else available within the required time span. DRC have been excellent since I discovered them, the only one not still in use was dinged on a pothole at high speed, but nowhere near as badly as yours, it could still be ridden if there was nothing else around.
For touring bikes I use the ST19, which is best with 25 - 32mm tyres, on the quicker machinery the ST17 takes 23-25mm comfortably. As a comparison it's a similar profile to the Mavic Open Pro.

[cranky]

DT Swiss rims appear to use stainless eyelets.

Try a Google for 'stainless eyelet rim' and see what you find, I think Campy do them too from what appeared in the search.

[MartinC]

I don't know what rim tapes you use. Velox used to be the touchstone ('til they stopped sticking to rims) but they're linen and if they get wet they hold water and stay damp. This may encourage your eyelets to rust. Plastic ones don't and there are some reasonable ones now - e.g. Schwalbe, Bike Ribbon, Specialized.

[Paul Smith SRCC]

Most rims will do that, only the visible section will be rust free, in reality the rim walls will wear down way before a rusty eyelet causes problems, the rust can actually act like Loctite for the spoke nipple; in conclusion I wouldn't worry about it unduly.

Paul_Smith

[Mick F]

Thank guys.

Plastic tape, Vittoria. I know the older fabric ones used to rust on the clip too! Thanks Martin

Thanks for the reassurance Paul. It just seems so shoddy - if you spend good money on some nice shiny wheels with SS eyelets, why not do the job properly? Will rust put Loctite out of business?

[Paul Smith SRCC]

..Thanks for the reassurance Paul. It just seems so shoddy - if you spend good money on some nice shiny wheels with SS eyelets...

I am inclined to agree it can't save them that much, they normally prefix the word eyelet with 'visible'; which is always a bit misleading.

Paul_Smith

[Bob S]

Mavic CXP33, I have been using for about 2 1/2 years. Only snag and very disconcerting is that all tyres seem to nest on a bit to easy, still never had one blow off yet, and I use 110+ psi.