Rim brake wear Velo Orange 'RAID' rims a visual illustration

[deliquium]

6629 miles of all year round whatever the weather, rear wheel (front noticeably not worn as much yet).

Cycling exclusively in the mountains of Snowdonia. Lots of salt but no flint like previous Wiltshire domain/habitat.

Shimano V brakes - with mostly Clarkes MTB Elite CPS301 pads

Thinnest worn brake surface in the photos now measures 0.80mm - slightly less than on the opposite break surface

Now replaced with a ~50% cheaper (£30 inc post) Halo Whiteline High Polished 700C rim - single eyelet*. (from Tredz)

Will report back next year to see how that 'budget' rim wears

* yes the VO Raid, now replaced by another 'model', is double eyeleted - don't think that's an issue in the real world of my particular lightweight-ish cycling?

ps note the crazy spider


VO-Raid-rim-4525 by slopeslopeslope, on Flickr


VO-Raid-rim-4524 by slopeslopeslope, on Flickr

[reohn2]

Any idea what thickness the braking surfaces were new?
I'd guesstimate about 1.2mm max

[deliquium]

Any idea what thickness the braking surfaces were new?
I'd guesstimate about 1.2mm max

Very difficult/impossible to measure in a meaningful way - is the answer.

I tried. The variation was beyond meaningful, using dental 'instruments' and custom ground vernier calipers.

Was so variable around any given rim, I gave up.

[reohn2]

Any idea what thickness the braking surfaces were new?
I'd guesstimate about 1.2mm max

Very difficult/impossible to measure in a meaningful way - is the answer.

I tried. The variation was beyond meaningful, using dental 'instruments' and custom ground vernier calipers.

Was so variable around any given rim, I gave up.

In light of that would you say they were below expectations,sub optimum or poor quality?

[mercalia]

given you ride in sandy/salty/flinty conditions maybe carbide or ceramic brake surface rims would make sense?

[Brucey]

if the halo rim is like the ones I have seen it is (as are the VO rims) made of a fairly soft aluminium. Worn Halo rims seem to deform under tyre pressure just before they split.

IMHO using the front brake reduces overall rim wear vs using the rear brake; the reason is that the front rim is usually much less dirty than the rear.

cheers

[Jezrant]

Have you ever considered Exal's LX17? 575g, 23mm outside width, £25 @ Spa.

[deliquium]

given you ride in sandy/salty/flinty conditions maybe carbide or ceramic brake surface rims would make sense?

The roads of Snowdonia aren't at all flinty or sandy - much less rim wear up here than I experienced in Wiltshire

[deliquium]

Any idea what thickness the braking surfaces were new?
I'd guesstimate about 1.2mm max

Very difficult/impossible to measure in a meaningful way - is the answer.

I tried. The variation was beyond meaningful, using dental 'instruments' and custom ground vernier calipers.

Was so variable around any given rim, I gave up.

In light of that would you say they were below expectations,sub optimum or poor quality?

Perhaps?

But actually I'm not complaining about 6629 miles -I build my own wheels so it's no bother

[deliquium]

Have you ever considered Exal's LX17? 575g, 23mm outside width, £25 @ Spa.

Ah, but . . . I have this ridiculous aesthetic, where I must have highly polished rims that aren't funny squared off/angular shapes


As mentioned previously I'm not complaining about 6629 miles for a rim - and if the Halo lasts that long I'll be as pleased as Punch and happy as Larry - at £30 each

[pwa]

That is the way to do it. Re-rim wheels yourself so that you have complete control over rim wear, and don't buy anything so exotic that you don't like treating rims as the consumables they really are.

[Jezrant]

Have you ever considered Exal's LX17? 575g, 23mm outside width, £25 @ Spa.

Ah, but . . . I have this ridiculous aesthetic, where I must have highly polished rims that aren't funny squared off/angular shapes


As mentioned previously I'm not complaining about 6629 miles for a rim - and if the Halo lasts that long I'll be as pleased as Punch and happy as Larry - at £30 each

Ah, nostalgia. I can relate ... up to a point. The profile of the Halo/VO/H Son/Grand Bois et al rims reminds me of the tubular rims I used to ride on in my younger years. Looking back, I now realise those rims were pretty rubbish. The Exal rims are stronger and more durable and, to my eyes, not too hideous. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as you say, if you get similar mileage out of these new £30 rims compared with the previous rims, I'd be happy too.

[Samuel D]

Is it nostalgia or just a principled design ethos?

Deliquium’s bicycles are always a study in good taste because he sweats these little details, doesn’t compromise lightly, and, yes, throws a fair bit of money at his various neuroses. They inspire me to be more disciplined about component selection.

[deliquium]

Thank you Samuel D


With regard to highly polished gently curved large ERD rims with ~17mm internal widths, there only appears to be the newer VO 'Enterprise' with an eye watering RRP of £79.99 each, or the equally impressive looking H Plus Son TB14 @ £60 each from Spa and The Cycle Clinic (I have a pair of TB14s on a refurbished yet to be ridden 1980 custom Dawes Super Galaxy). And now Halo have added to their black or dull anodised 'Whitleline rims the highly polished versions - which are now on the Longstaff for the forthcoming winter (same or near enough ERD to the VO Raid)

As was previously mentions about stronger more angular rims - In 35 odd years of cycling solos, trikes, tandems and tandem trikes, I've never encountered any weaknesses with my aesthetically preferred low profile rims. Just because something is undoubtedly 'stronger' doesn't mean it's necessary or appropriate for one's needs and experiences, does it?

I shall buy another pair of Halo Whiteline to keep in stock/summer wheels and probably a pair of 32 hole for the '48 Percy Stallard, wehn its VO Raid rims wear out. One never knows when manufacturers change their designs!

And as mentioned, at £30 a rim, I'd be well happy if they only lasted 5000 miles

(Don't suppose you need some brand new Shimano 6600 8/9/10 speed highly polished hubs? Was going to build a pair of 17" wheels to squeze into a highly customed 1964 Moulton 'Speed' having spragged the back end to take 130mm. That project fell by the was as I have too many bikes now. Of course I immediately got rid of the dreadful standard Shimano dull grey skewers (what were they thinking of ) and replaced them with new Velo Orange beauties. Hubs are 28 and 32 hole - they cost me dear), so will be a bargain?

Click to enlarge

[amediasatex]

THe Halo whiteline road rims look to be very very similar* to the Kinlin ADHN, the extrusion looks very similar in profile, and they're both made from T10 Alu, there's a mm or so difference in published ERD (605 vs 607) and width (24mm vs 25mm), but I'm always a bit suspicious of the published specs seeing as how a lot of rim specs vary depending on which site is listing them, as I've seen ADHNs ERD quoted as 604,605,and 607, and weights at 580g on some sites and 535g on others...

https://www.hubjub.co.uk/kinlin-adhn-101-p.asp

The ADHN is, and has been for years, available in polished silver too, I've used them before and they are decent and reasonably durable rims with a nice width.





* I also know other rims in Halos range have also appeared to be re-bandged Kinlins from time to time as well, not all, but some definitely and a lot of 'off-the-peg' branded wheelsets use rebadged Kinlins.