i made the mistake of not topping up my tire pressure since it was a leisurely ride on a greenway. went slowly over a curb and this happened. Probably the lamest way to dent my rim lol. Is this too far gone or do yall think it would be safe to ride after i bend it back?
by hairlessmanchild
32 Comments
Is the rim true? If yes, it could be repaired but will remain a weak spot. edit: might not hold tubeless tires
Gently bend it back, will be fine. Although tubeless might not like it anymore.
Its fine, you might need to get the wheel trued but I’ve certainly have bigger dents in rims.
That sucks.
Depends on material, but likely cooked.
No just bend it back
i’ve bent back dents like that a bunch of times. if you take your time and use something smooth like an adjustable wrench you can salvage it.
Grab some pliers and try to bend it back as straight a possible, maybe put a cloth over it too to prevent marring it. Should be fine.
Take a wrench and bend it bike it’s not hard. Really you don’t need it bend back all the way you just need smooth it out
Bend it back with some channel locks. Totally ok.
You can bend it back but use something wide and smooth. Take it easy and don’t go too far.
Just scratch off the “less” of tubeless and all fixed
https://preview.redd.it/q7rnlqmrkhmg1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f00f1f0580e2a6f205b7afc584febd819007b0e2
I got 2 of those at home, yours probably fine. This is what cooked means
If that was mine, I would heat it slightly and slowly bend it back with a crescent wrench. Keeping an eye on the trueness with some type of square.
Rubber mallet and a tube. You’ll be fine.
Should be fine to bend back. Use an adjustable wrench or channel locks if you can, since their jaws tighten parallel. If you use pliers or a vise grip, be extra gentle. If you use a vise grip, don’t clamp down super hard.
Put a rag or other cloth between the tool and the rim so you don’t fuck up the surface and leave a burr.
Start at the edges of the area you want to bend back and go a little at a time, alternating sides and working your way in. Be gentle and try to get your tools as far down into the tire bed as possible so you aren’t just bending the top of the wall, which will make the rim collapse on you and will probably fuck up the hook.
You can get it looking and working pretty well like that. Just be very gentle and go slow!
*no longer tubeless ready.
Not cooked. The adjustable wrench method is only “okay”.
Better is a straight hard edge (the back of my bench vise works perfectly (you want both sides of the dented area to be supported). Take a dead blow (with someone supporting the wheel) and give a couple solid thunks with another hammer on the dead blow over that area is the safest way. If no one else to help, either a dead blow or rubber mallet can also work to bring it back in line (as you hold the wheel level with your free hand). It takes very little to do. A 1 or 2 minute job.
I’ve bent back similar dents before. As others have said you can use an adjustable wrench, but there is a tool made specifically to bend dented rims. Wolftooth sell the 8 bit tire lever+ rim dent remover.
I used to dent rims fairly often racing cyclocross with low tire pressures. The wolftooth tool has worked great for me.
Whichever approach you take just take your time and bend a little at a time.
So many people here telling you to bend it back. Not if you run tubeless. We put a lot of faith in our tires and wheels. It CAN be bent back, but will never be the same…and the rims ability to hold a bead is decreased. Not worth it.
Edit: typo
I’ve been riding on a super dented rim for like a year at this point and it’s still going strong, just ride it till it stops holding air or just buy a new one if you’re feeling iffy about it.
Wider and flatter adjustable wrench, do just enough to to seat and or properly seal. You don’t want to over work the metal. While you’re riding it, start saving for a new rim/wheel.
I’ve got an ebike I run tubeless with a dent like that. I used a crescent wrench and some think plastic between the wrench and the rim and bent it back. It’s been like 3 years and several tires with no issues. I’d bent it back if it were me.
If it seals just leave it. I wouldn’t bend it back. You can stil ride. It only gets dangerous if the bed of your rim is also deformed noticeably
I tried to bend one back last year and it cracked. But I’ve done it before. Sooooo use an adjustable wrench and put some fabric between the two metal materials and go very slowly. Should be good to ride
Take two pieces of woodboard, put them on every side of the rim and then use clamps or two wrenches, pushing the wood pieces together so that they’ll bend the rim back. This way, you won’t leave traces with the wrench. I have done this before, worked for me.
Not sure what brand it is, but a lot of company’s offer crash replacement. My bike came with aluminum RaceFace wheels, and when I bent mine they ask for a few pictures and then had me a new one at my door in under a week free of charge. Might be worth looking into.
Good chance that will crack if you try to bend it back. Had a halo vortex with a similar ding and it didn’t survive. But at this point, no harm in trying.
No, but your rim is bent.
You can usually bend minor aluminum dings back with a little care.
Some good advice in here for techniques.
Aluminum can crack but it’s likely it won’t, people have been bending aluminum rims back for decades with good success.
is a 200 rim worth more than a 500 er bill?
Knipex pliers wrench works well for me. Can basically squeeze the dent out.
I’ve fixed worse. You’re not cooked, but once fixed the likely hood of damage in that spot again is a lot higher. Rode it for another 2 seasons then had to just get a new wheel after it got hit again