Right now I’m building a steel all-rounder (gravel, bike tour, bikepack, commuter)
Just picked up a set of Chris King R45D hubs in polished silver, along with a bunch of other polished components.
I still need to buy rims for the wheel build, and it would seem natural to go for a set of polished alloy rims like the [Polished Silver Astral Outback Rim](https://astralcycling.com/products/polished-silver-outback-rim-alloy-700c-650b?variant=40211868188774). But at 460g per rim…I feel like I could go for something lighter.
So, now I’m looking at some carbon fiber rims like the [Light Bicycle X925 Rim](https://www.lightbicycle.com/XC925-asymmetric-rim-profile-carbon-29-inch-carbon-rims-mtb.html). At 360g per rim it seems like it could have better ride quality. Currently debating if this is even worth doing on a steel bike.
Are the aesthetics of carbon rims with polished silver hubs acceptable? What color spokes would I even get, black or silver?
Or should I just stick with polished silver for both the rim and hub?
by wickedbeats
6 Comments
I’d do polished hubs, black spokes, silver nipples, carbon wheels with silver stickers.
Haha, I’m having this exact same dilemma with some White Industries CLD polished hubs.
I just prefer the look of a black rim over silver/polished.
Personally I think polished hubs and carbon hoops looks badass, so I say go for it. Old ZIPP carbon wheels had silver hubs and it looked great. Although I have no clue what colour spokes I’m going to get yet, leaning towards silver.
Maybe the light bicycle marble carbon?
Considering it is a bike gonna see road use it is perfectly fine.
I love silver spokes personally for bikes that see use at night nothing like shiny spokes to help you get seen.
I personally hate black spokes. I have torn down wheels and relaced just to get rid of them.
I have a set of light bike carbon rims (Falcon Pro AR35 I think) laced to Industry 9 silver rims with silver Sapim CX-RAY spokes and silver brass nipples. Very very happy with them! I also have a set of White Industries CLD hubs that were laced to a junky set of rims but the rims finally failed. I think I like the CLD hubs better honestly.
Overall I love the look of silver hubs, silver spokes and black rims. But I’ve been eyeing those Astral rims! They look awesome!
I’d go with silver Sapim CX Ray spokes and silver brass nipples.