That rim is ruined. It’s structurally damaged. You need to buy a new one. Perhaps look for another LBS.
TwoPuckShaker on
It might be fine but I certainly wouldn’t ride that
finverse_square on
I’d ride that
sergeant_frost on
Will it hold – yes
Is it safe – no
Would I ride it – I’m poor so yes
Should you ride it – no
umgrybab on
Might be fine, but I wouldn’t risk my life in finding out.
rhapsodyindrew on
If I’m seeing that correctly, it’s a double-wall rim with a huge hole in one of the two walls, namely the one against which the inner tube rests.
Absolutely NO WAY, do not just cover this huge structural hole with rim tape or “tube strips” (like cut-out strips of inner tube?). The air pressure will force the broken wall inward, widening the hole and potentially/probably causing further failure in the remaining rim material.
I don’t know what the shop owner is thinking. Suggesting you simply ignore an obviously broken component is dangerously irresponsible and could probably even open them up to legal liability if you followed their terrible advice and sustained injuries as a result.
I’m sincerely interested: give this thread a day or two to settle down, then return to the shop and show the owner the mountain of “hell no” comments and see how they respond. Please do report back if you do this.
7f00dbbe on
Please name and shame that shop… that shit is not okay.
Their advice could lead to serious injury.
408abel on
How’s this bike going to be used? 10pm and under back and forth to the grocery store, i say go for it. Any failure, if any, will be at such a slow speed you SHOULD be ok.
Any “real” use at speed, i would say it’s not worth the risk or the anxiety of waiting for it to fail.
fuzzybunnies1 on
It depends, low pressure mtb rim that tops out at 25-30psi, I’d add some extra layers of tape and go. Higher pressure than that, the risk of it starting to split there goes up a lot and rims can split starting at the bed. Long term I’d look to replace it.
The more interesting question: how’d you do that?
bradleybaddlands on
I wouldn’t ride that unless I was stuck somewhere and had to get home. Not knowing the brand or quality, the bike shop should be able to get a comparable wheel for you. Maybe look for a DIY shop around town for something used if they can’t.
B1CYCl3R3P41RM4N on
You’re gonna get a bunch of people responding saying silly shit like ‘omg I can’t believe he said that, you should find a new bike shop’.
The owner is trying to save you some money. That’s a double wall style rim, that little bit of damage is not going to put you in danger. Just make sure you use the heavy duty style plastic rim strips and not the cheapo rubber band ones, which you should be doing anyway on a double wall rim.
This subreddit is full of a bunch of nerds who aren’t even bike mechanics who will over react and act like anything that isn’t 100% completely perfect turns your bike into a ticking time bomb that’s just waiting to kill you.
I’ll bet anything that this reply will get downvoted and a bunch of dorks are gonna reply telling me how wrong and uninformed I am, and how you’re going to get injured and it will be my fault. Ignore them, they don’t know what they’re talking about.
hungrykoreanguy on
curious how did this damage happen? did you run over a big nail/bolt? The sidewall also looks slightly bent inwards (but maybe due to flash lighting) as if the rim bottomed out when it got impacted. Assuming rim wheel, this bent portion would be a no go due to the tire bead unseating itself turning turns.
Gravel-Adventures on
rim looks unsafe to me
RomeoSierraSix on
The concern is that the hole will continue to grow to adjacent spoke holes and then that section of the rim will collapse. As it’ll be under the rimstrip, tube, and tire you cant monitor it to see if that is happening or how fast. That is the risk.
jeffsaidjess on
Why wouldn’t people here ride that ? If it’s not being jumped like a BMX or MTB.
Pretty sure it’ll hold for a while until OP wanted to replace .
LickableLeo on
No way man, this looks like a manufacturing defect. If your LBS won’t help try reaching out to the manufacturer of the rim.
You could go back and forth indefinitely on if it’s safe or not, the only way I’d have complete peace of mind is to get it replaced.
Xxmeow123 on
What make and model are the wheels and bike? Could be a free replacement.
Gullible_Raspberry78 on
If that’s a hole, and not just the top layer peeling, that’s absolutely not “fine”. However your bike shop owner is correct, if you’re just doing casual riding and no serious mountain biking or anything, a bit of tubeless tape will make everything okay again.
cdnyhz on
I’d send it. Instead of a 32 hole (or whatever) rim, you now have one more hole. It’ll be fine.
OpinionsAndFacts on
I’d put a rim strip on that and keep riding. I’d probably eventually replace it but I wouldn’t be in a hurry to.
21 Comments
Fuck no, do not ride that
That rim is ruined. It’s structurally damaged. You need to buy a new one. Perhaps look for another LBS.
It might be fine but I certainly wouldn’t ride that
I’d ride that
Will it hold – yes
Is it safe – no
Would I ride it – I’m poor so yes
Should you ride it – no
Might be fine, but I wouldn’t risk my life in finding out.
If I’m seeing that correctly, it’s a double-wall rim with a huge hole in one of the two walls, namely the one against which the inner tube rests.
Absolutely NO WAY, do not just cover this huge structural hole with rim tape or “tube strips” (like cut-out strips of inner tube?). The air pressure will force the broken wall inward, widening the hole and potentially/probably causing further failure in the remaining rim material.
I don’t know what the shop owner is thinking. Suggesting you simply ignore an obviously broken component is dangerously irresponsible and could probably even open them up to legal liability if you followed their terrible advice and sustained injuries as a result.
I’m sincerely interested: give this thread a day or two to settle down, then return to the shop and show the owner the mountain of “hell no” comments and see how they respond. Please do report back if you do this.
Please name and shame that shop… that shit is not okay.
Their advice could lead to serious injury.
How’s this bike going to be used? 10pm and under back and forth to the grocery store, i say go for it. Any failure, if any, will be at such a slow speed you SHOULD be ok.
Any “real” use at speed, i would say it’s not worth the risk or the anxiety of waiting for it to fail.
It depends, low pressure mtb rim that tops out at 25-30psi, I’d add some extra layers of tape and go. Higher pressure than that, the risk of it starting to split there goes up a lot and rims can split starting at the bed. Long term I’d look to replace it.
The more interesting question: how’d you do that?
I wouldn’t ride that unless I was stuck somewhere and had to get home. Not knowing the brand or quality, the bike shop should be able to get a comparable wheel for you. Maybe look for a DIY shop around town for something used if they can’t.
You’re gonna get a bunch of people responding saying silly shit like ‘omg I can’t believe he said that, you should find a new bike shop’.
The owner is trying to save you some money. That’s a double wall style rim, that little bit of damage is not going to put you in danger. Just make sure you use the heavy duty style plastic rim strips and not the cheapo rubber band ones, which you should be doing anyway on a double wall rim.
This subreddit is full of a bunch of nerds who aren’t even bike mechanics who will over react and act like anything that isn’t 100% completely perfect turns your bike into a ticking time bomb that’s just waiting to kill you.
I’ll bet anything that this reply will get downvoted and a bunch of dorks are gonna reply telling me how wrong and uninformed I am, and how you’re going to get injured and it will be my fault. Ignore them, they don’t know what they’re talking about.
curious how did this damage happen? did you run over a big nail/bolt? The sidewall also looks slightly bent inwards (but maybe due to flash lighting) as if the rim bottomed out when it got impacted. Assuming rim wheel, this bent portion would be a no go due to the tire bead unseating itself turning turns.
rim looks unsafe to me
The concern is that the hole will continue to grow to adjacent spoke holes and then that section of the rim will collapse. As it’ll be under the rimstrip, tube, and tire you cant monitor it to see if that is happening or how fast. That is the risk.
Why wouldn’t people here ride that ? If it’s not being jumped like a BMX or MTB.
Pretty sure it’ll hold for a while until OP wanted to replace .
No way man, this looks like a manufacturing defect. If your LBS won’t help try reaching out to the manufacturer of the rim.
You could go back and forth indefinitely on if it’s safe or not, the only way I’d have complete peace of mind is to get it replaced.
What make and model are the wheels and bike? Could be a free replacement.
If that’s a hole, and not just the top layer peeling, that’s absolutely not “fine”. However your bike shop owner is correct, if you’re just doing casual riding and no serious mountain biking or anything, a bit of tubeless tape will make everything okay again.
I’d send it. Instead of a 32 hole (or whatever) rim, you now have one more hole. It’ll be fine.
I’d put a rim strip on that and keep riding. I’d probably eventually replace it but I wouldn’t be in a hurry to.