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    Is it possible to bend this back?

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    21 Comments

    1. InnocentGun on

      Generally, no.

      The aluminum used in your rims has been cold worked extensively. Now add this damage, and you are probably extremely close to the limit of “plastic deformation”. There is a very high likelihood that the rim will crack if you try to bend it back.

      If it has sealed up for now, just don’t touch it and get a new rim.

    2. ringowasthebest on

      I’m not a tubeless expert but I’ve had quite a few dented rims, and I’ve carefully straightened them with wide pliers

    3. OscarLHampkin on

      Personally I put it on the corner of a vice and tap the outside of the rim with a rubber mallet. Like the other guy said, it will be weaker and not last as long. But I think it’s worth trying, I’ve done this and rode time for a year or two after and they have been fine.

      I find the vice technique more reliable and less likely to break the rim than bending it back with a spanner/pliers

    6. dano___ on

      I’ve bent back a lot worse quite a few times and never had an issue. Use some pliers, go slow and gentle, and don’t try to get it too perfect. It will probably make it harder to seat your tubeless tires down the road, but if you keep the heat reasonably smooth it’ll still work as long as you pop them on with enough air.

    7. construkt on

      I would take a crescent wrench (adjustable spanner), tighten it on the dent and gently bend it back. I don’t think that dent is worth replacing the rim over. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to hold air. I have had way worse dents, repaired them a bit, and they held for years. Unless there is something I can’t see in the picture, don’t replace without at least trying to fix first.

    8. mykos777 on

      Might not be repairable or the result might not be satisfactory but…what we did in such rescue cases:

      -Flat steel piece, at least 5mm thick.
      -Put it flat against the surface of the rim, in this case outside
      -Clamp with vice grips(or other secure clamp system) between the dent. Clamp minimum 2-3mm away from where the edges of the dent starts. You might increase this distance, when you start bending back.
      -Start bending the dent toward the steel, with pliers, adjustable wrench(smooth jaws only!) open ended wrench.

      Depends on aluminium type used how it will go.

      Note – I do not recommend that repair and if you’re doing it at your own responsibility 🙂

    9. FastSloth6 on

      Heat and a slow, gentle bend with pliers is worth a shot if the seal is compromised as is. Do the minimum necessary to restore function, and budget for a replacement just in case. Others are correct that fudge bending will weaken and potentially crack the area.

    11. Perru01 on

      Bend it like Beckham…if it holds the air you are ok to go unless you are a control-perfect person…

    12. cockrider_w on

      Heat it up and use some pliers to bend it back, i did that a couple times and it works fine

    13. ic3m4n56 on

      You can bend it back, just keep an eye on it. If some cracks start showing it’s time for a new rim.
      I’ve been riding on a rim with a straightened dent like this for a year. Still no cracks

    15. KornyJokes on

      That doesn’t look like too severe of a dent. You could likely just persuade it back with a small plumber’s wrench. If it doesn’t work, you’re looking at a new rim anyways, so there’s no harm in trying.

      If you’re running tubeless, however, it’s quite tricky to get it back straight enough to make a good seal again.

    17. konwiddak on

      When rims eventually crack and fail, they usually go around the spoke nipples since this is where the load gets concentrated. I’d be pretty comfortable straightening an edge since it’s an unlikely location for a crack to initiate even if a bit weakened. As long as straightening doesn’t cause a crack, it’s unlikely to be an issue.

    18. Wolfy35 on

      Possible yes

      Advisable no

      Aluminium gets brittle if you don’t work it correctly and splits much easier than you would think. You may be able to bend it back into shape and get it to hold air but don’t think of it as a fix because it isn’t it’s a temporary solution that would at best allow you to use it until you can replace it. Add into this the fact that it will have the potential to fail without notice if you hit anything and you have to consider how much you like your teeth.

    19. SSSasky on

      Short term, yeah, no problem (as long as the rim doesn’t crack while you are bending it). It will create a weak point, so long term replacement is the way to go. But dents like this are par for the course for lots of MTB riding.

      As others have said, adjustable wrench is the best bet, with a rag or innertube protecting the rim. Don’t try to make it perfect. Just try to get the wobble flatter than it is.

    20. l3nnyj on

      Bent back worse. I use a small adjustable spanner with electrical tape over the ends not to scratch, and do it progressively i.e take your time.

      Source: my kids give me practice more than I want.

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