Is this something to worry about?

[yummygooey]

I picked up a set of those $135 Aksiums off Bonktown and received them earlier this week. I just noticed an imperfection at the rim joint on one side of the front wheel (the other side is fine). There is some additonal out-of-plane unevenness that feels worse than the joint on the other side of the rim and both joints on the rear wheel.

Is this a source of concern or am I just semi-freaking out over nothing? I haven't even mounted tires on these wheels yet...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6438734423_3e1306917d_z.jpg

[Louis]

Aksiums are pinned, aren't they?

I wouldn't worry about it.

Edit: Unless there is a horrible bump when you brake. But maybe by then it will be too late to return them. Not sure what I'd do then.

[rnhood]

I don't like it. I have found the most minute imperfections can often be felt on the brake track. Whether its dangerous, I don't really know but I wouldn't ride it.

[yummygooey]

I need to go pick up some tubes, but I can mount this wheel on one of my other bikes (this one's not quite ready to go yet) and see if I can feel anything. I'm guessing I will feel it. :confused:

Or should I just go ahead an email Bonktown and ask them to replace them? Last time I checked, they were out of stock of black Aksiums...

[Louis]

The thing is, you get what you pay for. Pinned rims are less expensive to manufacture than welded + machined rims.

[Louis]

If one side in front is better than the other you might mount it so that the direction of rotation causes the pad to go from high to low, instead of it hitting the step. Might make it less noticeable.

[yummygooey]

In the plane it just feels like there is a slight raised line where the joint is. It doesn't really go from low to high in either direction.

[oldpotatoe]

I need to go pick up some tubes, but I can mount this wheel on one of my other bikes (this one's not quite ready to go yet) and see if I can feel anything. I'm guessing I will feel it. :confused:

Or should I just go ahead an email Bonktown and ask them to replace them? Last time I checked, they were out of stock of black Aksiums...

Get some emery paper and smooth it. VERY common with non welded seams.

What all rims used to be, non welded and non machined............and they were fine.

[bike22]

uhh, that's how its supposed to be.

buy cheap wheels get cheap wheels :confused:

[oldpotatoe]

I don't like it. I have found the most minute imperfections can often be felt on the brake track. Whether its dangerous, I don't really know but I wouldn't ride it.

Yikes, once upon a time no rim was welded and if ya had this little thing, you smoothed it...Not dangerous at all.

[yummygooey]

Get some emery paper and smooth it. VERY common with non welded seams.

What all rims used to be, non welded and non machined............and they were fine.

uhh, that's how its supposed to be.

buy cheap wheels get cheap wheels :confused:

Pardon my noobness... I'm not too experienced in the road cycling world yet. :rolleyes:

If it's normal then I don't really care. If not, then I'd like to know so I can get them replaced.

[Gummee]

Yikes, once upon a time no rim was welded and if ya had this little thing, you smoothed it...Not dangerous at all.
You smoothed it out? I just rode the darn things!

In fact, I'm riding an O4CD as a clincher/cross wheel now! Yay for old stuff!

M

[Fixed]

Yikes, once upon a time no rim was welded and if ya had this little thing, you smoothed it...Not dangerous at all.
trust this advise
cheers

[markie]

If you ride it, it will smooth out over time anyway. I would just ride it.

[Ken Robb]

the original Ritchey rims on my 1989 Bridgestone MB-3 have this "feature". I thought it was an early ABS system. Should I return them?

[yummygooey]

:p

[Peter B]

Get some emery paper and smooth it. VERY common with non welded seams.

What all rims used to be, non welded and non machined............and they were fine.

Ding, ding, ding.

It'll be fine.

[oliver1850]

I wouldn't touch it. It looks to be very marginally off in diameter at the joint, but the braking surface has been machined smooth. The joint is not visually perfect, but I would guess it's very close to being functionally perfect. Very unlikely that you'll ever have a problem. Of course you could run it by Mavic and see what they say. I would ride it as is.

[charliedid]

Just don't use the brakes and you are golden.

[yummygooey]

brakless4lyfe

I'm just gonna ride it. Knowing me I'll probably end up buying another wheelset soon enough. :rolleyes:

[SPOKE]

Get some emery paper and smooth it. VERY common with non welded seams.

What all rims used to be, non welded and non machined............and they were fine.

+1

[gavingould]

Ride it. Take a file or emery to it if it's bothersome, like others said.

[Mark McM]

Yikes, once upon a time no rim was welded and if ya had this little thing, you smoothed it...Not dangerous at all.

But that 'once upon a time' was also before rim sidewalls were machined flat. In other words, the machining has already affectively 'pre-smoothed' the rim. The OP should already be good to go to mount up a tire and just ride it.

[Mark McM]

The amount of radial mis-alignment of the rim extrusion as shown in the photo is not uncommon even in welded rims (I've seen welded rims with even more radial misalgnment). The only reason it isn't as obvious in welded rims is that the seam is ground smooth after welding.

In any case, the most critical alignment is the lateral alignment of the brake tracks. But in this case (as on most modern rims, both pinned and welded) the brake tracks have been machined flat, eliminating the affects of any misalignment.

[jr59]

Brakes, who needs brakes? :p


I trust Old Spud!

[yummygooey]

To be clear, there is some unevenness in the brake surface... or at least there is more at that joint than the other joint on the front wheel and both joints on the rear wheel. However, it's little enough that I can just smooth it out.

Anyways... I had emailed Bonktown last night to see what they said about it. They called me today to say that they'd gladly pay for return shipping and send me out a new set, but since the black is out of stock they could only send a silver set. I said it wasn't that big of a deal and we talked about some preventative measures (similar to what has been mentioned in this thread). Then as I was about to hang up, the customer service representative said he was going to go ahead and refund my shipping costs anyway. Yay!

I have nothing but good things to say about Bonktown's customer service. This isn't the first time they've been extremely helpful when I had concerns about one of the products I received as a result of a manufacturing or QC error.

A+ to Bonktown, and thanks to you guys for the help, too!

[Louis]

as a result of a manufacturing or QC error

Just for the record (and as has been said before) I think this is par for the course for this sort of wheel.

Don't worry about it. File / sand it down if you like, but it's no big deal.

Enjoy the ride. :beer:

[yummygooey]

Just for the record (and as has been said before) I think this is par for the course for this sort of wheel.

Yup.

Enjoy the ride. :beer:

I will... once I get the bike finished! :p