Ride or Return? Scratches on carbon braking surface...

[eBAUMANN]

I bought some wheels recently for a pretty good price, but they have some scratches on the braking surface that were not described prior to sale.
I have the option to return them but I am wondering if any of you long-term experience with damage of this sort?

In theory, it seems to me like these scratches might lead to premature/accelerated wear of the braking surface in this area.

What do you think?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7015/27311084691_7a3323ce64_b.jpg

[benb]

I'd return. That is not normal wear and tear and would make me paranoid the wheels were crashed pretty hard given the direction of the scratches.

Heck I have crashed pretty hard and never scraped up anything carbon that bad.

[batman1425]

Looks like these were laid down. Possibly a blow out prior. I'd be weary .

[Bruce K]

I wouldn't ride them.

BK

[geordanh]

I had a set of enve rims with very similar scratches (that I knew about before buying), though less on the braking surface itself. I sent detailed pictures to Enve who suggested that as long as fiber ends weren't exposed, it wouldn't be an issue and I should ride without worry. I did just that but monitored wear, and didn't notice any changes on the scratches that were on the brake track itself.

If I were you I would just email enve and ask them and include a whole bunch of pics. I think they responded to me within a couple of hours.

Was the price good? If so, may be worth just keeping, or using this to negotiate some amount of $$ returned to you.

As these look like classic 25s, chances are you are using for big climbs? I may be more nervous in that scenario with a bunch of descending. Climbs out here are big, but the descents are untechnical and require little braking so I wasn't overly concerned.

[geordanh]

Hi Eric,

Here's a pic of the rim I had. Probably 15K metres of braking light descending and no noticeable changes in wear.

Got jammed and scratched moving out of a truck.

[ultraman6970]

Ask the guy some cashing back :P

[Dead Man]

Nothing more than my some-guy-on-the-internet opinion, but if I'd done that to those rims, I'd still ride them. Hell... I bubbled up the scrim on a set of Reynolds, and continued to ride them for the better part of a year, till they finally started cracking out.

Having bought without full disclosure, though.. that would be pretty annoying. I'd definitely want the seller to "make it right" for me, whether giving some cash back or just straight up refund. If for no other reason than resell value lost - what if you decide to go a different route and need to unload those? Shouldn't be your loss.

[rnhood]

Get your money back, including shipping. Failure to disclose this type condition is just plain dishonest.

[ftf]

Refund.

[pdmtong]

I'd return. That is not normal wear and tear and would make me paranoid the wheels were crashed pretty hard given the direction of the scratches. Heck I have crashed pretty hard and never scraped up anything carbon that bad.
This sums it up for me.
Looks like these were laid down. Possibly a blow out prior. I'd be weary .
Agree with this theory.

Even if these were Bora Ultra Two for $500 I would pass.

[adrien]

Very odd. Is it that way all around? Looks almost like it was a dog's chew toy.

First, I'd email Enve as suggested. Then, armed with whatever they tell you, I'd contact the seller. Either give me some sort of settlement or a full refund.

Undisclosed on that sort of thing is not cool. I have 2000 miles on 4.5s, and they show no marks or wear.

[benb]

Nothing more than my some-guy-on-the-internet opinion, but if I'd done that to those rims, I'd still ride them. Hell... I bubbled up the scrim on a set of Reynolds, and continued to ride them for the better part of a year, till they finally started cracking out.



You knew what happened though, that's a little different. My safety bar for "stuff I caused" is different for "stuff that happened to something before it was mine."

[Tickdoc]

No Bueno. I say keep the skewers and return the wheels ;-).

No, those aren't the worst scratches in the world, but if they weren't described, I would return.

[eBAUMANN]

Thanks for the 2c everyone, im leaning towards a return myself as I wasnt even sure i was going to be keeping these in the first place, just bought em cause they were a good deal (as they were described).

[DFABob]

That's super annoying, glad they're being a stand up guy about it.
I have an enve xc(disc) that's got some similar damage. And I chipped some off with a tire leaver the other day. I'd say return.

Have you checked to see if they're the original owner? Enve's crash replacement is 50% off any set if you're the original owner.

[oldpotatoe]

Get your money back, including shipping. Failure to disclose this type condition is just plain dishonest.

'Not as described'-refund..they probably aren't unsafe but 'not as described', what else has been omitted?

refund/return-his $

[shovelhd]

I'd get the refund but they look safe to ride.

[Bob Ross]

That is not normal wear and tear

^^^This

[stien]

Eric, can't believe anyone has asked how much? Get a partial refund and send em on their way!

[eBAUMANN]

Gonna just send em back. I could deal with it, take a partial refund, see what happens, but the likelihood of me using these wheels are pretty slim anyways..

Any of you guys wanna buy em? heh

ENVE 25's laced to a SL+ Powertap rear hub, PT front hub
Schwalbe tubies in good shape
$725

[Ti Designs]

The simple solution to the problem is to stop looking at the wheels, put 'em on the bike and ride 'em like you stole 'em. Well, that's what I would do...

[eBAUMANN]

The simple solution to the problem is to stop looking at the wheels, put 'em on the bike and ride 'em like you stole 'em. Well, that's what I would do...

Yea, had I bought em as "keepers" i would do that, or rather, I would get a partial refund. But these were a "maybe ill keep em, but probably ill sell em" purchase, so im just gonna send em back instead of add another thing to my pile of projects.