long term reports: DT Swiss Oxic - similar coatings

[Kirk007]

I was researching some coated wheelsets - exalith, oxic, boyds coating etc. I have a pair of Boyds that are wearing well, although ironically they haven't seen much wet weather. One commenter of the DT Swiss oxic said the coating had "polished" after a year of use and was worse than old carbon rims for braking. I've heard of coatings wearing off but never getting slick and worse than a plain alloy rim so figured I'd ask here, particularly about the oxic coating. Any and all insights appreciated!

[efixler]

I have the Boyds with coating. I haven't had them for that long; the coating isn't visibly wearing and they stop well, but man do they burn through the swisstop BXP pads.

[CNY rider]

I have the Dt Swiss Oxic wheel set on one of my road bikes.
I have used it with the recommended pads for just over one year.
It is very hilly here. I have had very good braking performance and have not had any decline in braking over time.

I love the wheel set and would buy again.

[tv_vt]

Which DT wheelset do you have?

[one60]

I have had a a lot of handbuilts over the years and always took a bit of pleasure in my mates bad luck with his various Mavic wheelsets confirming my bias against factory built wheels.

That all changed,when I bought the low profile (22mm rim depth) OXICs. They have been simply amazing. Very well built with an offset rear rim for added strength, tubeless set up without issue, light at 1450 grams and come with a solid quick release. The braking on the OXICs is far superior to standard alloy rims when using the swiss stop blue pads.

When the deeper version came out, I bought them as well. Same great value for money, same great performance.

The aesthetics of these wheels is wonderful. More than once folks have asked I was riding full carbon wheels. I would highly recommend them!

To address the OP's question regarding durability. I've seen no diminution in braking modulation or stopping power over a few seasons (thousands of miles) and the coating has remained intact. I believe the first generation coatings were cosmetic while the current generation is 'baked in' to the rim. The coating process is explained on DT Swiss' website.

[Kirk007]

Thanks one60. I've been considering the 32s. Seems like a good wheelset for the rolling hills of Bainbridge Island.

I have had a a lot of handbuilts over the years and always took a bit of pleasure in my mates bad luck with his various Mavic wheelsets confirming my bias against factory built wheels.

That all changed,when I bought the low profile (22mm rim depth) OXICs. They have been simply amazing. Very well built with an offset rear rim for added strength, tubeless set up without issue, light at 1450 grams and come with a solid quick release. The braking on the OXICs is far superior to standard alloy rims when using the swiss stop blue pads.

When the deeper version came out, I bought them as well. Same great value for money, same great performance.

The aesthetics of these wheels is wonderful. More than once folks have asked I was riding full carbon wheels. I would highly recommend them!

To address the OP's question regarding durability. I've seen no diminution in braking modulation or stopping power over a few seasons (thousands of miles) and the coating has remained intact. I believe the first generation coatings were cosmetic while the current generation is 'baked in' to the rim. The coating process is explained on DT Swiss' website.

[one60]

The OXICs are awesome for the steep climbs and short fast descents on BI. While they wear through pads quicker than standard rims, the improved braking is worth the trade off.

Did you know there's a female pro rider from the Rally UHC team residing on the island? Met her in Girona this summer.

[harblhat]

I have a very similar rim - the 32mm A-Force AL33 ceramic. Wide, excellent aero properties and quite tough. I dented one slightly and my wheelbuilder was able to bend it back with no obvious distress in the alloy.

They have an all-black look with a ceramic coating on the brake track, pretty much like OXIC, Exalith, etc. I've been riding them for one season through mostly dry conditions but a few rain events as well. No noticeable wear from braking, but the finish is sensitive to a hard tire lever and flying rocks, both of which have left some tiny chips in the surface.

Braking feel is good, perhaps better than a standard alloy rim. The AL33s are not textured, but the coating is certainly 'rougher' to the touch. Like the OXICs, they also mow through Swissstop BXP blue pads.

[vqdriver]

diminution

new word

[efixler]

I agree that the braking is really good on the ceramic coated Boyds (it's really hilly near me too), but when I swap the ceramics out for my HED wheels, the stopping is still really good, maybe not quite as great as the ceramics, but I'm not really sure how muck to attribute to the brake track and how much to the pads.

[mt2u77]

If you watch used eBay listings, and some here, you'll see a fair number of these ceramic coated rims with unsightly chips, dings, maybe a thin line of wear down to untreated aluminum from foreign matter stuck in the brake pads, or wear at the edge of the brake track from pads set at the wrong height. It's a durable coating with some depth, but still a coating.

My conclusion is that the coating lasts a decently long time (long enough that most here are ready to move on to something else :)) assuming good alignment, clean proper pads, clean rims, and avoidance of scratches. If you're one to drop an allen wrench on occasion, jam your bike on top of others in a car, get gunk in your pads and leave it there, etc., then it's just a matter of time before "something" happens to make them a bit ugly.

[one60]

dim·i·nu·tion
/ˌdiməˈn(y)o͞oSH(ə)n/

new word

[one60]

If you watch used eBay listings, and some here, you'll see a fair number of these ceramic coated rims with unsightly chips, dings, maybe a thin line of wear down to untreated aluminum from foreign matter stuck in the brake pads, or wear at the edge of the brake track from pads set at the wrong height. It's a durable coating with some depth, but still a coating.

My conclusion is that the coating lasts a decently long time (long enough that most here are ready to move on to something else :)) assuming good alignment, clean proper pads, clean rims, and avoidance of scratches. If you're one to drop an allen wrench on occasion, jam your bike on top of others in a car, get gunk in your pads and leave it there, etc., then it's just a matter of time before "something" happens to make them a bit ugly.

Agreed. I hope I didn't leave the impression that the rim is impervious. It can be scratched or damaged if the rim catches a curb or a stone gets in the brake pad just like a traditional alloy rim or carbon rim

[scoobydrew]

I have a very similar rim - the 32mm A-Force AL33 ceramic. Wide, excellent aero properties and quite tough. I dented one slightly and my wheelbuilder was able to bend it back with no obvious distress in the alloy.

They have an all-black look with a ceramic coating on the brake track, pretty much like OXIC, Exalith, etc. I've been riding them for one season through mostly dry conditions but a few rain events as well. No noticeable wear from braking, but the finish is sensitive to a hard tire lever and flying rocks, both of which have left some tiny chips in the surface.

Braking feel is good, perhaps better than a standard alloy rim. The AL33s are not textured, but the coating is certainly 'rougher' to the touch. Like the OXICs, they also mow through Swissstop BXP blue pads.

Same experiences with my Al33 Ceramic rims. I purchased my set secondhand from a member on here and have put about 2000 miles on them.

The coating is still holding up fairly well considering the various unplanned off-road detours. With the Swissstop BXP Blue pads, they do seem to leave a dark blue or purple "residue" on the brake track. In the right lighting conditions, the brake track is visible.

I also find that they mow through the Swissstop pads. I've almost worn through my 2nd set of pads up front, but the rears have plenty of meat left.

https://i.imgur.com/MZmM0p6h.jpg

[Mikej]

I have a 1st gen set of Mavic K's with the coating. 7 seasons and they are still good. Just mounted up my 2nd set of pads.

[harblhat]

Same experiences with my Al33 Ceramic rims. I purchased my set secondhand from a member on here and have put about 2000 miles on them.

The coating is still holding up fairly well considering the various unplanned off-road detours. With the Swissstop BXP Blue pads, they do seem to leave a dark blue or purple "residue" on the brake track. In the right lighting conditions, the brake track is visible.

I also find that they mow through the Swissstop pads. I've almost worn through my 2nd set of pads up front, but the rears have plenty of meat left.


It's eerie, we may be pretty much the same person. Here's mine, with the AL33s:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8SEkE1MPV9g7jf24UZdS0YKl24hLUKH99h4SfIr4Tw9QAgA00y qS489cxMUrlZRUWG3UHfz92EYowZkpxf5x2A2Snwxp5VWCvdXT qmHIRuEgJW-Aa1XFNuFB9qthfG34Dm3Ltwx9WWpXDlBHfjjMg3Z7YWMLnvn6e KhgEVeeO02zGOjg9NHVA6vXSUe_U_c05kSKdTUGnSu7bVgE83A xeZ9BLHAItTBsHem5vpAsInPp96KPNqeCGgcZdz5k91YMZH1aV gheQ38qI8r_4m1lFCsCjZJ_fOJAHICvDpwPzpvOC4tW59jTMpr VeUrcE1K9wE8qIjHkFakIPNqxnFZrXTYukYICGt_Xacqj-IuR9e-0B0e4dhXe7Arb6hkziJ7dNmDpPMZum52XaDtstK2neDso7z5bw Can9wwKcJ7or8j4e0ERgEKiLXtrtG8jgFuN4u1Dc-ZaRHmPm8z93xEmlybZchQnckxOgXyOfUELFBJ1cMyvG_7ffHVb f1jJ7WfieXmA5QiARIwrKncoTRAQZAJpuRQ3zLNHJcneP8felN Uu--12YgmFuErEoC3QCLwcOt705WL19xuwvJZJbX8XpKr2cosguq1i FNBAXpuO_F1327_c-XMUtt8gF9vyfQUJCunB3LOWZzEAfKM6bMwrHFToUb3QlRwSfEn xotQyoxlroZ6fb-SRhPht=w1011-h758-no

[FlashUNC]

If you ride in the wet stuff at all, it'll disappear soon enough. Not worth it imo.

[R3awak3n]

I got boyds and the ceramic on the front is intact. Rear is not. Took a rain ride and its pretty bad. Its also giving me some pulsing on braking which is kind of annoying (I assume its what it is, the uneveness of the coating).

[R3awak3n]

I agree with Flash. Worth it for that nice sunday ride bike that never sees nothing but nice weather and nice roads. For a bike you will actually ride, I would not buy again unless I got a good deal then I would