Junk rims?

[stephenmarklay]

My cheap Raleigh single speed rims seem to be sloughing off bits of metal.

Last week I had to pull out what I thought was a rock from my front brake pad. Yesterday, I had to repeat that but the chunk I took out looked shiny like metal.

The rims do not have machined side walls and the finish has not even completely worn off.

Is this something common in cheap rims?

[David Kirk]

Pretty common with some rims...the pads wear away at the soft material and if flakes off and gets embedded in the pad.

Makes a nasty noise doesn't it?

dave

[oliver1850]

It's a pain to do but it helps to pick the bits of aluminum out of the pads. I use a machinist's scribe.

[dddd]

Your pads are the problem, and there is no fixing them, since they've hardened (either locally or globally).
Super-common problem.
Not a rim problem, and the issue will resolve with decent fresh pads.

[stephenmarklay]

Makes a nasty noise doesn't it?

dave

You can say that again.

It is like I ran my car pads down to the backing plate and did a high speed emergency braking test. Crazy how gnarly a little piece of metal sounds grinding its way around.

[stephenmarklay]

It's a pain to do but it helps to pick the bits of aluminum out of the pads. I use a machinist's scribe.

Thank you. I have used the pointing end of a razor blade which worked also.

[stephenmarklay]

Your pads are the problem, and there is no fixing them, since they've hardened (either locally or globally).
Super-common problem.
Not a rim problem, and the issue will resolve with decent fresh pads.

Oh interesting. I will get some pads.

I will probably have to de-bur the brake surface before I change them out.