*update: i did this* removing the fairing from alloy-rimmed deep wheels

[Heisenberg]

strange question.

anyone here removed the fairing from a set of carbon/alloy deep-section wheels? you know, the ones where the spoke/nipple is mounted directly to the alloy rim (hed/mavic come to mind), thus the carbon is totally non-structural.

i guess i'm curious as to how it's done, if it looks like hell, and if there was much weight savings attained.

grazi.

[stien]

Nearly guaranteed to look terrible. A quick stalk of HED Jet vs Ardennes yields from 200-260g difference. They’re the same rims with a fairing so there ya go. Wouldn’t try it unless the fairing was completely destroyed. I’ve seen people patch them.

[GonaSovereign]

This has come up before, specifically about the Cosmics. The carbon fairing is hollow, but it is structural in that Mavic had said it supports the aluminum rim and spokes. You can't/shouldn't ride the wheels without it. That's my memory of it, as I had wondered the same thing and remarked upon the info when I read it.

[bicycletricycle]

they are structural and it would look terrible.

[Black Dog]

They are typically bonded to a lighter alloy rim and do provide some support to the rime even though they are not supporting the spokes.

[Heisenberg]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

they are structural and it would look terrible.

hi so this is wrong if you'd read the original post.

thought i'd update since i went ahead and did it. wheels in question are a set of 2013-2014ish Giant P SLR 1 wheels. all told fairly decent wheels. 1575g with the silly fairing, DT240 hub internals, tubeless compatible, 21mm wide scandium rims, etc etc.



but i have a problem with fake aero fairings. they're ugly. they get blown around. they make noise. they add weight.

but mostly they're ugly.

thus. THE PROCESS, which you got to see liveish, if you stalk me on ig.

1) i rode them in the rain and figured ugly/dirty was as good a time as any to get weird. see: small test sliver removed to deduce what was underneath.


2) broke into the carbon with a pair of linesman pliers. real science.


3) proceeded to remove with gloved fingers/plastic tire lever.


4) pretty ugly. bare aluminum, and there's a strip of foam adhesive tape on the rim's edge to mount the fairing.


5) close! huffing bpas for days.


6) finished product. i used brake cleaner and some copper wool to get rid of the adhesive after heat did nothing. the rims actually cleaned up nicely - shiny and silver. first group ride and they got compliments. who knew? i don't know how much lighter they are, i haven't weighed them yet. now i can ride along in relative silence without nearly getting blown off a bridge.


moral of the story: never listen to the internet.

also, i'm too fat for these wheels.

[bicycletricycle]

I was wrong, I had seen some broken mavic wheels in the past that a shelf extruded into the rim. Glad these worked out.

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

also, i'm too fat for these wheels.

For some reason, that brought a grin to my face since I'm too fat for most of the things I ride. At least, I'm too fat to be worthy of the things I ride, yet I still ride them.

[velotrack]

interested in the before after weights, for no other reason than curiosity.

[Tickdoc]

Great post!

(Fwiw, I like 'em better now.)

[charliedid]

Like

[93KgBike]

right on.