H Plus Son - Archetype Hard Ano

[charliedid]

Always wanted to build up a pair.

Opinions still favorable?

[cgolvin]

I have a pair of handbuilts, laced to WI T11 hubs. They've been good wheels … (here come the buts)

- anodized brake track looked cool until the first wet ride (yes, rain in SoCal), then it was gone; didn't bother me that much
- broke a couple of spokes in the rear, first time in 40+ years of cycling, was diagnosed by the builder as down to a flat spot in the rim from a bad pothole hit
- just had the front trued by my new wheel buy (not the builder), told me that he was resorting to taking out tension which indicated that the rim had lost its resiliency and I was looking at EOL in the coming year (+/-)

For me, if I were building a new set of wheels, I would make different choices. That's my $0.02.

[slambers3]

Had a pair, also laced to WI t11. Bought em here used, rode em hard and then passed them on to a friend. Well built, never had to true them, rode them over some pretty tough roads. Ano will wear off but seemed more durable than I expected. Would recommend

[jtbadge]

I've had a few sets built with different hubs and spoke counts, and have no complaints. Always ridden hard and take abuse well. The brake track anodizing does wear down after some rainy rides.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another set if they are available. IME they compare favorably to stuff like the HED Belgium that comes out at nearly twice the price.

[joevers]

The anodized brake track wears down a lot slower than the regular black one. By a lot actually, but it still ends up silver. They're just great rims for the price.

[charliedid]

Thanks for the input all.

Break track wear is a non issue for me.

[jacrider]

Positive review here. We have them on several wheel sets I have built.

I have a pair on my road bike and likely have 10-12K kms on them. Stripped them down this winter for a check-up and barely had to true them at all. Until this spring, I rode them with 25mm Conti GP4K and GP5K. Now using 28mm Rene Herse.

Just put the Archetype rims on new wheels for our new gravel bikes and 3K kms in, haven't had to touch them. These have either Schwalbe winter spikes or 38mm Rene Herse.

Yes, as pointed out, riding them in the wet conditions will wear the anodizing off the brake surface.

We find them to be light enough, good braking and easy to keep true.

Just built a set for our son with the Hydra rims on his gravel bike. Also just built a wheels set for my father's bike, but used the Archetype in the cool silver colour.

Not running any of them tubeless.

[jkbrwn]

Just had some built up actually. Yet to ride them but they sure look nice. Bargain from Wiggle (and the only place I could find any)

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by jacrider

Positive review here. We have them on several wheel sets I have built.

I have a pair on my road bike and likely have 10-12K kms on them. Stripped them down this winter for a check-up and barely had to true them at all. Until this spring, I rode them with 25mm Conti GP4K and GP5K. Now using 28mm Rene Herse.

Just put the Archetype rims on new wheels for our new gravel bikes and 3K kms in, haven't had to touch them. These have either Schwalbe winter spikes or 38mm Rene Herse.

Yes, as pointed out, riding them in the wet conditions will wear the anodizing off the brake surface.

We find them to be light enough, good braking and easy to keep true.

Just built a set for our son with the Hydra rims on his gravel bike. Also just built a wheels set for my father's bike, but used the Archetype in the cool silver colour.

Not running any of them tubeless.

You are all in! Thanks

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

Just had some built up actually. Yet to ride them but they sure look nice. Bargain from Wiggle (and the only place I could find any)

What build did you go with?

[Mark McM]

I wouldn't recommend hard anodized rims. Hard anodized rims are more prone to cracking. Anodize layer is more brittle than the base metal, and cracking of the anodize can propagate into the base metal. This is why hard anodizing is never used on aluminum aircraft parts. I once spoke to an engineer at Sun Rims, who confirmed that their hard anodized rims were more likely to crack. When I asked why they still made them, he replied that it was what customers wanted, and that their sales would suffer if they didn't continue making them.

This cracking problem is usually limited to hard anodized rims, which use a very thick adodize layer Cosmetic anodizing is typically thin enough that any micro-cracks in the anodize layer are unlikely to propagate.

Mavic probably worked the hardest to "sell" hard anodized rims to consumers. And when these rims eventually cracked, they typically dodged warrantying them by blaming whomever built the wheels, claiming that the wheel was built with too much tension. When Mavic starting offering pre-built wheels, they could no longer blame blame the builder to avoid warranty replacement. This is why none of Mavic's pre-built wheels ever used hard anodizing (even while they still sold hard anodized bar rims at premium prices).

[robt57]

What ERD ate you guys seeing on the archetypes?

I saw QBP stated 593 QB measured instead of the 595 they are suppised to be...

[rccardr]

Had some, went back to rims with machined brake tracks.
Life is too short to ride rims that look...skeezy.

[Monsieur Toast]

I'm around 2,000 miles with a pair laced to Record hubs. I'm in the desert and they haven't seen any moisture, so the brake track easily passes the 6 foot test looking solid black all these miles later. I ride them pretty hard, including a short segment of fast gravel road I hit multiple times a week, and haven't had to true them despite running 25s.

That said, based upon forum feedback I placed an order last week for a set of Fulcrum Racing Zero Nites (see: Campagnolo Shamal Mille) instead of having another set of H+Son Archetypes built – https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=268456

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by rccardr

Had some, went back to rims with machined brake tracks.
Life is too short to ride rims that look...skeezy.

Funny...to riders of a certain vintage, a knackered worn anodized brake track looks... OG.