Durable brake tracks on anodized rims?

[eephotog]

I'm curious on the long-term durability of anodized rims for rim brakes. From reports, some seem better than others w.r.t. longevity of the colored brake track.

I have a set of old Mavic open 4 cd rims on 7 speed hubs, and the grey brake track is still in pretty good shape, maybe a few scuffs.

Looking at the H+Son archetypes, folks seem to report that the black wears off quickly, while the grey is more durable? Maybe it has to do with the depth of the anodization, or the hardness of the layer?

Of course, I could always go with plain silver, but I'm tempted to do some grey color-coordination

[Mr B]

All anodised / 'CD' rims eventually wear. The big step up is to a ceramic braking surface, which Mavic offered once upon a time. I think Boyd might have been the last brand to also offer it?
My grey anodised Archetypes lost their brake track colour just as quickly as the black TB14s I had.
The CD surface on my commuter's Open Pros is much tougher but it's looking scruffy, I kinda wish it would just wear away cleanly. More rainy rides between washes required.



Just as a guide for expectations, here's a new set of grey Archetypes as built in July 2017:



and here's the same wheelset after a few dry-weather rides that October:



and now here's the same set a few years later with the track fully worn clean:

[Zackus]

I also have been interested in alloy rims that have the aesthetic benefit of not showing the alloy brake tracks. I just bought a set of these but haven't picked them up yet. From what i've seen around the web the anodize seems to last a while. The machined groove probably help to preserve some of it.

https://hedcycling.com/products/arde...4/ABLK-4414121

[eephotog]

Originally Posted by Mr B

and now here's the same set a few years later with the track fully worn clean:

Thanks! It's shockingly hard to find a photo of these with wear, this is super helpful.

[tv_vt]

Shameless plug here, but the Mavic Classics SSC wheels I have for sale in the Classifieds have ceramic-coated brake tracks that will always be black. The rims are the same as the OP's Open Pros, only black and with the ceramic coating on the brake track.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=291864

Not sure how much new ceramic-coated rims cost, if you can find them, but if someone didn't like the Mavic hubs, they could de-build the wheels and re-use the rims with any 32 hole hub. (But they should try the wheels as they are first!)

[Mark McM]

Aluminum anodizing is basically creating a layer of oxided aluminum on the surface. To create different colors, a dye is added during the anodization process. But if the anodize layer is too thick, the dye can't be seen through the oxidized layer. Since colored anodizing (including black) must inherently be a thin layer, colored anodizing can be quickly worn through.

Hard anodizing creates a thicker, more durable layer on the aluminum, but the color will end up being the natural color of the aluminum oxide, which is a grey, or a slightly brownish grey. But, hard anodizing really has no place on component under high cycle loading like a bicycle rim. The hard anodize layer is quite brittle, and can easily form micro-cracks in the layer. Under many load cycles, these micro-cracks can propagate into the base aluminum causing rim cracking.*

There are some surface treatments that can be more durable than colored anodizing. For example, HED's "Black" series of wheels use a textured black surface treatment that is reputed to last a long time.


*Mavic was the probably the company that pushed hard anodized rims the hardest, claiming fictitious performance benefits. These rims were more prone to fatigue cracks. When a customer complained about cracked rims, the Mavic reps would come up with a flimsy excuse about the builder using excessive spoke tension and deny a warranty. When Mavic started making pre-built wheels, they probably knew that if they hard anodized the rims, they would no longer be able blame others and would have to spend a lot of money on warranties. In any case, Mavic has never used hard anodized rims in any of its pre-built wheels, even though they still sold hard anodized rims separately.

[jimoots]

I had Archetypes with the grey tracks - one ride with some descending and the track had worn slightly. After a ride in wet weather it was completely worn away.

Mavic exalith (ceramic?) coating seems to hold up a lot better but is not indestructible. I have a buddy who has had a set for a couple of years and he does a lot of riding in the hills and isn’t scared of wet weather. Put it this way, if I wanted black alloy rims I would buy them because if they can withstand his riding, that’s a big tick!

[ERK55]

Re: the DT Swiss Oxic Dicut wheels.
Are they anodized, ceramic, or something else?

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by ERK55

Re: the DT Swiss Oxic Dicut wheels.
Are they anodized, ceramic, or something else?

According the DT web page, these wheels use OXic technology, which is an electrochemically applied ceramic coating.

[KrispyK]

I had DT Swiss with Oxic Coating. I found it very hard wearing with great stopping power. Aslo very nice riding wheels

[pdmtong]

The DTS oxic, mavic exalith, campagnolo Mille are all variants of PEO / Keronite treatment

For dry riding I do find the braking better than standard aluminum brake track. No idea about wet performance

https://blog.keronite.com/what-is-pl...dation-article

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by eephotog

I'm curious on the long-term durability of anodized rims for rim brakes. From reports, some seem better than others w.r.t. longevity of the colored brake track.

I have a set of old Mavic open 4 cd rims on 7 speed hubs, and the grey brake track is still in pretty good shape, maybe a few scuffs.

Looking at the H+Son archetypes, folks seem to report that the black wears off quickly, while the grey is more durable? Maybe it has to do with the depth of the anodization, or the hardness of the layer?

Of course, I could always go with plain silver, but I'm tempted to do some grey color-coordination

For H+Son and others..there is a difference between a colored rim, like the Archetype black rim and a H+Son 'hard Anodized' rim(the 'gray one).

Simple anodizing for color just changes the color. 'Hard' anodizing makes the surface chemically harder. Not required, mostly marketing and it can be an issue with eyeleted rims(like Mavic).

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/anodized-rims.html

[Veloo]

Takes me back to my Open 4CD rims in the 90s.
So nice looking until the brakes started to rub off the anodizing in the spoke/ nipple spots of the rim.

[Spdntrxi]

my ardennes black seem to holding up.

[Mr B]

I'd just like to register my general love of Anodised Grey rims here btw. I wish more were offered in alloy disc format today what with braking surfaces not being an issue. Velocity (and latterly Sim Works) offer one but it's a bit cold and pale for me.

Mavic visually ruled with their Couche Dure finish, imo. It's just lovely. Campagnolo and Ambrosio made some lovely stuff too.
H Plus Son did a great job with their colour, they just need to offer more modern rims.
This is NOS 217 CD I picked up a few years ago:







On a wheelset with black hubs and spokes, I like that grey stands aside and lets a bold frameset sing, but differentiates itself from the black rubber.

I've yet to have a bike with silver hubs ands spokes, but when I do I'll probably seek out anodised grey rims.