Originally Posted by
noglider
I'm not gung-Ho about replacing the steel rims with alloy. Not all of us notice the difference from the weight savings. I say if your steel rims are straight, don't change them unless you need your brakes to work well when wet.
As a year-round cyclist in the Northwest, I changed the rims on my Raleigh Wayfarer specifically for braking when wet, and it definitely made a difference. I first only had a front wheel built around a new dynohub (not Dynohub), and kept the rear steel until it started breaking too many spokes. If you live in a drier climate and rarely/never ride in the rain, then it's not as big of a deal. One benefit of steel over alloy is no brake dust.