Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Machining rims...

I bought a set of non-machined all black iro wheels a while back, and now I wish they were machined...

I've recently been having some knee problems, seems like old injuries are creeping back into my life. I also just want a front brake for some of the hills around here.

is there a way to "machine" a rim? I've been thinking about wire wheels, sand paper, paint removers, and plenty of other methods, but I have no clue as to their effectiveness. if it comes down to it, I'll just buy a new rim, but I'd rather not spend any money at the moment.

so yeah, anyone done this? had success with it? am I just pissing in the wind?

If you use a brake with your "unmachined" rims, the road grit/water/pads will machine them for you...it just takes time. Seriously, you're fine. Put the brake on and ride.

Seriously, you're fine.

Oh baby!


that'll probably be the route I go, I'm probably over thinking this whole ordeal.

ride a hill then decide

i did, my knee hurt, said to myself, "need front brake"

move along child.

http://www.rivbike.com/tires/our_approach_to_rims

That little essay is a couple tofu dogs short of a hipster cookout w/r/t the actual metallurgical principles, but it does explain that you can run nonmachined rims with brakes and not worry, though they may well squeak for a while.

This topic comes up at least 2x/week..

i mean with a brake

whoa, pretty cool, thanks for the link

This topic comes up at least 2x/week..

really? i found no threads on machining a rim, plenty on running brakes on non-machined, but none on machining.

plenty on running brakes on non-machined
Unless I totally suck at reading, that's what you want to do, no?

The "machining" is the effect of putting a brake on.

you cant help someone who wont help themselves

running a brake on a non-machined rim is what I'm going to end up doing, but what I was initially asking was if there was a way to machine a rim, with out having what ever machine rim manufactures use to make a machined braking surface.

Someone eventually mentions in those threads that your rims end up "diy machined"..but yea.

true, but it always seemed to have the tinge of "not the best method" behind it.

glue some 320 grit sandpaper to your brake pads, overtighten the brake cable, ride a mile, then discard the paper. Viola! Perfectly machined rims. Material cost 20¢

my buddy who rides trials sometimes dremel's the surface a little bit to enhance braking...not sure if it works but he does it.

my buddy who rides trials sometimes dremel's the surface a little bit to enhance braking...not sure if it works but he does it.

No knowledge of how friction actually works is harmed in that process :D

glue some 320 grit sandpaper to your brake pads, overtighten the brake cable, ride a mile, then discard the paper. Viola! Perfectly machined rims. Material cost 20¢

instant strength training!

yeah, my girlfriend had the same problem on with her rims..after a while it just wore off from the brake pads and it looks fine.