Bicycle Mechanics - Disc Specific Rims

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tromper
03-30-12, 01:24 PM
I'm eying up the new Surly Disc Trucker frame, & debating the whole bike option vs. doing a build (It'll likely be cheaper that way).

I noticed they're using the Alex Adventurer rims on it. They're a decent enough rim & I have them on my old 750 at the moment; however they are noted as a rim disc rim.

Thought it over & couldn't think of anything too awful about that since the worst that would happen is the rims wouldn't wear.

Does anyone here know of any real advantage (other than aesthetic) to using a disc specific rim for disc wheels?

Cheers
Tromper

dabac
03-30-12, 01:38 PM
Does anyone here know of any real advantage (other than aesthetic) to using a disc specific rim for disc wheels?

Well, if you don't need the sidewall height to provide a brake track, you can make the sidewall a tad lower. This means that there's a possibility to make a disc specific rim a tad lighter, or stronger at the same weight.

"Unfortunately" the sidewall area is a pretty good place to put the material, in terms of rim strength, so usually there isn't much advantage to be had by disc specific rims.
FastJake
03-30-12, 01:42 PM
Well, if you don't need the sidewall height to provide a brake track, you can make the sidewall a tad lower. This means that there's a possibility to make a disc specific rim a tad lighter, or stronger at the same weight.

"Unfortunately" the sidewall area is a pretty good place to put the material, in terms of rim strength, so usually there isn't much advantage to be had by disc specific rims.

+1

Being a bit of a weight weenie I have yet to see much of a difference in weight between disc specific and rim brake rims. If/when I build up a disc wheelset for one of my bikes I will probably just use rim brake rims in case the wheelset ever ends up on a non-disc bike. Strength is basically a non-issue for me as I have never thrown a wheel out of true, no matter how poorly tensioned or light/low spoke it was built up.

Unlike the difference between clincher and tubular rims, where there can be a significant difference in rim weight.