Originally Posted by ephemeralskin
are those rims anodized or powdercoated?
They look as if they are powdercoated.
Originally Posted by ephemeralskin
what happens when you use that front brake you have set up?
I don't know; I've only had to use the brake once so far, and only for a couple seconds.
Originally Posted by ephemeralskin
that front rim could look reeeal ugly reeeeeal fast. can it even effectively brake on a powder coated surface anyway?
I was scared of that too, but with the amount of times I actually need to use it I don't think it is any problem. It does seem to brake adequately. If anything, I think the brake pads would leave a residue on the rim, rather than the rim losing some paint. In fact, I've seen a couple geared/road bikes lately that have rims with similar non-machined sidewalls, so I'd guess that this is not a problem.