Originally Posted by
Michel Gagnon
It probably depends on your brake use. I replaced a front rim one or two years ago and have two front rims (on different bikes obviously) that show definite signs of wear. Rear rims on those bikes still look like new. And I also replace brake pads once or twice a year on the front brake of each bike whereas I hardly ever replace pads on the rear brakes.
I use both brakes pretty evenly and I've had several rear rims fail from brake track wear over the years while front rims last much longer on the same bikes. Also, my rear brake pads wear down significantly faster than the fronts.
My only explanantion is that the rear rim gets sprayed with a lot more grit and dirt than the front so it lives in a much more abrasive environment even if it does less of the actual braking work. This disparity is particularly obvious on my rain/beater bike which is used only in wet, dirty conditions and the rims and brake pads wear faster on it than on any other bike with the rears being particularly wear prone.