Originally Posted by
bikeybikebike
it's pretty normal to get tiny rocks kicked up though, could it just be cosmetic chipping?
It's actually not that common. I've ridden Zipp and Blackwell Research wheels and never got a chip/scratch from a rock.
If you're having problems with an overly flexy wheel AND the clearcoat is cracking, it could be a sign of extreme badness. Might also not, but one of the reasons you pay a guy like Mike to do your wheels is so that you get answers to those questions.