Pokey Rider

Hi all,

Going to pick up a set of carbon fiber wheels soon. I currently hang my bike upside down by the wheels from the garage roof rafters. Can I hang my bike upside down by the carbon fiber wheels?

Thanks for any responses

Psimet2001 

Yes.

....they won't explode.

BigJeff

Depends on the depth of the wheel..... my standard hooks don't fit 50mm rims.

I've also seen some of the latest rims from bontrager are so light weight that they bend with a finger press... hanging would break them, even if it was a 14lb bike.

merlinextraligh

I'm not riding on any rim that would break from a 14lb weight.

170lb rider, 14lbs of bike, 25 mph into a small rock or pot hole is going to generate forces several orders of magnitude higher than hanging the bike from a hook.

Bah Humbug

There we are.

carpediemracing 

There are carbon wheels with carbon/plastic fairings. Usually these have aluminum rims (and braking surfaces). The fairing is not structural. It's like trying to jack a car up by using the lip of a fender. The fender is just a fairing for the chassis - you can't support a regular car by just the fender. I wouldn't hang a bike off of such a wheel. An example is the HED Jet, I'm sure there are others. My Jets have such a thin fairing that it's only slightly stiffer than a playing card.

Some more explanation here on the difference:
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...r-fairing.html

With a structural fairing (a good sign is that the spoke nipples are visible/accessible) the carbon part really is supporting your weight. Hanging a bike by a wheel like that will be fine.

BigJeff

from the outside... yes, you're right. However, these will suffer if you hang them upside down.

https://bontrager.com/model/09869

Psimet2001 

Huh?.....The nipple bed is on the outside edge. The spokes are putting ~250lbf on each one of those nipples....how is 15-20lb going to make these "suffer" as you put it?

xjustice09x

I have 2 sets of reynolds carbon clinchers. My old bike is hanging up in the garage from a hook on the rear wheel.

The normal size hook usually sold to hang bicycles may not be big enough for some deeper wheels. I was able to find some larger hooks that work fine with my 46mm deep carbon wheels. Eventually the foam on the hook cracked where it makes contact with the wheel. To prevent the metal from scratching up my carbon rims I put a piece of foam around the hook and secured it with some large heat shrink tubing.

gc3

Okay, I'll ask...what genius has some data or evidence supporting this wild assed assumption?

redtires

Considering that MOST pro teams hang the majority of their bikes by hooks in the team trailer while the bikes are in transit....You'll probably be ok....plus what Psimet said...plus what gc3 said....plus what everybody else who said go for it...said.

stevevarnum

A different question about carbon fiber wheels: I have always thought "all other things being equal" that lighter wheels are faster, but it appears that most of the posts I have read discuss the aero effects of carbon wheels. Of course, better aero also means faster. First I am 76 years old and have only been riding about 5 years. Recently, I heard that Conti GP4000S wheels are faster. I am pretty much of a doubter when someone says if you do this or that or whatever you will gain X mph speed. Nevertheless, I decided to change my Gatorskins to the 4000S wheels. I mounted them last week and I noticed immediately they felt better on the ride, but more importantly I increased my speed from 14.8-15.2 to 15.8-16.2 I ride the same ride with varying distances 4 days a week so I have history to backup my higher speed (please, when you see these pokey speeds, don't forget I am 76 years old and only been riding 5 years. I started too late to expect speeds of 18+ mph - done a few 17+ tho). I am absolutely certain that my speed has increased at least .5mph and maybe as much as 1.0mph. I don't know how it would affect a rider who is going 18-20 mph, but it definitely increased my average speed. Now for the question: I have ridden 4 years and 13,136 miles on Rol Race SL wheels which weigh 1555 grams. Would changing to lighter wheels, e.g., 1310 grams carbon wheels increase my speed?...Again all other things being equal.

rpenmanparker 

Why bother to type the whole question? OP you could have just given the question number for this topic. I think it is 63. You just say, "Asking #63 again." And then everyone tells you it is okay.

rpenmanparker 

Just think how fast you could go if you called them tires instead of wheels! You really shouldn't hijack a thread like this.

rpenmanparker 

It is not the weight that matters as much as the pressure. If your hook were a knife edge, 14lb would be much more damaging as the psi at the contact point would be very high. Of course, with a normal hook you are absolutely correct.

stevevarnum

I would like to apologize to rpenmanparker and everyone else...I had no idea I was hijacking a thread. I looked for quite awhile trying to find something akin to my question and found something close to it, but somehow got onto the wrong one. I sincerely am sorry. I also, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, apologize for calling a tire a wheel...I know the difference and I have to say I first laughed at my mistake and then thought, really...sarcasm doesn't help so much either...

Silvercivic27

Yes, it may make you faster, and if you do decide to buy them, you should buy them at BikeFix which is a shop very near you for the best customer service in the area on Cin-Day road.

rpenmanparker 

First, when I say you shouldn't do it, I mean for your benefit as well as everyone else's. The title of the thread indicates the content. Why would anyone able to answer your question and interested in that topic be looking in this thread? You don't stand to get a lot of good answers when you piggyback your new topic on top of someone else's topic. It is out of place and without a reference point. So if you can't find an archived thread on the topic you are interested in, start a new one based on your specific question. That is how you get it answered. Second, sarcasm is the meat and drink of this forum. It is what nourishes the whole process. Third, it is by being buffeted by sarcasm on the "41" that one develops the necessary thick skin. Think of it as a cutaneous workout. Welcome to the "41". Seriously!

stevevarnum

I just tried to send you a private message; however, I couldn't because you have to have at least 50 posts before you are allowed to do that. The message is too long and no need to be burdensome to others to attach it to this post. In my private message, which I would love to send to you, I explain further what happened and I respect your knowledge and actually have a couple of questions that you might be able to answer in it. If you would like to exchange an email with me, please, write me at steve@varnum.com so I can send it to you. Cheer and thanks.

nhluhr

Steve, you may want to remove your email address from that post - web-spidering programs will pick that up and add it to spam-emailing databases, essentially sending you huge amounts of junk email.

You can obfuscate an email address like so: "joe dot briggs at varnum dot com" if you REALLY need to post your email publicly.