South Fulcrum

I ride a, 03 Pista and I've had it for about 10 months. I ride it for transportation in the city b/c I am car free. A few months back I found one of very few swear drains that are not turned the right way. Needless to say, I bent my rear wheel. Thing is, I didn't notice it for a few days when a friend was riding behind me and got a little dizzy watching my rear wheel. My LBS told me that they couldn't do anything for it. I took a hammer to it because I thought that it was worth trying if the wheel was trashed anyway. I got most of it out and now there is just a small bend. Again, I don't feel it when I ride. I took my bike back to my LBS the other day to get some new peddles and the guy asked if I knew my rear wheel was out of true and if I wanted him to try and fix it. I figured it couldn't hurt. He naturally said the problem was that the rim was bent and I was sol.

My choices that I can see are: 1) Have a beer and keep riding on it like I just don't care/pretend none of this ever happened, 2) Buy a new wheel, hub and all, or 3) Have them build me a wheel using my hub for about $90-$100. Though my bank account is in favor of choice #1, it seems #3 is the way to go. So my questions are, 1) Is #3 the best option? 2) If #3 is the way to, what rim should I get/what should I look for re: rims for city riding? and 3) Is there another option that I'm not thinking of?

panasoanic

Find a cheap rim off eBay. Have your LBS build up the wheel with your hub and new spokes.

Buying a used rim could save even more money. I bought a used open pro off eBay and haven't had any problems with it.

familyman

If there are no cracks, and you can't feel it, then just ride it. Hell, I've got a missing spoke on the front wheel of one of my BMX bikes and I don't even think twice about it.
However, it might be a good time to start thinking of and saving for a new wheel for when yours really does die. Might think of getting complete new set from somewhere so you have a set of beater wheels and good wheels, you know, just in case it snows in Atlanta or something.

South Fulcrum

Snow in Atlanta? Or something is much more likely.

infestedguy1

it snowed here once, we even had a blizzard.

absntr

For 90-100, you could certainly uy a new wheel rather than rebuild it. Not sure what the quality of the Pista hub is but I haven't the best things about it. Van Dessel makes a good sturdy rear for 85 bucks. (https://www.vandesselsports.com).

You could certainly get a basic suzue wheel for about that much.

Alternately, like some have already mentioned, get a rim and some spokes off a site (shouldn't cost you more than 30-40 or so) and have them build it - which usually costs about 40 bucks around here. That's 70-80 so I'm not sure if that's worth it either.

I'd buy a new rear personally for that money.

TwoTyred

i'd jus ride it, eventually something else will need replacing anyway. Shipping on rims is
usually at least $10+ so it's not always a deal. if i was going to replace it and used it
constantly/hard like you say, then i'd have a deep v rim on the back, i've *heard*--
don't actually know, that those are about bombproof after being built up.

my .02

P.S. and i'd like to extend a friendly "Y0!"
from Anderson, SC--awe yeah, A-town's representin'

South Fulcrum

I have a few cousins in Anderson. Nice town. Thanks for the advice.