On Sep 25, 11:10 pm, polarjud <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have some Mavic open pro silver rims on my Surly Cross-Check. The > braking was really sweet when I first got the bike. Now, despite new > pads and a lot of adjustment, I have very poor braking power. The > problem appears to be grooves worn into the rims by sand and salt > trapped in the brake pads. I don't think I had put more than 1000 > miles on before the problem appeared. I guess I should have sprayed > off my brakes every night, but it is awfully hard to keep water going > in the hoses without having frozen hoses in Maryland. For those > living further north, it must be even harder to clean off winter road > salt and sand during the winter. > > I am really wishing that I had opted for an internal brakes or disc > brakes. I hate the idea of having to buy a new pair of wheels every > year. Any sense out there about which rims might be more resistant to > winter wear?
I'm not sure your rims are the problem. I think it's your brake pads. Many brake pads tend to accumulate grit/aluminum that embed into the pad material; further exasperating rim wear. _Salmon_-colored Kool Stop brake pads are much better in this regard and IME, provide better braking friction; so give them a try this winter. And don't replace your entire wheelset. Just get another Open Pro rim, tape it to your wheel and switch the spokes over. If you're not comfortable then giving the final tension, pay your LBS to do it. It should still be cheaper than buying a new wheelset. FWIW, in the winter, I wear a set of brake pads out in about 750 miles; though rims last thousands of miles on my winter bike that's only cleaned a few times a year. Might be worth looking into a cheaper, more utilitarian wheelset dedicated for the winter months. John McMurry Burlington, VT --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Bicycle Lifestyle" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/bicyclelifestyle?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
