• If the aluminium brake track is to stay grey long term, the only option will be some genuine ceramic coated rim (probably from Mavic) that probably is no longer manufactured and won't be available in a width of 23mm.
    The grey coating on the rims you mention is just anodising. Grey 'hard' anodising on the rims mentioned may resist colour fading better than black or other coloured anodising, but will still eventually turn silver with use.

  • Cheers @Lukas,

    You are right Mavic have not made their ceramic rims for a few years (although Condor still have some stock). Noble Wheels import their own Ceramic rims that are 23mm wide but, as was the issue with the mavics, they have stopped selling them as they are prone to the ceramic flaking/chipping. Rigida/Ryde make their Sputnik, Andra and Grizzly rims with a CSS coating on the brake track (supposed to be better than ceramic as carbide is actually imbedded into the alloy and so can't flake) but they are a little more expencive - does anyone have any experience with these rims?

    I've read that the anodising on the H+Son can wear off if used in the wet just once... older Wolber, Mavic, Campag strada hardox I've had lasted a few months of use in all weather before wearing through the ano - I don't really want to build up rims if the finish is only going to last a week only to then look the same as the old rims I'm replacing... I know it is only aesthetics but I'm a bit of a tart about these things and grey rims and gumwalls will suit the theme of the project

    Another alternative is to get shallow carbon rims... but braking will be compromised and I plan to use mudguards which I feel is counterintuitive with 'plastic' rims.

  • I just resigned to the fact that unless you're buying a full carbon rim, you may aswell just take a silver brake surface. I'm in the process of buying wheel components to build and took @amey advice on going for some DT Swiss R460. Wide enough, light enough, cheap enough, and most importantly, removable decals.

    My original thought was a Mavic Open Pro - they're so bullet proof and just look great - they're just too thin for a nice 25/28mm tyre though.

    What's your main goal for the wheelset? Performance? Weight saving? Longevity?
    I've heard a lot of stories how the Pacenti SL's and H+Son Archetypes are basically made of cheese and need re-rimming after 1000km

  • Just remembered a clubmate of mine had a pair of mint Ceramic Open Pro x Hope somethingorother a year or two ago, that he was struggling to sell.
    I'll ask if he still has them, if that's any help.

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