Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I do like that fat looking rim/fat tyre combo. I just think carbon is dumb for off-road stuff. I like bendy not breaky. But I still kinda want to just spunk some cash on Zipps or something for the LOLs.
Channeling my inner 2008 fixie skidder...

I don't think Lachlan Morton is buying his own rims

Surely carbon is more bendy than alu?

Carbon rims seem to be pretty durable though, with the lighter material you can make the sidewalls thicker without making them heavier, so it seems they can put up with bigger impacts than the usual metal rims and they can be easier on the tyres too as they're not as sharp, being thicker. That said, the carbon rim on the back of my hardtail did crack. I only noticed it at home, so must have done some riding with it like that, didn't explode. After I took the wheel apart I tried to break the rim in pieces to make it take less space in the bin but I couldn't break it, even with the crack in it.

Replaced it with an aluminum rim though because it's on a hardtail and it'll most likely wear out again in the not too distant future so chose the cheaper option.

I was talking to a mechanic who works with a pro cyclocross team, he said they see far fewer rim issues with carbon rims than they used to see with aluminium.

I am, which is why I don't use carbon off-road.

When did they stop using alu? In the 90s or something. Anecdote isn't data.

I'm going to stick with the 10x cheaper alu stuff that I can at least bend into something usable in most cases.

Possibly... right up until they shatter.

Yeah, if money was no object or I was as light as Mr Morton then maybe I'd shell out for carbon but it's not and I'm not so I'll keep paying fuck all for those oh so much slower alu rims :)

The sidewalls on road/gravel rims like DT R470 can be so thin though that they can be relatively fragile, seems like any small bump can dent them, if you get a pinch flat it's somewhat likely that there's a dent too.

The Open Pro UST on my gravel bike had just cracked around a few of the spoke holes too. Bought a DT GR 531 to replace it, it's at least a bit thicker.

I've got WTB something or other alu on my gravel bike and DT Swiss alu on my hardtail.
Given my crashes, I'm probably more in need of side-impact protection than worrying about rim choice.

I had another gravel wheelset with WTB rims and they actually seemed more resistant to rock strikes, no dents even though the paint had worn off from the edge.

@skinny has said similar about carbon rims if you want some more anecdata to go compare with your highly researched materials science

I don’t own any carbon rims but not becuase I don’t want to

Ya rly

Alu will go before carbon but carbon will go, and fail - I agree with andyp mechanic comment. I have some Beast carbon rims now (they gave them to me, I couldn't afford them) I treat them like shit. I did brake one but it was from a rogue rock that pinged up and cracked it. I then rode a few thousand km with that crack. I like the way cabron rides a lot. But I wouldn't own carbon rims from all manufacturers, just a few. Carbon does flex really well, alu doesn't. There are some cool manufacturer videos of them flexing carbon rims a lot. They forgive.

I've broken both carbon and alu rims. Run what you can afford to brake and usw inserts.

He can comment for himself.

I'm riding one of his old alu rims on the 29er actually and I do own and ride carbon wheels, just not off-road.

Morton is a troll.

I only went carbon because they were cheaper than alu.

Alu will go before carbon but carbon will go

This in spades.

With disc brakes, I put my faith in carbon over alu.

Top 3 at unbound is trolling now? He certainly put in a lot of effort for some cheap lolz

Stolen from fb

(actually wait are we only doing drop bars here)

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Alu is better for the environment I assume? I can chuck my old rims in the local recycling centre or a scrappy will gladly take them. What do you do with your carbon stuff?

Great bike but more functional than grave

Yeah I thought it might be, but sth about the 650b conversion had me leaning here after all. Noted tho.