Retro rims, breaking surfaces, & pro teams.......

[mAdam]

About to wash my bike yesterday after a long run in almost every weather condition possible, and was saddened to notice the lovely anodising finally starting to wear off my beloved Mavic Mach 2's



I knew this day would come, but it has got me thinking............back in the good days of my favorite cycling era (late 80's early 90's) when the pro teams were running dark anodised Mavic, campag, Ambrosio Etc. rims, did they just replace them once the breaking surface began to wear through? Any footage of those days always shows perfectly new looking wheels at all times on the bikes. The distances covered in races would have worn through the anodising in a very short time? so i assume that they just scrapped/sold the worn rims? There were obviously more wheels than bikes on each team, so i guess they would rotate them? but just like my Mach 2's they would have worm out eventually.

There are lots of beautiful ex pro retro bikes on the forum, just wondered where all the ex pro retro wheels ended up?

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

Like all pro teams you could probably do with some of these

 

[hamster]

I think the answer is that firstly while the distances are big, you use the brakes far less road racing (especially on closed roads) than you do in traffic in the real world. I reckon it takes 5,000+ miles to work through the anodising...so more than a season's racing when you consider all the wheel swaps.

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

I imagine those wheels would become training wheels for the pros

With the exception of Roubaix, after which they'd probably be toast!

 

[mAdam]

Re:

Like all pro teams you could probably do with some of these

That has just started another thought..........there must be a crazy amount of old wheels piled up in a big shed round the back of the Mavic factory from back in the day?

I think the answer is that firstly while the distances are big, you use the brakes far less road racing (especially on closed roads) than you do in traffic in the real world. I reckon it takes 5,000+ miles to work through the anodising...so more than a season's racing when you consider all the wheel swaps.

A very good point, although, just to overthink this some more what about all the descents in the mountain stages of the grand tours? 3 or 4 monster 10-15km descents on a single stage even on a new set of wheels must speed up the wear process? I wonder if Mavic Etc. have any data on this?

I'm getting carried away with this slightly............

I imagine those wheels would become training wheels for the pros

With the exception of Roubaix, after which they'd probably be toast!

True. Unfortunately my old Mach 2's will have polished silver breaking surfaces and look very second hand before i could even begin to consider a change

 

[hamster]

Re: Re:

A very good point, although, just to overthink this some more what about all the descents in the mountain stages of the grand tours? 3 or 4 monster 10-15km descents on a single stage even on a new set of wheels must speed up the wear process? I wonder if Mavic Etc. have any data on this?

You assume they are braking...look at the footage, they barely touch the brakes! :shock:
The top descenders can outpace the camera motorbikes.

I don't strip the ano on a set of wheels in 5000 miles...and I ride through the winter, in traffic and like a grandma downhill...

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

I've always found that bare alloy braking surfaces to be better than ano, so confusing as to why they weren't machined bitd.
With the exception of ceramic of course

 

[foz]

Exactly! the braking is generally better once the anodising has worn off a little. And just because you can start to see through the anodising does not mean the rim is toast - it will still have a lot of miles left in it yet.

 

[mAdam]

Re:

I've always found that bare alloy braking surfaces to be better than ano, so confusing as to why they weren't machined bitd.
With the exception of ceramic of course

Exactly! the braking is generally better once the anodising has worn off a little. And just because you can start to see through the anodising does not mean the rim is toast - it will still have a lot of miles left in it yet.

Certainly wouldn't argue those points.......but machined surfaces just aint retro and worn surfaces just spoil the look of anodised rims?

 

[hamster]

Then keep your bike in the garage and lick it instead. :facepalm:

In the end you have to decide whether it's for riding or looking at. Personally I hate the garage queen thing, just like all those old cars that are too good to drive...