From Ben Cooper
I see many worn aluminium rims on bicycles, and all of the badly worn ones
either have a deep groove, or have a noticeable outward bulge—but they do
not explode without warning
(24 March, p 25). Many rims now sport built-in
indicators—a thin channel filled with paint. When the paint disappears,
it’s time to change your rims.
More importantly, aluminium rims are fitted to bikes because they offer a
much better surface for the brake blocks to act on—and the fact that
they’re lightweight is an extra benefit. Steel rims in wet weather can be very
dangerous: the chrome plating offers no resistance to wet rubber.
ben@kinetics-online.co.uk
