| The first bicycle wheels were from a horse | | | | and aerodynamics and a very beautiful looking |
| drawn cart, made of wood with a metal band | | | | bicycle rim. As with most things if money is no |
| round the bicycle rim, very hard and very | | | | problem you can go for the best, this would be |
| uncomfortable to ride. Then a man called Dunlop | | | | an all carbon rim, strong and very light, but there |
| (Scottish) invented the pneumatic tire, this along | | | | are a few problems with these rims, first they |
| with Macadam (another Scot) inventing the tar | | | | don't brake so well in wet conditions and you |
| road surface made cycling a lot more | | | | must use special brake blocks for carbon and |
| comfortable. | | | | they can be expensive, also the rim has to be |
| The bicycle rim, like the bicycle frame hasn't | | | | perfectly round and not have any bulges in the |
| changed much in design, its still round and always | | | | rim wall as this will make !braking quite erratic, |
| will be. From the first wooden rims the next were | | | | carbon is a difficult material to work with and |
| made of steel, then alloy and now if you can | | | | must be well looked after. |
| afford it, carbon. Of all bicycle parts the bicycle | | | | Types Of Rim To Consider |
| rim can make a big difference to how your bike | | | | There are also two types of rim to consider and |
| handles. First the weight of your rim affects your | | | | this depends on which kind of tire you want to |
| sprinting and climbing as the weight will low you | | | | use, first there are tubular tires these are glued |
| down, for a long, flat effort the weight isn't so | | | | on to the bicycle rim, cost more and are difficult |
| important as when you get the wheels rolling the | | | | to repair after a puncture, but for racing they feel |
| weight can help to keep them going. The shape | | | | and ride wonderfully. Clincher tires have improved |
| of the rim can be important also, a flat rim is best | | | | a lot recently and are nearly as good as tubulars |
| for climbing as aerodynamics are not so important | | | | for performance and are easily repairable and |
| on a hill, a deep section, aero, rim will help you cut | | | | more reasonably priced. Most manufacturers |
| through the air, but in a cross wind could cause | | | | make all styles in both systems. |
| you handling problems. | | | | So which should I buy? Not an easy answer, as |
| Bicycle Rims Materials | | | | there is so much to choose from, years ago you |
| The different materials used for rims are very | | | | went to your local bike shop, picked out which |
| important also, steel is heavy and if damaged can | | | | hubs, spokes and rims you wanted and he would |
| be difficult to pull back into shape, but because its | | | | build your wheels, but now most rim makers also |
| so strong it is quite difficult to bend in the first | | | | manufacture there own wheel sets, Mavic, |
| place and steel is cheaper than all the other | | | | Shimano and Campagnolo are probably the best |
| materials. Alloy is probably the most popular rim, it | | | | known, check out there web-sites for all there |
| can be made in any shape and profile, flat or | | | | new goodies, there are other brands and if you |
| aero, but not too deep as it would then weigh too | | | | go to your local cycle shop or look in the bike |
| much, most deep section rims are of a alloy | | | | magazines you'll find them. There is a lot to |
| braking section nearest the tire which is then | | | | choose form, but they are all round. |
| mounted to a carbon deep section for lightness | | | | |