[cjcrashesalot]

I've got a set of rims in mind for my next much needed upgrade (alex supra's, aka azonic outlaws, performance loco, etc) and the pinned version (BH) are $20 cheaper than the welded (D). I was just wondering if anyone has compared a pinned version of a rim to a welded version of the same, and how much of a difference there is. These Alex rims sound killer, only 590 grams each and reportedly super strong. So are the welded worth the extra $?

 

[Radarr]

Every set of pinned rims I've ever owned has started to separate at the pins after riding them for a while. If you can afford it, go for the welded ones. Its just one less thing to worry about.

 

[Bicyclist]

Every set of pinned rims I've ever owned has started to separate at the pins after riding them for a while. If you can afford it, go for the welded ones. Its just one less thing to worry about.

ditto

 

[PatBranch]

I had a mavic EX325 (pinned). Eventually it separted and I got a EX721. For only $20, a welded rim is so much better.

 

[ChrisRobin]

There was somthing about this up on the Atomlab website about how pinned rims are better...although they only make pinned rims themselves. They say a rim with a welded seam has unbalanced strength...or something about the hit or the force taken while riding isn't distributed throughout the rim evenly because the welded seam is so strong. Whereas a pinned rim has the same strength or toughness all the way around.

...that make sense??

 

[Bicyclist]

There was somthing about this up on the Atomlab website about how pinned rims are better...although they only make pinned rims themselves. They say a rim with a welded seam has unbalanced strength...or something about the hit or the force taken while riding isn't distributed throughout the rim evenly because the welded seam is so strong. Whereas a pinned rim has the same strength or toughness all the way around.

...that make sense??

I understand what you're saying but a welded rim (not the weld) will last longer than a pinned rim because the pin just falls apart.

 

[JRB]

I have a good mind to buy another set of Loco wheels, as they are $150 for the set through tomorrow. I like mine.

 

[zedro]

I understand what you're saying but a welded rim (not the weld) will last longer than a pinned rim because the pin just falls apart.

well i'm curious about Syncros rims since they use some kind of sleeve geometry which they claim makes up for the weaknesses of both pinned and welded rims (pinned being a joint geometry weakness and welded a material mechanics weakness). I'm curious to what the joint looks like, which is an approach they are starting to use in the luxury car segment with sheet aluminum components.

 

[Bicyclist]

well i'm curious about Syncros rims since they use some kind of sleeve geometry which they claim makes up for the weaknesses of both pinned and welded rims (pinned being a joint geometry weakness and welded a material mechanics weakness). I'm curious to what the joint looks like, which is an approach they are starting to use in the luxury car segment with sheet aluminum components.

Hrm, sounds interesting. I think Sun makes some pinned and sleeved rims too. The pinned rims I had were Mavic EX325s and they blew because they didn't have a sleeve.

 

[Transcend]

Pinned rims suck. They ALWAYS come apart after a few rides. I rode atomlabs for 2 years. Same problem on every set of rims (including the latest DHRs). Welded is just better, albeit more expensive.

 

[punkassean]

According to Jobst Brandt who is pretty much the man when it comes to bicycle wheels, a pinned rim is every bit as strong as a welded one but the catch is the spoke tension needs to be even and proper. Now in the real world most of us occasionally allow a spoke or two to get a smidge loose and that's when having a welded rim can make the difference. And that's exactly what experience has shown me. Experience has also shown me that Mavic rims are second to none, they are somewhat prone to cracking (due to their "proprietary "Maxtal" alloy being so hard) but they are the roundest rims out of the box and they build super nice.

 

[Transcend]

According to Jobst Brandt who is pretty much the man when it comes to bicycle wheels, a pinned rim is every bit as strong as a welded one but the catch is the spoke tension needs to be even and proper. Now in the real world most of us occasionally allow a spoke or two to get a smidge loose and that's when having a welded rim can make the difference. And that's exactly what experience has shown me. Experience has also shown me that Mavic rims are second to none, they are somewhat prone to cracking (due to their "proprietary "Maxtal" alloy being so hard) but they are the roundest rims out of the box and they build super nice.

Pinned is fine for road wheels. As soon as you start to hit the unwelded seem on big rocks however, the spoke on that side loses tension (like it is supposed to) and the seam can bend in and open a little bit. Over a short period of time, it will really start to open up on a DH bike..accelerating the process.

 

[CreeP]

so the answer is : depends who you ask

 

[cjcrashesalot]

so the answer is : depends who you ask

I'm thinking the answer is "welded" unless you are a wheel spoke tension nut

 

[dhkid]

of topic, but how do you guys keep your spoke tention even? i have tried to checking the tention of every spoke but then the rim is never true.

 

[ChrisRobin]

I've used pinned rims before and they never split. Maybe I never hit the rim directly on the seam. My last rear Atomlab DHR rim got beat to **** due to my crappy wheel building skills but the seam stayed intact.

 

[BSEVEER]

I've had pinned rims with no problems at all but maybe I was just lucky. It seems to me that most people ruin rims by taco'ing them so it wouldn't matter if they were pinned or welded.

 

[Netguy]

My pinned Syncros rims have held up great, from lots of DH abuse and shore riding.