Another day of wheels (and so on).
I was asked to true a Stans NoTubes ZTR Alpha 340 rim.
Looking at this rim more carefully before putting it on the truing stand and putting the nipple wrench on the nipple—you can't do that.
When I heard "truing," it all clicked into place.
Yep, it's cracked.
↑There are cracks in several other spots just like this.
This rim has a low maximum tension to begin with, and
even if we built it loose, after years of use it inevitably ends up like this.
The customer thought the rim just had run-out,
so they were pretty shocked, but I've gotten used to it by now.
The reason I haven't mentioned this before is that writing about something we don't sell
might come across as pure negative publicity.
I don't really care anymore if it looks that way.
If it means fewer people get hurt (maybe), that's good enough.
I've thrown out quite a few (disposing of rims in Osaka is actually pretty difficult),
but this is the most common rim in our rim graveyard.
↑From the rim graveyard
I call the force the nipples exert on the rim "RK"
(the force trying to eat through the Rim = Rim-eating-through force)
in this blog, and here you can see it eating right through.
These rims don't have nipples on them anymore, so
the cracks don't look that big, but when the wheel is assembled,
the nipples hold them up a bit more.
The rim is named 340 because the listed weight is 340g.
The early model with small ALPHA lettering measures 350–360g in practice,
while the later model with larger lettering is around 380g.
Because the early model cracked so much, the later version increased the wall thickness around the nipple holes.
This shows up in the actual weight too.
The rim braking surface (the side where rim tape goes) doesn't show much difference,
so it seems the manufacturer definitely had some reservations about this.
Regardless of production period, if you use this rim, I'd recommend
checking around the nipple holes for cracks.
You might think "isn't the tension too high?,"
but if anything, it's loose.
So a rebuild it is.
I didn't touch the wheel with any tools when they brought it in.
If the crack showed up after I started working on it,
they might think I broke it.
The hub happened to be a PowerTap, so
I cleaned up around the ratchet.
Built it.
Since the rim is now an XR200, technically this is Nomu Lab Wheel #5.
The consideration guy has no work to do so he's sleeping.
The owner of this wheel would probably prefer it not get out that their wheel was built at Nomu Lab, so
I did a half-comp 4-cross pattern
and solder-brazed the spokes where they cross on the non-drive side.
I hope it stays hidden. Do your best out there.
I was asked to true a Stans NoTubes ZTR Alpha 340 rim.
Looking at this rim more carefully before putting it on the truing stand and putting the nipple wrench on the nipple—you can't do that.
When I heard "truing," it all clicked into place.
Yep, it's cracked.
↑There are cracks in several other spots just like this.
This rim has a low maximum tension to begin with, and
even if we built it loose, after years of use it inevitably ends up like this.
The customer thought the rim just had run-out,
so they were pretty shocked, but I've gotten used to it by now.
The reason I haven't mentioned this before is that writing about something we don't sell
might come across as pure negative publicity.
I don't really care anymore if it looks that way.
If it means fewer people get hurt (maybe), that's good enough.
I've thrown out quite a few (disposing of rims in Osaka is actually pretty difficult),
but this is the most common rim in our rim graveyard.
↑From the rim graveyard
I call the force the nipples exert on the rim "RK"
(the force trying to eat through the Rim = Rim-eating-through force)
in this blog, and here you can see it eating right through.
These rims don't have nipples on them anymore, so
the cracks don't look that big, but when the wheel is assembled,
the nipples hold them up a bit more.
The rim is named 340 because the listed weight is 340g.
The early model with small ALPHA lettering measures 350–360g in practice,
while the later model with larger lettering is around 380g.
Because the early model cracked so much, the later version increased the wall thickness around the nipple holes.
This shows up in the actual weight too.
The rim braking surface (the side where rim tape goes) doesn't show much difference,
so it seems the manufacturer definitely had some reservations about this.
Regardless of production period, if you use this rim, I'd recommend
checking around the nipple holes for cracks.
You might think "isn't the tension too high?,"
but if anything, it's loose.
So a rebuild it is.
I didn't touch the wheel with any tools when they brought it in.
If the crack showed up after I started working on it,
they might think I broke it.
The hub happened to be a PowerTap, so
I cleaned up around the ratchet.
Built it.
Since the rim is now an XR200, technically this is Nomu Lab Wheel #5.
The consideration guy has no work to do so he's sleeping.
The owner of this wheel would probably prefer it not get out that their wheel was built at Nomu Lab, so
I did a half-comp 4-cross pattern
and solder-brazed the spokes where they cross on the non-drive side.
I hope it stays hidden. Do your best out there.