# Rim selection. Vintage or modern?



## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

I'm building a new wheelset for my project. I have the hubs (XT M730-732). I'm trying to make a decision on what rims to use (modern or vintage)? I'm thinking about going with the new Sun UFO's or NOS Nisi New Dart Pro's. I know nothing about the Nisi's just that they were probably original to the bike. Were they a good rim? Will there be a benifit using a modern rim? The bike is built up with all original components from 1990 besides the rims. What would be a good rim choice from that time frame? Any advice would be much appreciated.


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## robinmiller (May 31, 2005)

I'm no an expert, but i think you'd be fine. I don't think rim technology changed that drastically during the 1990s..

My specialized X23s from 1993 are bombproof, anyway.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Lots of Good Choices*

And as robin said rim tech hasn't changed in _forever_.

Sun Mistral and Chinook, Nisi as you mentioned, Araya (insert number of your choice), Specialized, Campagnolo (had 4 or 5 models), Mavic of course, Fir, ...

I actually prefer late 80's and early 90s rims as they tend to be lighter than current offerings. I've never had an issue with rim/wheel strength so the lighter the better for me.


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

The lighter the better for me also. With eyelets. I would like to go with aluminum nipples.


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2006)

XR4TI said:


> The lighter the better for me also. With eyelets. I would like to go with aluminum nipples.


i had nothing but troubles with Al nipples but might have done something wrong. 
my favourites are the Araya RM400Pro XC. not too heavy (around 400grams), durable, easy to build but no eyelets. came out in 1990 i think.

Carsten


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

It's hard to beat the mavic 17 series.. 117 217 517 whatever...


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

My favorites are Mavic 231 CD's. If I could find some 32 holes I would be a happy man.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

AKamp said:


> My favorites are Mavic 231 CD's. If I could find some 32 holes I would be a happy man.


My personal favorite too. Good looking rim. Plenty strong, works well.










Mavic M231 CD 32h rim on M900 XTR hub, WS double butted spokes, blue alloy nips, Ritchey 2.1 Kevlar Red Tread Z-Max....aaaaa.


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## J Ro (Jan 13, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> My personal favorite too. Good looking rim. Plenty strong, works well.
> 
> [Mavic M231 CD 32h rim on M900 XTR hub, WS double butted spokes, blue alloy nips, Ritchey 2.1 Kevlar Red Tread Z-Max....aaaaa.
> 
> me 3 on the 231's. Light, strong, ch wait, no not cheap but well worth it.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Mavic 231's are a favorite of mine too. Haven't had them in some years, but I would like to again. Light, bomb-proof, and strong. Perfect.

I was very unhappy when cracks started to appear at the spoke holes on my two wheelsets. I ride hard but light and tend not to break things but these things lasted for years and had more miles than I could even begin to guess.

If I had gotten half the life out of them that I did, I would still have been quite pleased with them.

Penguin


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaa, I was the first to say they were my favorite. But in reality they really are one of the best rims made. If you ever track down a set of them (or an extra set of them) let me know and I would be happy to buy them.


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> My personal favorite too. Good looking rim. Plenty strong, works well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I just pitched a teepee.


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

Rumpfy. Where do you come up with this stuff? I'm jealous! Single speeds are cool. Just to let everyone know. I get get more good advise from this forum than anyone has ever given me in in my life. It's better than treatment.


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## cmdrpiffle (May 8, 2004)

*Rumpfy continues to mock me with his tension diskyness*

Anyway, the 231's were too heavy for me.

I'm runnng a *Mavic 232 with Alu nipps and a Ringle' Bubba hub*. (front) on the Clark Kent. Silver rim, blue hub, been in continuous use for 13 years.

The rear wheel, same set up folded some years back from the rim brakes thinning out the walls.

Front is still going good however.

Cheers


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

cmdrpiffle said:


> Anyway, the 231's were too heavy for me.


My 231's were 408 grams per rim. That was and still is a good weight for a rim. How much did your 232's weigh?

When I bought my rims, I weighed them before buying them. As the extruding die wears, the rims can increase in weight (or so I'm told), so I verified them before buying.

Penguin


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

230's were about 375 and made for a very fast set of race wheels. Unfortunately the aluminum was very soft and I usually dented the **** out of them after 4 or 5 races whereas 231's last years. Luckily I have always loved building wheels.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

I talked to a shop, Cronometro in Madison WI, who created the what are now Cane Creek wheels (sold the patent to them).

They were selling rims that were 480 grams with the hubs. I said that I wasn't interested anything that heavy on an expensive wheelset which was supposed to be light. They suggested a rim by Velocity that was 380 grams. One of my criteria was a five year rim like a 231 could be. They built up a two wheelsets, one knobby and one with slicks, for me out the Velocity rim. It didn't take long when one of the wheelsets wasn't working real well with the brakes.

Turns out the slick wheelsets were now 23 mm wide whereas the original rims were 20 mm. The high pressure tire was causing the rim to expand. I talked to Velocity and they said that those rims were for race day and race day only and were expected to last for only a season. I went to talk with Cronometro and they said there was no way they could have known that. I was even less impressed with Cronometro's competence when Velocity pointed out that the nature of those rims were stated in the marketing literature. So basically I had two wheelsets that were useless. I tried to work out a deal where I would pay for the new spokes & rims and Cronometro would contribute the labor but they didn't want to do that. 

I wasn't going to pay Cronometro any more money under any conditions and Cane Creek had just taken over production. They were unhappy at my treatment (even though they had received no money from me) that they built me up a two sets of the WAM rims with TI spokes for free. The WAM rims lasted for years and Cane Creek has a dedicated customer.

As much as I would like to have a lightweight rim of 380 grams, I don't have the cash to be replacing wheels after a couple of dozen rides. Until someone comes up with a new design where a lightweight rim is extremely durable, I'll stick with the light, but not too light, designs such as a 231 (if I could find them that is).

Pingu


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