New bike, worried about buckling rims

[DylanP]

So... I am a complete beginner. I did some research and settled on a 29er. 

 

I also went into a few bike shops and was told I'm in-between a medium and a large, at 98kg 1.78m. I decided to go with the large. 

 

This past weekend I went and bought Silverback Sola 1  - it was  good deal, from someone who had only ridden it a few times. 

 

Now - I'm starting to read about a 86kg weight limit on the crest rims. CWC down the road told me not to worry, that the rims are strong enough. 

 

Looking into it further, I see that the spoke strength has quite a bit to do with the integrity of the rims. 

 

Turns out that my Sola 1 has the thinner, lighter spokes. 

 

So - should I be worried and put Arch Ex rims on, or perhaps refit with stronger spokes then keep the crest rims, or just ride as is.

 

I am a beginner, so will be taking it easy for now. Hopefully by the time I start taking on tougher trails I will be a bit lighter too :-) 

 

this is the bike, if that helps

 

http://www.bicycling.co.za/bike-buyers-guide/sola-1/

[Prince Albert Cycles]

Congatulations with your new life as a cyclist . Dont spend money on changing spokes and or wheels now. They have a safety margin build in . Only do something if things go wrong .

Enjoy I have been cycling for 28 years and am enjoying it just as much as the 1 st year .

[Pulse]

Keep the wheels as is. Hopefully that weight will come down a bit as you pick up the training

[Paul Ruinaard]

There are a lot of strings on this on the hub.

 

Simple answer is to ask the question whether you ride hard and get big air?

 

As a beginner i would doubt it, but if you do you could end up damaging the rims if you start pushing the envelope.

 

So ride more carefully and a bit softer and you will be fine....

[marko35s]

A year or so ago I was close to your weight but would now be okay to ride those wheels.

Just ride and before too long you will be within the weight range and will have had a ton of fun getting there.

It's magic. 

[DylanP]

Cool, Thanks for the input. 

 

I will def be taking it easy in the beginning... so hopefully that wheelset won't give in :-)

[DylanP]

and i just discovered standover clearance... of which i have none... can only just put my feet flat on the floor!

 

got a bike fitting booked for friday, am hoping they don't tell me the frame is too big

[David Marshall]

Wheels are very strong radially but much less so laterally.  So if you hit something head on with enough air in your tires you are far less likely to buckle than if you hit something that forces the wheel sideways like soft sand or a rut.  This is where rider weight can be an issue.

 

Spoke thickness should not be an issue because if you have thin spokes they are most likely double butted and will be more durable than thicker, straight gauge spokes.  Tensile strength (ie when a spoke is pulled until it breaks) would be higher on a thicker spoke but they will fatigue earlier.

 

What will happen with a heavier rider and thin spokes is that the rim will flex more and after time you may get the rim cracking around the nipples.

 

By far the most common damage I see on Crests is not fatigue but impact damage from the rim hitting hard enough for the rim itself strike the object.  With the very shallow rim bead the dent impacts through to the double walled section of the rim and the wheel is toast.

 

So three things you can do to get them to last:-  1) up your skill level. 2) make sure that your tires are not under inflated and 3) shed some weight.  

 

If you are unlucky enough to scrap a rim take heart in that you can replace it with an Arch without having to replace spokes.  Ride them and enjoy!

[Ryanpmb]

and i just discovered standover clearance... of which i have none... can only just put my feet flat on the floor!

 

got a bike fitting booked for friday, am hoping they don't tell me the frame is too big

 

I was going to highlight that I'd be more concerned about being 1.78 on a large frame than the Crest rims...

 

You should be riding medium - unless you have very long legs - which it sounds you don't given the lack of stand over clearance.

 

Reckon you've been another victim of a bike shop selling whats on the floor. Take the bike back and tell them to get you a bike that fits.

 

Hope you come right. An incorrect fit can ruin your riding experience.

[DylanP]

hmm.. i bought the bike 2nd hand. well - the guy had done 50kms then found out he had to have a knee replacement. 

 

before that, bike shops and mtb friends told me I'm inbetween med and large. I'm not sure if I'm exactly 1.78... somewhere around there. 

 

guess I'll find out at bike fitting on Friday

[Bub Marley]

hmm.. i bought the bike 2nd hand. well - the guy had done 50kms then found out he had to have a knee replacement.

 

before that, bike shops and mtb friends told me I'm inbetween med and large. I'm not sure if I'm exactly 1.78... somewhere around there.

 

guess I'll find out at bike fitting on Friday

When it comes to bicycles, the smaller the better imo. So if they told you you're in between a medium and a large, you should've gone medium as you could have just adjust seat height and stem length to fit. If the bike is too big, you're screwed especially if you're going off road. I would sell the bike and get a smaller one.

[bullet77]

My 2c. I'm also 1.78m and my 1st MTB was a medium SB Sola 4(18"). Not knowing better I just rode the bike until a mate pointed out I looked cramped on the bike. I fitted a longer stem and moved the seat back a bit. I was much more comfortable but it bothered me so I traded the bike in on a large SB Sola 3(20") and got fitted. My riding comfort and enjoyment was improved instantly by that change. I now have a Giant L (19") and am very comfortable with this size.

 

Don't worry about it too much starting out, just ride. 

[DylanP]

My 2c. I'm also 1.78m and my 1st MTB was a medium SB Sola 4(18"). Not knowing better I just rode the bike until a mate pointed out I looked cramped on the bike. I fitted a longer stem and moved the seat back a bit. I was much more comfortable but it bothered me so I traded the bike in on a large SB Sola 3(20") and got fitted. My riding comfort and enjoyment was improved instantly by that change. I now have a Giant L (19") and am very comfortable with this size.

 

Don't worry about it too much starting out, just ride. 

 

I went for a bike fitting, and the Large was actually a much better fit than the Medium :-)

[JXV]

I went for a bike fitting, and the Large was actually a much better fit than the Medium :-)

At least now you know and can go have fun with it. Enjoy

[TheV]

Don't know how many times I have to say this, but a "Large" is not a "Large" is not a "Large".

 

Each frame/model/manufacturer uses different geo's and builds.

Also, a bike "fit" is not a bike "fit" is not a bike "fit".

 

Seen shops doing a bike fit by having the person stand over the bike and lifting the front wheel, saying that two fingers under the wheel is a good fit...

 

But in general terms, 1.78m sounds wrong for a "Large" Sola 1. Because the top tube is 625mm meaning that to position you correctly you most probably need to run a super short stem and other things.....

[Firozfx]

It all depends how you hit the wheel. This happened yesterday at Thaba blue route. Low speed right hander with some rocks. Front went away and I'm not sure whether the spokes caught a rock and the wheel impacted a rock at the same time. But the wheel buckled. Didn't crash as I uncleated in time. Rolled on for about 2 m to get in the clear and the wheel just collapsed.

 

Note: I have edited the wheel markings out sold to me by a Hubber. Not a fair reflection of the wheel. It was the angle and type of collision that caused this.