Carbon wheel repairable???

[Nizar]

Just wondering if this is repairable and safe once repaired as it is the carbon fairing and no damage to the alloy rim.

Edited May 3, 2023 by Nizar

[TheoG]

Maybe possible to repair, but I would not trust it.

[capediver]

Is it my lack of knowledge about carbon rims but does it not appear that there have been repairs at this spot before? ....outlines of strips....but in any case...toast, even if I do know nothing about carbon rims, my spidey sense tells me this will look great hanging on the wall of my garage with a clock mounted on the hub....

[Nizar]

12 minutes ago, capediver said:

Is it my lack of knowledge about carbon rims but does it not appear that there have been repairs at this spot before? ....outlines of strips....but in any case...toast, even if I do know nothing about carbon rims, my spidey sense tells me this will look great hanging on the wall of my garage with a clock mounted on the hub....

No hasnt been previously repaired those lines are from tape stuck over the damaged section…i am searching for a replacement but just thought i would find out if its repairable…just got a response from CBR as well saying its not…

[FaizelSalie_01]

Carbon Craft in Durban will be able to repair it. Graham knows carbon. However, you may find the repair cost will be a substantial % to a new rim.

[lechatnoir]

it looks like the alloy part has taken a knock that seems to line up with the carbon damage

I;'m not sure if manufacturers simply take an existing allow wheel and apply the carbon fairing. I suspect they did - little sense in designing a special alloy rim to 'carbonise'. If that's the case, alloy rims with bigger dings have still been used. However, if the weakened part of the carbon accentuates the alloy rim's integrity, then I would not take the chance. My risk aversion says that reconstructing my face is more expensive than binning a set of wheels.

FWIW, those 'repairs' look like clear tape to hold things in place as the weave below 100% matches the edges of the 'repair'.

[droo]

That's just a fairing, not a structural bit of the rim, so it shouldn't be too difficult to touch up.

[capediver]

19 minutes ago, droo said:

That's just a fairing, not a structural bit of the rim, so it shouldn't be too difficult to touch up.

Ahhh, OK I did wonder about that part about the alloy rim...I see now theres a braking surface there??......just increased my knowledge of carbon rims right there...so from what I understand this "fairing" is not a structural element of the rim, the rim is essentially an alloy one with this carbon fairing added...so really not a carbon wheel, actually an alloy wheel?

[droo]

1 minute ago, capediver said:

Ahhh, OK I did wonder about that part about the alloy rim...I see now theres a braking surface there??......just increased my knowledge of carbon rims right there...so from what I understand this "fairing" is not a structural element of the rim, the rim is essentially an alloy one with this carbon fairing added...so really not a carbon wheel, actually an alloy wheel?

Alu rim with carbon fairing. The spokes attach to the alu rim, so the carbon bit is just for aero. It was a common way of making carbon clincher rims about 10 years ago.

This isn't a construction that's used much anymore, if at all.

[Ncayi]

Hi Nizar

I had a similar but less extreme situation with a rear Mavic cosmic sl and by the look of the carbon layup and spokes, I imagine you have the same. It was a 5cm cut or slit on the carbon fairing. I called some carbon repair service providers in Cape Town and the cheapest quote I got was R2500. So I just covered it up with tape and carried on with life. 

So it should be repairable provided there is no damage on the alloy rim, but it might be quite pricey, you might be better off trying to source another one.

I'm not sure if yours is front or rear but the front wheels are usually a lot easier to find. My rear wheel recently got wrecked (it cracked and delaminated) but I was able to get a replacement. 

[PregoRoll]

Those look like Mavic Cosmic wheels

If they are, that carbon piece is nothing but an Aero slip over an Aksium Rim. So nothing structural with that Carbon part. 

I agree with @lechatnoir on the ding on the rim. That is a bit of a concern. 

[incubit_frame_services]

This is totally repairable.

 

Most carbon hoops are repairable given the repairer knows what he's doing.  This one especially since the carbon is merely an aero fairing as mentioned above.  Also as mentioned above, the cost of replacing the hoop is a factor to consider since the repair is time consuming and the skills required are highly specialised.

 

We charge a flat rate at Incubit Frame Services of R3,5K for a carbon hoop repair excl. paint (in most cases a polished carbon look is perfect, so no paint required).  The repair is guaranteed for life under normal use.  See photos of one of our wheel repairs.

[Nizar]

Thanks @incubit_frame_services, that repair looks awesome. I managed to find a complete replacement wheel.