Topic: Aluminum rims Excel, akront, sholdered, dimpled......?

[Flying J]

I am going to be getting aluminum rims for my 550 cafe project. Im not sure what to get though. At Buchanan they have a ton of rims. I want to go 18" front and rear. What is the difference between soldered and not or dimpled or not. Also what width rims should i get?

[Kong]

I don't know if this is the right approach or not but I began by selecting the tire size (and type) I would use and then went to the manufacturer's site to see what size rim they recommended for it.  I came up needing a minimum of a 1.85" wide rim up front (19"), which is the width of the stock front.  On the rear I need a minimum of 2.15" and the stock 18" is 1.85 in the rear so it wouldn't do.  I bought a pretty nice used rear rim off E-Bay of that size and sent it and the stock front out to the powder coater last week - they are being redone in an aluminum color.  In the meantime I was able to pick up a new Akront 2.15 rim on E-Bay. 

The guy who was selling the Akront didn't have any way to measure the spoke holes so I'll have to wait until next week to order a set of spokes for it, but I figure if I'm going to use a new aluminum rim the least I can do is buy a new set of stainless spokes and nipples for it.  Also the buffer from Caswell finally was shipped thursday and will be here monday, so I'll polish the rear hub/brake assembly before I lace the wheel up.

Anyway, that's one old fools approach to wheels.  Maybe it will spur a thought.  I wish you luck.

[swellguy]

I think the choice of your rim has everything to do with what tires you choose.
Some rims go to only go to a certain width, Excel shouldered being 2.5 (non-dimpled).
You can fit most tires to several different width rims but there is probably an optimum width.
Have that and then Buchanan's site makes a bit more sense. You might wind up using an Akront front and Excell rear for example.
I think this is especiailly true with shouldered rims where if the tim is too narrow, the tire's optimum flex point moves toward the shoulder area, creating excess heat buildup that reduces tire life and could result in failure.

[Kong]

I may misunderstand what the terminology means but here is what I have come to understand dimpled and shouldered to refer to.  Dimpled means that the rim has those little bulges through which the holes for the spokes are drilled, whereas non-dimpled rims would be just a round smooth loop on the inside.  The difference of course is that an undimpled rim could be drilled with any number of spoke holes at any angle whereas your choices would be limited with a dimpled rim to the number of dimples.

As for the shouldered part, I believe that just refers to the style of cast rim in which the outside edge is squared off, an effect that would be hard to duplicate with a rim formed from steel sheet.  Its certainly true that the rim has to be wide enough for the tire so its not much sense in talking about misapplication of products, but if the rim is wide enough then a shouldered rim offers more material to act as a heat sink for the tire.  That should allow it to dissipate heat a little bit better and run a bit cooler for it.  The alternative, a rolled edge, would more resemble one that had been shaped out of flat metal.

Like I said, I could be as wrong as a Baboon at a Ball, so please correct me if some, all, or most of the above is incorrect.  Youth wants to know.

[Old Scrambler]

Kong.........basically correct..........just a little more detail and info..........a shouldered rim is best described as a valanced rim.........they have been around for more than 60 years.  Borrani and Dunlap were early brands followed by Akront and DID in the late '50s.  Used valanced rims that are intended to be re-strung to another hub often encounter problems with nipple-angles.  Do your own research...its your life and that of the next rider! The valanced design was for added strength to the original soft alloy.  As more rigid alloys were developed the rims tend to break from stress or a severe bump (curb?).  If you purchase new or NOS un-drilled valanced rims, I would strongly recommend a professional to drill the correct spoke angles for your application.

Honda made valanced STEEL rims for the CL72 and CL77 models from '62-'67 but only in a 19". All fronts have 40-spokes but the last two years have slightly different spoke angles due to the change to a larger hub.  The rears are 40-spoke until the change to the big brake at 36-holes.   

[bwaller]

It's correct to know what tire sizes you'll use first, and choose a rim width to suit. If you're going to deal with Buchanans, give them a call for advice. They have a wealth of info on different models and will drill spoke holes to match whatever hub you have.

I like the valanced (shouldered) rims. They may be slightly heavier, but probably offer slightly more strength too. These rims do hold water and dirt & need to be cleaned, but a wipe with a rag is easy. 

I have a regular Akront on the front of my 750 and noticed it is cracked away from one nipple hole. It is wise to do a detailed cleaning once in a while to check them. 

[754]

a few more makers, Tagaski, and Raedelli,& Sun among others.

 If you cut a cross section, the Shouldered would look a bit like an I beam, the shoulderless, like a channel..

 They are not cast, they are extruded, then rolled in a spiral. Then cut and welded, the re rolled. Probably heat-treated sfter the welding.

 Correct me if I am wrong, but I think shouldered rims would look really crappy with low aspect ratio tires..( keep in mind when selecting rim style..

[Flying J]

Ok, then my question is now, What size tire should i run? I like the 130 width that is on it now but as you guys know way more about bikes then I do give me your input.

[Kong]

Jim, once again, I can only tell you what I decided on.  I bought a pair of Bridgestone Battalax BT-45V.  The sizes are 100/90-19 on the front using the 1.85" wide rim.  The rear I ordered (still not here) is 120/90-18, also V rated.  The rear will be put on either the powder coated steel rim or the aluminum one, both of which are 2.15" wide.   In both cases the width rim I will be using are at the bottom of the range of widths they recommend, which is to say they are as narrow as can be used with the tires according to the manufacturer.  If I had more choice in my life I would use the same sized tires, but I'd have a 2.15' wide front rim and a 2.50" on the rear.

On Edit:  I'm sure other folks have other ideas about tires and rims - and I look forward to seeing the answers your questions provoke.

Oh, the V rated tires were not necessary for my bike at all, H would have done nicely.

[bwaller]

I run a 130/80/18 rear on a 2.5" Excel, no problems. 2.15" is too narrow for that tire. 110/80/18 front on a 2.15". With longer shocks it turns well on the street.

I have Avons, 90/90 front on a 2.15" and a 130/650 rear on a 2.5" on the race bike.

[swellguy]

Right now my café has Dunlop k70's:

front: 3.25 x 19 (suggested rim size 2.15, mine is 2.5)
rear: 4.00 x 18 (suggested rim size 2.5, mine is 2.75)

I'm replacing them with Dunlop K180's
front 110 x19, rear 120 x 18 (building a pair of alloy rims, both 2.5" wide - manufacturer's and supplier's recommendation)