Split rim advice

[Dombo]

My station bike has developed a crack in the rear wheel rim, about an inch and a half long.
It is a mtb running on 26" wheels with slicks at 50psi rather than proper road pressures.
Is it possible just to replace the rim (I'm thinking tape the new rim to old one and move the spokes across one by one, so keeping original spokes, hub, cassette etc in place) or should the whole wheel be junked and replaced.
Any advice mucho bienvenido.

[Andrew G]

You can just do a rim swop. Tape and move over as you say. Not done it myself but Graham showed us how ages ago.

[Jon H]

[quote="Dombo"]Is it possible just to replace the rim (I'm thinking tape the new rim to old one and move the spokes across one by one, so keeping original spokes, hub, cassette etc in place)

[MattR]

I've done rim swaps before, although didn't bother the last time the opetunity came up with my commute bike and just bought new ones as the back bearings weren't great. Mine are sealed bearings and I've never done a bearing pull out of a wheel before although would like to give it a go at some point so I've kept them and might get them going again.

As for replacing it, what are the bearings like in the hub? Does the spindle turn nice and smoothly? Worth doing if they are good or even replacing the balls and cones while you’re at it? Might be worth it simply to not have a shiny new (even if they're cheap) wheels in a bike left at the station. You want it to look as tatty as possible, but run really sweet under the scenes.

Jon is right, the rim needs to have same ERD (depth) for it to work with the same spokes. Obviously needs to have the same number of spokes too.

[img]https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRt118ZZlZIT-6SjeeIsHQCt7tEyKnHLAGE1BacM1-TYoNzk1Rv[/img]

Interesting technique I've never thought of taping the rim next to each other. It should work as long as the nipples have enough thread in them.

It's not too difficult to lace from scratch if you take your time and follow Sheldon Brown [url]http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html[/url]

You'll need a dishing tool and wheel truing stand to do it well though. Lace it up and I'll get it round for you if you're not confident doing it.

P.s. You'll never be able to run MTB slicks at more than about 60psi as the force applied is a factor of the volume as well as the pressure. It's a good way to test the ware on the rim, by over inflate it above the maximum and if the rim doesn't split and buckle there's probably enough material left in the side wall of the rim. Better than it failing on a steep decent during hard braking. In fact that's how mine failed this time while I was pumping up the tyres. I've had them go on me out riding too, not advisable.

[MattR]

Oh you'll need new rim tape too, if it's cloth type which I guess it will be, as it won't restick after it's been peeled off.