crack in rim or corrosion?

[rexwexford.]

When cleaning my bike today. I noticed what is either a crack or corrosion to the rim of my rear wheel around the valve. There is also what looks like a smaller linear crack on the edge of the rim too. I have no recollection of doing anything that could have damaged it.

The bike is a 2009 transalp. Is this likely to just be corrosion and the outer coating of the rim is lifting off or should I be more worried? I don't want to prod it too much in case a large chunk of the finish lifts off.

If it is, cosmetic, what can I do to salvage it/ prevent it getting worse?

If it is serious, is it rim rebuild time?

[rexwexford.]

[rexwexford.]

[Onelastattempt]

Looks like corrosion lifting the paint / powder coating to me. I would try scaping it off with a small screwdriver to see how bad it is.
Whether it is corrosion or a crack I think it's new wheel time.

[FastAndy]

It’s cracked

[poo at Paul's]

Looks like anodising and so it’s cracked. I presume it runs tubes?

[Carlososos]

Difficult to say without seeing in person but that looks worse than corrosion or surface lifting.

[jules_s]

Looks like something has hit the valve sideways to me

[xstian]

You may also find its worse on the inside. Moisture gets trapped under the rim tape and corrode these wheels from the inside out.

[Drawweight]

The area around the valve looks like good old corrosion lifting the surface and the fact that the crack appears in the same are leads me to think it’s just the same corrosion spreading further down.

But I agree it needs investigation.

The finish is buggered anyway so you may as well get a screwdriver under the damaged part and see what it reveals. Or you could take the tyre off and see what it’s like from the inside.

If you’re in any doubt get a s/wheel or you can presumably get yours rebuilt with a new rim.

[rexwexford.]

ok thanks for the responses. Sounds like not something that should be in my ignore pile

I presume it runs tubes yes. I haven't replaced the tyres, or thought about it until now.

[rexwexford.]

would you ride it like that still ?

[Jakey123]

I'd ride it home then investigate it.
Wouldn't be ignoring it long term it'll only get worse

[fred bloggs]

FastAndy said:

It’s cracked

Its not. How/why would a wheel crack there ??

Its corrosion under the anodising lifting it. I've seen this on a dominator wheel, only much worse looking, and dug into it with a screwdriver. Then decided It could have an MOT.
You'll find its quite solid.

Edited by fred bloggs on Monday 15th November 12:32

Edited by fred bloggs on Monday 15th November 12:33

[xstian]

fred bloggs said:

FastAndy said:

It’s cracked

Its not. How/why would a wheel crack there ??

Its corrosion under the anodising lifting it. I've seen this on a dominator wheel, only much worse looking, and dug into it with a screwdriver. Then decided It could have an MOT.
You'll find its quite solid.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm not sure I would be giving that sort of advice just from a couple of photos. The rim on my Honda looked fine from the outside, it was only when I removed the tyre you could see how badly corroded and dangerous they had become. Pefectly fine to pass an Mot, but only because the corrosion was hidden from view, but certainly not safe.

[gareth_r]

I'd say that it needs checking properly. Tyre removed.

IIRC Transalps are known for rim corrosion.

[Tango13]

I'd be pulling the tyre off and checking the inside of the rim too, looks like it's Fubar from those pictures.

[rexwexford.]

cool thanks all for the replies .

I have since found out it is more common on transalp so will def be looking at it without the tyre on. Its been under a cover for the last few months, and i've hardly used it. I imagine its been sat valve facing skywards, which has allowed water to get trapped.

a replacement second hand wheel (in gold) seems pretty rare but I think a rebuild is about £350 so not as bad as i first thought.

[fred bloggs]

xstian said:

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm not sure I would be giving that sort of advice just from a couple of photos. The rim on my Honda looked fine from the outside, it was only when I removed the tyre you could see how badly corroded and dangerous they had become. Pefectly fine to pass an Mot, but only because the corrosion was hidden from view, but certainly not safe.

I haven't given any advice.

[Starfighter]

Anodising is a conversion process. The material at the surface to chemically changed in the various dips. It does add very slightly to the surface but does not add a layer in the same way as paint, powder coating or a PVD layer.