Conference noted::bicycle

         It seems that most of the MTB PROs are going with Mavic.  This
    will be expensive at first but your brother will probaly end up saving 
    money ( based upon my experience with road rims ).
    

    
    
    Your brother sounds like a pretty big guy... I'd definitely go with 
    a 36 spoke wheel. Remember that wider rims will generally be stronger
    (and cheaper), and that some of the narrowest/lightest rims might not 
    be suitable for everyone. What kind of wheel did he pretzel?
    
    
    doug
     

    I agree with the responses so far. In the last issue of Bicycle
    Guide there is an article about a bike shop in the Sprigfield Mass.
    area called Bicycle Dynamics that specializes in Northeastern MTBs'
    and various products, you might want to contact them if your brother
    is in the general area. Also your brother should stay away from the 
    lightest/fastest rims and look for a "boxed" rim that is welded and
    doesn't use pins in the seems. I know Mavic makes a rim, or at least
    one, of these rims. They seemed pretty much infalable when I test rode
    a bike with these on it.
    
    Hope it helps- 

    
    
    
    	Thanks for the replies....I know that Mavic makes good road
    	rims, so based on these replies I feel safe recommending Mavic's
    	on  the mountain.  I checked of few of my bike catalogs and found
    	that Mavic makes an M261 and M231.  The M261 is heavier and wider
    	and they both are box shaped.  The M261 is $180/set with XT hubs
    	through Colorado Cyclist.  I've heard that they do good buildups
    	which plays a big role in wheel strength.
    
    	The stock wheel that my brother pretzeled was a 32spoke Araya RM17.
    
    	thanks again for the replies..
    
    	Ted

    Ted,
    
    I have a friend that is that size.  What he has success with is not
    just a quality rim like Mavic...but buy an oversized hub, sometimes
    called a "suspension hub".  There are several good brands, a few are 
    Ringle', Bullseye, White Bros. etc
    
    While they use a bigger axle to make the hub stronger, they also use
    shorter spokes which makes the wheel stronger.
    
    I was wondering, does he have suspension?  I am not heavy (175 lbs) but
    like most MTBers I get in over my head on many granite strewn, rooty
    downhills.  I had gone thru 3 rims in as many years.  Then I got my
    Manitou forks and haven't ruined one since.  And I don't endo as much
    as I used to, either!  
    
    Works for me,
    mike
    

    Mike;
    
         If you get in over your head on granite strewn slopes then I guess
    it is better to ruin your rims than ruin your rump.  To diverge from
    the subject a little, what is the attraction of riding a bike down rock
    filled, tree filled slopes?  I am not criticizing, I am just curious.
    
    

	Good point Mike....His bike doesn't have any suspension components
	on it now.   But I think that he has problems keeping the rear wheel
	true too...A front suspension would probably help in keep the front
	wheel from "untruing"...but he needs it for both.  2 wheels are 
	cheaper than one gas/air shock.  A front shock may be in the future.
	
	  As for the oversized hub...sounds more expensive but if the XT hub
	doesn't work it may be worth it.
	
	Thanks,
	Ted

    RE: .6 - "why hammer down a dangerous, rock strewn slope?"
    
    simple:
    
    Life is short - we play hard!
    It's much more healthy than drugs for the rush!
    Because it's there!
    This is what the bikes were built for.
    Because I fell on my head when I was a child!
    It's the fountain of youth - I can act like I'm 14 yeard old!
    While the others beat me UP the hills, I get it back on the DOWN.
    
    mud-man mark

    
    Amen Mark,  I don't recall falling on my head as a child,but 
    I love speed and taking risk, there is nothing like the rush 
    after the ride is over. I get the same feeling on a motor cycle 
    or on my skis. 
    
    Live to take chances... ;-)
    
    Shaw

    
    You want a rush, how about going 90+ mph on a snowmobile in a 500'
    grass drag race in under 6 sec...........
    
    That's a rush!
    
    I just started with bicycles. I'll say this and hope I don't get
    hammered.I have a Hybrid and it is fun!
    
    Bob...who....still....thinks....he's....a.....kid!
    

    Ya, I've done that, well almost, the machine we used to have only did
    about 65 but I have used some that did about 80. Anyway I find that Mt
    Biking gives me much of the same rushs and enjoyment that snowmobiling
    used to give me as a kid. Plus something called exercise!!
    
    Alan

    
    
     There are many ways to experience speed, fast cars, fast boats, fast
     snow mobiles.  However I prefer ones that do not involve a motor. 
     Going down at 68 mph on my skis, or 45 mph on my MTB is lot more 
     exhilirating. You are in way challenging the mountain which is 
     throwing obstacles at you left and right, one mistake and you are 
     history. 
    
     Shaw

    
	  Some of the replies in this note gave me some pointers, but I
	wonder if I could get some additional help and recommendations.
          I trashed a wheel (rear) a couple of weeks ago on my mountain bike. 
        It looked like the wheel came down on a rock, on the side of the rim, 
        after the bike and I parted company.  The bike shop  I took it to 
        (Marlboro Bike) said that the bend was too localised to adjust out 
        with spoke tension.  They are currently replacing  the rim for $60, 
        ($40 for the rim, $20 for labour) less 10% Digital discount.  The 
        rims are 36 spoke.  I think they are Ritchey Sports.
          I took a look through my Performance and Nashbar catalogues a 
        couple of nights ago and realised how clueless I was about wheels.
        I'm thinking about getting another rear one as a spare so I'd 
        like some recommendations.
	  Can anyone recommend some rims?  I see silver finish and anodised,  
        I'm not sure what the advantage the latter has.  And I see reasonably 
        priced Performance and Nashbar rims, Mavic rims at a little higher 
        cost, ~$10 I think, and then some much more expensive.  Different 
        widths,  21mm-24mm or so, and with/without some kind of eyelet.  So 
        many choices.  I don't know what width mine are, but they are silver
        finish and appear to have simple drilled holes for the spokes.  I 
        don't plan on building my own wheels by the way.
	  I'm very much a recreational biker (rather than a racer), but I  do
        only ride off road, and in the last couple of months have  found much
        more agressive trails (dirt bike) to ride on, and until I get quite a
        bit better I expect  to be abusing the bike a fair amount.  I get out
        about once a week on average (2-3 times some weeks, but none on
        others).  My bike  has a mix of LX and XT components as I've upgraded
        to XT where  I've had parts that needed to be replaced.  The bike is
        about 2 years old, and the rear wheel was in good shape up until that 
        crash.
          Any recommendations on what you ride, what you know is good/bad
        strong/weak, would be appreciated.

        Thanks

        	Mike
    
                             

    
    
    I love this:
    
    >   more agressive trails (dirt bike) to ride on, and until I get quite a
    >   bit better I expect  to be abusing the bike a fair amount.  I get out
    
    and when you do get a bit better, you'll triple up on the abuse!
    
    
    doug
    

    
    	  Er.... yep, I see your point.  I was thinking just in terms
    of the crashes/mile, but of course you're right, just delete that
    sentence.
    
    	Mike

    Pick up Mountain Bike Action magazine.  The latest one had a ad by
    Supergo.  DX hub, with Araya rm17 rear $60 plus$10 shipping.  $25 more,
    XT.
    
    Steve

    Last snowy evening, on the way home on the mtn bike... BOOM!!
    (bike: Specialized Future Shock, stock 26" wheels, less than 5k)
    
    Get this: a section of the rear wheel rim blew out, naturally taking
    the tube with it (but the tire seems ok).  The rear brake pads had
    worn the rim down to the point where there was a noticeable ridge,
    finally wearing thru enough aluminum to cut thru to the inside!
    When it blew, the lip of the rim effectively became a piece of wire.
    The brake pads are the Shimano M series; although winter grime
    probably did more to grind it down.  A first for me, anyhow.   
      

>                     <<< Note 2650.17 by MSBCS::BROWN_L >>>
>                      -< brake pads wore right thru rim >-

>    Last snowy evening, on the way home on the mtn bike... BOOM!!
>    (bike: Specialized Future Shock, stock 26" wheels, less than 5k)

   Something similar happened to me in early December.

   I was pumping my front tire with my Silca track pump after replacing
   the tire and *BOOM!!!*

   The side of the rim (a Mavic MA40...) had blown out sideways, yet
   I'd properly mounted the tire and there was nothing wrong with it
   or the tube. (In fact, it's on another wheel right now.)  And I was
   watching the pressure, it was not excessive.  I've never seen
   a tube that looked quite like this one where it blew out - it appears
   as if shattered like glass.

   I have to assume that it was because the rim had been weakened
   by braking/road grime since the rim does look very worn down.

   I'd heard of this from Jobst Brandt, but never saw it myself before.

   - Jim

    What were you brake pads?
    
    I'm very suspicious of those that have groves cut in them.
    I,ve found small pieces of grit lodged in these groves and bingo you've
    got your self a grinding pad.
    
    I now only use smooth Pads.

    
    
    I have noticed that rims on my MTB (always ridden in the dirt) start
    getting really worn after about 2000 miles. I ride about 
    800-900 dirt miles a year, and a rim lasts about 2 or three years.
    The sidewall weakens and eventually you hit the wrong rut or bump that 
    warps/cracks/destroys the rim beyond repair. Look at this an opportunity 
    to learn to build a wheel.  
    On the road bike I put in about 1500 miles a year, and see very little 
    wear by comparison.  
    
    
    
     doug
    

    From talking to my bikeshop buddy Neil at Bicycle Alley, brakes
    grinding thru rims isn't that uncommon.  He took one look at it
    and said "brake much?".
    
    Causes: wintertime grit embedded in brake pads+dirt on the rim itself,
    a commute littered with large hills with stop signs or turns at the
    bottom of each, bike+rider weighing over 200lbs, bad braking habits
    (scream up to something, slam on the brakes), plus very good brakes
    (XTR+M series pads)... bottom line: rims can't deal with that.
    Kratz