black anodized rim

The first unflanged aluminium rims I ever saw were on motocross bikes If you were ever going to bend a rim, it would probably be on one of those. My bike is a 1960s road racer, unflanged rims would be out of character. Same on a road going Commando.- Attention to detail ?

acotrel said:

The first unflanged aluminium rims I ever saw were on motocross bikes If you were ever going to bend a rim, it would probably be on one of those. My bike is a 1960s road racer, unflanged rims would be out of character. Same on a road going Commando.- Attention to detail ?

Click to expand...

But were the originals not unflanged steel (does flanged steel even exist?), in which case unflanged alloy would be closer to original look. Either way it sounds like it’s more a matter of personal taste/ aesthetics then functionality.

While the "bathtub effect" is real (but more like the "thimble effect") talking about it is actually worse than reality.

I rode hard in the lower desert high desert and the Sierra Neveda mountain range in California and Neveda with unshouldered rims several thousand miles on 10 or so different bikes over the course of 25 years. (Not on a clunky old Norton though.) Plenty of big rocks to go over and things you would never see on the street. The unshouldered rims did not fold up like tacos and are not made of chewing gum. They are not as heavy duty as the shouldered rims, but shouldered rims aren't the best choice of rims for hard off road riding use. Well, they weren't when I was riding off road. I can't imagine them becoming popular for off road since they would fill up with mud and the high show polish would get destroyed. A shouldered or unshouldered rim are both good choices for a Norton street or race bike. I'm not pushing either. Gotta make up your own mind, and filter the advice.

I've got a big 4LS brake with a MORAD shouldered rim around it on front of the same bike that has an unshouldered rim on the rear. I don't think anyone can tell the rims don't match when I'm out riding and the rims are spinning. Norton snobs would be quick to point it out to each other and snicker when it is parked though.

One other thing about unshouldered rims is they are easier to change tires on than changing tires on shouldered rims. Shouldered rims have a bead that protrudes out over the top of the shoulder running around the rim that slows down tire changes. Only meaning full to people that change their own tires.

You can substitute flanged for shouldered above if it feels better.

Just to cover all my bases I asked Excel about the logo, and they say it "can be removed with thinner chemical like organic solvent, with xylene and toluene". So I'm going to try that (on a very small part, will make sure it does'nt damage the anodized finish on the inside first...) and report back.

nonsense said:

True. But how often do you actually hit something that bends an unflanged rim but doesn’t bend a flanged rim. I just wonder why unflanged rims are sold by reputable brands if they bend whenever they are hit… does anyone actually have an experience where they needed the extra strength of an unflanged rim or is it more a case of bragging rights: “I ride so hard that I need extra strong rims”. To be clear I’m asking here, I have minimal real life experience with any spoked alloy rims.

Click to expand...

They are flanged for strength, unlike steel rims, alloy is a "softer" metal and needs the extra strength to compensate.

Bernhard said:

They are flanged for strength, unlike steel rims, alloy is a "softer" metal and needs the extra strength to compensate.

Click to expand...

I realize the flanges are there to add strength, and that alloy is softer, my question was asking whether or not the extra strength was necessary with modern alloys and rim designs. As far as I have found the flanges are not in fact needed; just look at Motocross, none of those bikes have flanged rims. Not to say alloy is as strong as steel, but flanges aren't the only way to achieve a stiff rim (alloy composition, rim profile/ rim thickness can all be used to create a stronger rim as well), and if I don't need the flanges I would prefer not to have them for aesthetics and ease of cleaning (however small that cleaning advantage may be I'll take it).

nonsense said:

I realize the flanges are there to add strength, and that alloy is softer, my question was asking whether or not the extra strength was necessary with modern alloys and rim designs. As far as I have found the flanges are not in fact needed; just look at Motocross, none of those bikes have flanged rims. Not to say alloy is as strong as steel, but flanges aren't the only way to achieve a stiff rim (alloy composition, rim profile/ rim thickness can all be used to create a stronger rim as well), and if I don't need the flanges I would prefer not to have them for aesthetics and ease of cleaning (however small that cleaning advantage may be I'll take it).

Click to expand...

My understanding is back in the day the aluminium wasn't up to the task therefore we had shouldered rims for a bit of extra strength
As time progressed aluminium alloys got better and flangeless rims came about
People still like the flangeless (dog piss) rims for their heady cafe racer style
That's why we still have them

nonsense said:

I realize the flanges are there to add strength, and that alloy is softer, my question was asking whether or not the extra strength was necessary with modern alloys and rim designs. As far as I have found the flanges are not in fact needed; just look at Motocross, none of those bikes have flanged rims. Not to say alloy is as strong as steel, but flanges aren't the only way to achieve a stiff rim (alloy composition, rim profile/ rim thickness can all be used to create a stronger rim as well), and if I don't need the flanges I would prefer not to have them for aesthetics and ease of cleaning (however small that cleaning advantage may be I'll take it).

Click to expand...

Don't worry about all the back marker talk. They will work.

outawack said:

I had mine built on excel rims also (Lightfoot Engineering) for those in AUS. he removed the stickers , powder coated the hubs black and built the spokes in house i am very happy with the result.

Click to expand...

He does very good work , however you need patience as he is a very busy one man band.