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Just building up a new set of wheels with Kinlin XR31 rims (branded BORG, sadly I think a leftover from CycleClinic shutting down).
Something in common with other builds over the last couple of years is the 'hop' at the rim joint (Kinlin use sleeved and pinned joints). I've sort of accepted this and don't usually try to build it out as this just leads to uneven spoke tensions, and since I'm building rim brake wheels for cyclocross season it's hard to take TOO much pride in them, they'll be destroyed soon enough! the hop is never big enough to affect braking, i.e. it's within the tolerance of brake pad height vs. brake track height.
Does anyone else bother trying to build this out? I'm assuming I'll have to tighten paired spokes either side of the hop (i.e. not directly beneath it) in an attempt to sort of flatten the rim either side slightly, just depends how much difference in tension I'm prepared to accept...
Any yes, eventually I will shift over to disc brakes, I'm just trying to wring the most value out of my existing bike that I can...
I did try on an existing wheel, but like you said the tension difference ends up being too much. In the end I dropped it off at the lbs and they sorted it with even tension. Not sure what they did, maybe you take the hop out first then rebuild?
Anyway, it's for cx so don't worry about the hop. You won't notice it!
I've never bothered, as long as it's true laterally and the spoke tension is even you'll never feel it.
Whack it with a hammer? To do it without differences in tension you'd have to do something to permanently alter the rims normal shape.
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Wheel building is all about knowing when it is good enough and to stop IMO. If the rest of the wheel is good and if it is just a tiny hop I'd leave it.Â
best way I've found is to concentrate on removing it at the start of the build. That area will be less round under tension if it's not got some sort of pre-emptive tension in it when you work round the rest of the wheel. trying to take it out with a wheel built is a difficult one and one I've often just left. Too much tension in that area, especially if you try to compensate for any dip by working the 3 and 9 o clock spokes can lead to the joint twisting and causing issues with rim braking.
Phew, OK, thanks alk, am re-assured that I'm not quite as bad a builder as I thought I had become! I think I built most of my early wheels on better quality welded rims so perhaps didn't have to deal with overcoming a sleeved joint. Or perhaps I'm just getting to obsessive and never used to notice it 😂
I built most of my early wheels on better quality welded rims
The joint is under compression, it really makes little difference whether it's welded or pinned/sleeved.
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The joint is under compression, it really makes little difference whether it's welded or pinned/sleeved.Except sleeved/pinned rims tend to have a flat spot at the join, which is also slightly stiffer than the rest of the rim. Makes it a bugger to get perfectly round.
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Except sleeved/pinned rims tend to have a flat spot at the join, which is also slightly stiffer than the rest of the rim. Makes it a bugger to get perfectly round.
Yeah this is sort of what I envisaged, the extra material of the pins and sleeve resulting in a short section of rim which was stiffer than the rest, hence more likely to remain flat.
I actually checked again on the trueing jig, it looks much worse than it actually is, certainly less than 1mm out of vertical true.
Less than 1mm? Leave it then. The one I was attempting to true out was about 3mm.Â
Also, the welded/machined rims usually have a better braking surface, and there's no sleeve or pins to come loose. So i'd say that (generally) they are better quality (Even excluding the roundness!).The joint is under compression, it really makes little difference whether it's welded or pinned/sleeved.
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Also, the welded/machined rims usually have a better braking surface, and there's no sleeve or pins to come loose. So i'd say that (generally) they are better quality (Even excluding the roundness!).
Yeah the joint is noticeable under braking on Kinlin rims, it wears smooth eventually though. Noticeable how much nicer finished e.g. a welded DCR rim is but unfortunately the profile of their rim bed is a nightmare to tape and run tubeless hence rebuilding with Kinlin.