Wooden rims

I am in the process of building a wooden framed bike. No, not bamboo. but
I had considered building one of laminated split bamboo as in a bamboo fly
rod. The bike will be along the same principle of a strip built kayak. I
will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal but what
do I use for brake pads. I know that wood rims are or were until recently
still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used rim type
brake. While the bike will be a just a show/club ride bike, it will still
need to stop and I don't want to damage the finish on the rims any more then
I have to. I was thinking cork as it was used with early carbon fiber rims.
Thanks for any advice.
Chris

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 10:44:16 -0500, "Chris Hughes"
may have said:

I am in the process of building a wooden framed bike. No, not bamboo. but
I had considered building one of laminated split bamboo as in a bamboo fly
rod. The bike will be along the same principle of a strip built kayak. I
will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal but what
do I use for brake pads.

Unless you plan to put a metal facing strip along both sides of the
rim, I would remonned that you not try to use rim brakes. Employ a
hub brake, either disc, roller or drum.

I know that wood rims are or were until recently
still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used rim type
brake.

This depends on your definiton of "recently", and no, the literature
that I have, and that I have seen, shows that all such units used hub
brakes. There may have been units that used a caliper brake on a wood
rim, but I have not seen any described in the material that I've come
across.

While the bike will be a just a show/club ride bike, it will still
need to stop and I don't want to damage the finish on the rims any more then
I have to. I was thinking cork as it was used with early carbon fiber rims.

Wood rims will work best with hub brakes. I assume that you'll be
using this with tubular tires; that's the easiest way to accomplish
what you propose, as it does not require clincher flanges.

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Chris Hughes wrote:
I am in the process of building a wooden framed bike. No, not bamboo. but
I had considered building one of laminated split bamboo as in a bamboo fly
rod. The bike will be along the same principle of a strip built kayak. I
will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal but what
do I use for brake pads. I know that wood rims are or were until recently
still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used rim type
brake. While the bike will be a just a show/club ride bike, it will still
need to stop and I don't want to damage the finish on the rims any more then
I have to. I was thinking cork as it was used with early carbon fiber rims.
Thanks for any advice.
Chris



See http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/cycl...g/woodrims.htm

--
Bob Wheeler --- http://www.bobwheeler.com/
ECHIP, Inc. ---
Randomness comes in bunches.

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 10:45:36 -0600, Werehatrack
may have said:

I would remonned

Make that "I would recommend" (It's early, and the teapot is still
brewing.)



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Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

"Chris Hughes" wrote:

will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal but
what do I use for brake pads. I know that wood rims are or were until
recently still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used
rim type brake. While the bike will be a just a show/club ride bike, it
will still need to stop and I don't want to damage the finish on the rims
any more then I have to. I was thinking cork as it was used with early
carbon fiber rims.

Read about Jobst Brandt's experience with wood rims in the Alps in 1959:
http://tinyurl.com/c543

He found that while they didn't overheat like metal rims, they ate up normal
brake pads in short order. For a show bike, you may be able to get away with
using normal pads as long as you're not doing long, steep, twisty descents.

Art Harris

Werehatrack wrote:


I know that wood rims are or were until recently
still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used rim type
brake.


This depends on your definiton of "recently",

Peter at Vecchio's was advertising some a week or so ago, and I bought a
pair from him a few years ago. They're made by the same people in Italy
that produce tortellini by hand .

Chris Hughes wrote:
I am in the process of building a wooden framed bike. No, not bamboo. but
I had considered building one of laminated split bamboo as in a bamboo fly
rod. The bike will be along the same principle of a strip built kayak. I
will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal but what
do I use for brake pads. I know that wood rims are or were until recently
still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of old used rim type
brake. While the bike will be a just a show/club ride bike, it will still
need to stop and I don't want to damage the finish on the rims any more then
I have to. I was thinking cork as it was used with early carbon fiber rims.

Every wooden tubular rim I ever built and sold was a _track_
wheel. Track as in 'no rim brakes'.

Wood is a singularly poor choice of material for a braking
surface. Have you considered a hub brake maybe?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Werehatrack Wrote:


....

Wood rims will work best with hub brakes. I assume that you'll be
using this with tubular tires; that's the easiest way to accomplish
what you propose, as it does not require clincher flanges.

....

--



Could you elaborate on the problems with hub brakes on wooden rims?


--
meb

Arthur Harris wrote:

"Chris Hughes" wrote:

will also build laminated ash wheel rims. Should not be a big deal
but what do I use for brake pads. I know that wood rims are or were
until recently still avalible so I assume that they and wood rims of
old used rim type brake. While the bike will be a just a show/club
ride bike, it will still need to stop and I don't want to damage the
finish on the rims any more then I have to. I was thinking cork as
it was used with early carbon fiber rims.

Read about Jobst Brandt's experience with wood rims in the Alps in
1959: http://tinyurl.com/c543

He found that while they didn't overheat like metal rims, they ate up
normal brake pads in short order. For a show bike, you may be able to
get away with using normal pads as long as you're not doing long,
steep, twisty descents.

You might try pads made for carbon rims.

Matt O.

Werehatrack Wrote:
Wood rims will work best with hub brakes. I assume that you'll be
using this with tubular tires; that's the easiest way to accomplish
what you propose, as it does not require clincher flanges.

meb wrote:
Could you elaborate on the problems with hub brakes on wooden rims?

That's just W's point - Hub brakes obviate the problems of
stopping with wooden rims!

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971