# How do I avoid stone chips on Carbon Fiber Rim



## jwk (Jun 17, 2011)

I have a question for you all. I just bought the SRAM S80's and love the wheels and ride. However, after my first ride I already picked up my first stone chip on the plastic fairing. does anybody here have any suggestions on how to keep my rims from getting pitted from small rocks? It's only a cosmetic scratch but nevertheless do any of you who own carbon fiber wheels also have scratches and pit marks I was thinking of putting some nail polish to fill in the crack and then maybe there is some kind of paint i can spray to make it tougher 

j


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

Don't ride them? Chips happen.:idea:


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Juanmoretime said:


> Don't ride them? Chips happen.:idea:


There you have it. :thumbsup:


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## jwk (Jun 17, 2011)

Juanmoretime said:


> Don't ride them? Chips happen.:idea:


yeah so I hear, bike shops tell me chips will happen and I guess that is why you don't use them for training wheels. I do know the decals they apply, if I put that on the entire wheel, it could help prevent stone chips


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## SBH1973 (Nov 21, 2002)

Juanmoretime said:


> Don't ride them? Chips happen.:idea:


+1 

beat me to it, Juanmoretime.

It's annoying - my 12k-weave carbon tubulars got a couple of small chops first time out, which is always annoying. But they didn't slow down as a result.


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## jwk (Jun 17, 2011)

SBH1973 said:


> +1
> 
> beat me to it, Juanmoretime.
> 
> It's annoying - my 12k-weave carbon tubulars got a couple of small chops first time out, which is always annoying. But they didn't slow down as a result.


Well I guess now I have to just accept the fact there is not much I can do about it. It's no different than getting chips on your hood of car. I am glad I bought these rims but this is the part of problem with carbon fiber, they are delicate more so than aluminum. My frame is aluminnum so I don't have to worry about integrity


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## hmto (Sep 26, 2007)

jwk said:


> yeah so I hear, bike shops tell me chips will happen and I guess that is why you don't use them for training wheels. I do know the decals they apply, if I put that on the entire wheel, it could help prevent stone chips


fact of riding, what can you do, once the newness wears off you will be fine and realize they perform as they should regardless of cosmetic issues.

BTW you could do what you suggested but think of the weight. On my SC Tallboy, I use a clear racing tape by ISC on certain wear and tear areas, but this isn't really an option for a rim. Would look worse than the stone chip most of us wouldn't see anyway.

P.S. Don't get the notion CF is inferior or weaker, as I glean from your last post. Quite the contrary, way stronger, so don't let a stone chip get under your skin. If it were a real issue, no one would be riding them, let alone make them


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## dcorn (Sep 1, 2011)

3M clear bra on the wheels. I'm betting it would add a few unwanted grams though.


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## nightfend (Mar 15, 2009)

The S80's are like tanks. You can certainly ride them everywhere and use them for training. I wouldn't worry about a few dings on the carbon fairing as it is not a structural element of the wheel anyway.


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## jwk (Jun 17, 2011)

dcorn said:


> 3M clear bra on the wheels. I'm betting it would add a few unwanted grams though.


I did look into that but 3M does not make sheets you can cut to size. I think what bothers me is SRAM should have sprayed a layer of clearcoat just like they do on frames. I don't think anybody ever had a wheel fail because of nicks and dings caused by stone chips but I stand to be corrected. 

I am also looking into possibly dismounting my tires and using spray paint clearcoat to protect the carbon fiber, making the clearcoat a sacrificial layer but then again, I don't know of anybody that ever had a carbon rim crack because of stone chips. I think anything less than an accident would be the only thing to cause it to fail. By the way, the fairing part is structual in SRAM S80's where the Mavic Carbones, it is just a fairing. Again, what I do not understand is manufacturers will apply clearcoat to frames but not carbon fiber wheels! Why? They should spray clearcoat on all carbon fiber parts


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## jwk (Jun 17, 2011)

nightfend said:


> The S80's are like tanks. You can certainly ride them everywhere and use them for training. I wouldn't worry about a few dings on the carbon fairing as it is not a structural element of the wheel anyway.


actually they are structual as I have been told by SRAM. But either way was told that they never had a wheel fail because of chips


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