# Farsports 38mm clinchers (issue)



## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

**Please don't move this to the massive Chinese wheel thread. It will get lost.

So, I took my wheelset that has about 400 miles on them over to my wheelbuilder (very respected here in San Diego for over 20 years). I wanted him to true the rear wheel, which really did not need it yet, but I am cautious and like to keep them in great shape.

He noticed that my rear wheel brake track has warped and that both front and rear brake tracks have esentially melted.

I build my own bikes and am very knowledgeable about bikes. I have been riding/racing for nearly 20 years.

I NEVER run over 110psi and I NEVER was on a descent lasting more than a few minutes tops. I only weigh 153 lbs.

I am assuming that the rims got hot...got malleable...psi went up....bulged...pushed rim outward....cooled = now warped.

I used the supplied blue brake pads.

I am bummed. I have loved these wheels so far, but they are now most likely a risk. 

I am assuming that Farsports is good with warranties. I did look up using the "search" feature and did not find much. Maybe I missed some posts in the HUGE thread. I do recall a member having an issue similar to mine, but could not locate his post.

Anybody have any recommendations? Will Farsports be cool about this? I wanted to bounce this off of you all before I contact them and see if this is a fairly common issue that has already been addressed.

Thanks. I can post pics later, but have to remove the tires to place a straight edge on it. I don't have a truing stand.

If/when I contact Farsports, I will report back and let you all know if they were understanding/helpful or not. Crap!


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## lbkwak (Feb 22, 2012)

Looks like this should be in the "Massive Chinese wheel" thread.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

lbkwak said:


> Looks like this should be in the "Massive Chinese wheel" thread.


I don't expect you to be anything but a jerk in these forums. At least you didn't tell me to STFU like you have to others. Thanks.

Anyone care to help out here?


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## lbkwak (Feb 22, 2012)

Oh come on....don't edit what you've posted. That's not cool:nono:


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## adam_mac84 (Sep 22, 2010)

Recommendations? Contact Farsports. Wether or not others have had a good time with returns with them, you are going to have to contact them to find out... good luck


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## Enoch562 (May 13, 2010)

throw up some pics if you get a chance, and by all means keep us posted.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

I went ahead and emailed Smart at Farsports and explained my case. I hope they understand. I know there are so many JRA stories out there, but really, I babied these things. I had just downloaded an article called "Proper care and feeding of carbon rims" too...haha.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

Based on what is your LBS claiming that the brake tracks melted? My guess is that he hasn't seen the basalt surface before and doesn't really know what he is looking at. That is just my guess, I clearly could be wrong, but I would at least get a second opinion if I were you.


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## carlislegeorge (Mar 28, 2004)

lbkwak said:


> Looks like this should be in the "Massive Chinese wheel" thread.


Actually, it is double posted there.

Now, now...play nice....this was at least posted in the proper wheels and tires sub-forum, after all. And if that happened to my wheels, I'd likely lose my sense of humor too, at least temporarily. 

Lucky me, I just ordered a set of these rims tonight (true story). Hopefully, they won't delaminate in mid air before they get here.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

carlislegeorge said:


> Hopefully, they won't delaminate in mid air before they get here.


They probably won't delaminate....but they might get beat up a little by the USPS...


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

While I am looking up old pictures...

To the OP, this is a normal looking brake track from FS. I still think there is a good chance that your LBS simply mistook it for being ruined.

Oh, and regarding warranties, one of my rims arrived slightly warped and with the defect pictured below. Farsport sent a new rim, but would not pay to have the wheel rebuilt. I hope the improve the QC, but their warranty service seems to be better than average for the industry.










Ignore the chip in the brake track...


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

@ rydbyk

You really need to post pics if forum support is what you are after.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

dcgriz said:


> @ rydbyk
> 
> You really need to post pics if forum support is what you are after.


Agreed 100%. I will remove the tires so that I can place a straight edge across the brake surface to show warped areas. I am guessing that the warped area is +/- 3mm outward in one section.

Pics by tonight hopefully.

I emailed Smart at Farsports yesterday. Will keep you all posted on the communication/warranty of the rims.


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

if you hadn't taken them to a shop would you have noticed? How do you know they weren't sent to you this way 400 miles ago? don't see this as a hazard unless the tire needs to be re-glued.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

cmg said:


> if you hadn't taken them to a shop would you have noticed? How do you know they weren't sent to you this way 400 miles ago? don't see this as a hazard unless the tire needs to be re-glued.


I WISH I got the tubulars, as tubs expand and don't put force on the braking surface. Either way...shipped to me or not, they are faulty rims. Yes, I did notice it when I spun the wheel and watched the distance change from the brake pads (truing stand effect). What I failed to notice was that the wheel is totally true and the warped area made it appear to be slightly out of true. The bulged area is on both sides of the rim in the same spot leading me to feel that the rim had equal pressure on both lateral sides = warped outward now.

Dunno.. Descending at 30+ mph with a carbon faulty wheel spinning with great force in the direction of my calves is a little alarming IF the carbon was to splinter and break apart. It happens. Not pretty. Again, I absolutely love these wheels and perhaps mine are just a bad set. EVERY bike company has made a couple mistakes here and there. Nothing new..

Having said that, I have owned 20+ bikes over the years and I have only had to warranty 2 things. 1. a recalled NINER frame and 2. SRAM force lever that stopped functioning.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

yikes!! that box looks like it was dropped from the plane on top of your house!


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Can you make make measurements of the rim width at the brake tracks with a caliper? If it varies by 3mm it's a QC failure for sure. The worst rim I have received had about .4mm variation and that caused severe brake pulsing. 3mm would be extreme.

Close inspection would also indicate if the rim had "bulged"- the brake track angle in that spot would be different from the rest of the rim.


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## bicyclenetcn (Feb 21, 2013)

china wheel companys have farsports, dengfu, yishunbike. i think yishunbike wheels pro than other company.


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## config (Aug 16, 2002)

Farsport sent me a new rim after my rear rim developed small bubble-type lumps on the brake track after approx 450 miles They sent the rim but I paid for shipping and had to get it rebuilt. I was happy with their response and service. Because of that, I would not hesitate to purchase from them again.


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

rydbyk said:


> I WISH I got the tubulars, as tubs expand and don't put force on the braking surface.


Not to derail the thread, but I'll follow your advice, being an old school tubular sort myself. Daily wheels are HED CD tubular with CK R45's. I'm building up a set of new SL23's w/ CK R45's at the moment as tubulars seem to be on the way out and folks seem to think they are too labor intensive. After fussing with the new rim and a tire on the modern clinchers, I'm thinking I'll stick with tubulars on everything (even a trainer/roller wheel as Vittoria Rally's are cheap).


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

Pit Stop sealant seems to be the fix of choice for thorn type flats on tubs. Just throw some in your jersey pocket. I just fear the sidewall tear / tire laceration type flat with the tubs. For this reason, I would need to pack an entire tire into my jersey pocket. No thanks.. The ride quality of tubs is a bit better than clinchers generally..

So I tried to show the warped area in photos last night. It is proving more difficult than I thought. Because the rim is circular and my straight edges are straight (used both a level and a square), they do not span the curve appropriately to adequately show what has happened. It is more like they just end up connecting two parts of the rim that have no issue. I can't lay the rim on a granite countertop because the hub gets in the way..also, countertops are not always perfectly flat anyhow..

Also, just by feel, I can tell that a section of the rim's brake surface has slightly warped from a spoke to tire vertical direction outward...kinda flares outward as you approach the tires...argh.

I know pics or it didn't happen right!?

Next step will be to try to get ahold of some calipers and perhaps take pics of the inconsistencies around the rim. Thanks for all of the responses so far.


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

rydbyk said:


> So I tried to show the warped area in photos last night. It is proving more difficult than I thought. Because the rim is circular and my straight edges are straight (used both a level and a square), they do not span the curve appropriately to adequately show what has happened. It is more like they just end up connecting two parts of the rim that have no issue. I can't lay the rim on a granite countertop because the hub gets in the way..also, countertops are not always perfectly flat anyhow..


The easiest would be a "surface plate", granite table in a lab.
Not something everyone has access to.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

rydbyk said:


> Dunno.. Descending at 30+ mph with a carbon faulty wheel spinning with great force in the direction of my calves is a little alarming IF the carbon was to splinter and break apart. It happens. Not pretty. Again, I absolutely love these wheels and perhaps mine are just a bad set. EVERY bike company has made a couple mistakes here and there. Nothing new..


Honestly, splintering carbon would be the very least of your worries here. The failure mode will be a sudden blowout at speed at which point you risk going down pretty hard.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

It was really difficult to show the warped areas in the pics. Anyhow, I found this today..

View attachment 276004


View attachment 276005


View attachment 276006


I mounted a tube/tire (after pics were taken) and the tube exploded at 95psi because that carbon shard sliced my tube.

Also, Farsports sent me a complaint form to fill out. Not sure if it is even worth it... I am going to relace my PT hub to a new set of hoops from Zipp.

**Pics show on my mac, but not on pc.. hmm..


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## the mayor (Jul 8, 2004)

So let me get this straight.
You rode 400 miles on this wheel....then brought it to a shop who told you it was bad.
And now suddenly it won't hold a tire? And there's carbon shards?


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

Thanks Config...not even sure it worth paying the shipping. How much was it? I filled out the Farsports complaint excel form and included pics. I have no doubt they will warranty this wheel...

View attachment 276072
View attachment 276073
View attachment 276074


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

the mayor said:


> So let me get this straight.
> You rode 400 miles on this wheel....then brought it to a shop who told you it was bad.
> And now suddenly it won't hold a tire? And there's carbon shards?


Yes. Good summary.


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