Just got a really nice 2nd hand set of Araya track rims. Got them home and realised one of them has a hairline split at the seam. It’s not all the way through of course, but you can slip a sheet of paper down both side walls. Just wondering if the rim would still be OK to build up or do I leave it and get a new one? They look sooo nice!
When you say the ‘seam’, do you mean ‘at the join’? If so, and if it’s not too bad, there honestly isn’t too much trouble using the rim. It’s not great, but keeping in mind that the tension of the spokes creates hoop stress around the rim, which will pull the gap closed, it’s acceptable for a second hand rim.
Also, I’ve seen plenty of brand new rims that are pinned at the join with the same thing, and that’s from factory! They’re mostly cheap single wall rims which I wouldn’t ever recommend, however once built, as I said before, the gap in the rim closes up so that you can’t see it anymore.
Thanks. That’s what I was hoping. As long as it’s not likely to pringle on me whilst riding, that’s cool.