How to Customize Your Bicycle Rims

A bicycle rim rests between the inner tube and the spokes.

A bicycle rim is the round metal hoop of a bike wheel that is attached by the spokes to the central hub. Usually, rims are either silver or anodized black. Over time they can get scratched or wobbly (out of true). However, there are several options for custom bicycle rims that can make them more functional and fancier. You can give your wheel and rims a custom rebuild, ensuring a cool spoke display and a straightened rim; you can decorate your rims with reflective tape, objects or color; or you can get new rims altogether.

Things You'll Need

• Set of bicycle wheel tools
• Truing stand
• Reflective tape
• Glue and small decorations, such as rhinestones

Instructions

Rebuild The Wheel

1. Remove the old tire, tube and rim tape.

2. 

   This is a closeup of a rear hub and spokes.

   Clip or unscrew all of the rim's spokes and nipples, and remove them.

3. Remove the hub from the old spokes. If you'd like to replace it with a new hub, be sure to donate the old one to a bike project that will reuse it, such as the Bike Church.

4. Re-lace the rim with new spokes and nipples, and with either a new hub or the old one. The lacing pattern you select will both showcase your rim and affect the feel of the rim as you ride, so do some research and choose carefully.

5. Tension (true) the rim carefully as you tighten the spokes. Taking care during this step will ensure that the rim is straight (true), making for a smoother, more energy-efficient ride. Also, the more true your rim is, the better your brakes will work.

6. Put a tube, tire and rim tape on your rebuilt wheel. You can use your old tube, tire and rim tape or replace these with new ones.

Decorate The Rim

1. Add reflective tape between the spokes. You can't apply it to the areas of the rim that touch the brakes, so use it only on the inside surface of the rim.

2. 

   Make your rims sparkle.

   Use glue to adhere decorations, such as rhinestones, to the areas of the rim between the spokes. Be sure to use a glue that will strongly secure the decorations but that won't degrade the strength of the rim.

3. Get the rims anodized. Anodizing is a process that gives aluminum rims a shiny, colorful sheen. You can do this at home or send the rims to a shop that does commercial anodizing.

Get New Rims

1. Check out all your options. You may want spinner rims if you have a chopper bike, or deep V rims with a patterned finish for a track bike.

2. Shop for the best price, quality, manufacturer and seller. This includes doing Internet searches for that type of rim, asking friends and chatting about options at your local bike project or bike shop.

3. Purchase the rims and replace your old rims. When replacing your old rims, you will probably have to replace your spokes as well.

References

• Bicycle Designer: Spinning Wheels
• Cool Biking Zone: Customizing Your Bicycle Rims
• Nonlintec: Anodizing Aluminum Bicycle Components
• The Bike Biz: Velocity Deep V Fancy Rims

Resources

• The Bike Church Tool Cooperative