Dent on front rim. Repair or replace?

Whilst riding the Tour de Yorkshire sportive a week ago my front wheel took a significant knock. I didn’t notice what I’d hit. Anyway, I checked my bike last night and there’s a dent on the rim. These are Cero AR30 aluminium wheels and my rear wheel had a similar dent that I bent back into place. Feels like they’re made of cheese.

I think I could bend the dent on the front wheel back into place but I’m worried about racing on it and it failing on a descent. Am I worrying about nothing or should I look to replace it?

Without photos it’s difficult to answer, but any kind of damage that necessitates being bent back into place sounds a little iffy to me. I would get the wheel rebuilt with a new rim (if possible) or replace if not possible.

Having a rim go is not a pleasant experience and dental bills will certainly amount to more than a replacement wheel would cost.

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I think that answers your question! Replace the wheel(s)!

Wheel failures on the flat may or may not suck. Wheel failure while bombing a descent is almost guaranteed to suck, especially a front wheel failure!

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Aluminum does not take bending very well - it cracks.

It actually bends fine, one direction. All aluminum wheels are made with a straight extrusion, then rolled (bent) into the desired rim size.

What aluminum doesn’t handle well is bending back in the opposite direction. It will crack in many cases, but tends to weaken even if there aren’t visible signs of damage.

As above, a new hoop is the safest option.

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I dented a fat bike aluminum wheel, tried to bend it back, and cracked the aluminum. I picked up a replacement rim for cheap. And it was a good excuse to learn how to lace up a wheel.

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Thanks. Consensus is that I should replace it. That’s helps justify the cost.

Replace it - you owe it to yourself and your nearest and dearest.
Pay the money, get a better set of wheels and think of it as being for the benefit of others not yourself.

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Repair it. Adjustable crescent wrench with a shop cloth to protect the braking surface works well. If it cracks replace it.

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I recommend getting a set of wheels or single wheel built up. That way if something goes you can send them back to the builder and get parts replaced, rebuilt, serviced etc. at the fraction of the cost of a new set of wheels.

Then in the future you could have a matching rear built if you just buy the front!

I have a couple of sets of wheels from a UK builder called DCR wheels and have nothing but good things to say about them.