Crash, a bent wheel, no broken bones, but no idea what's next

[hsoli]

Hi all,

Back in September I crashed in the Arizona desert on the tail end of a long road trip. My bike has been sitting all winter, and now that school is over I have the time and energy to fix up my bike again.
It's up and running now, and after an inspection at the mechanic, it's been determined that the severe bend in the front rim is the only thing that is compromising the handling and safety of the bike. Additionally, it's leaking air slowly. The bike is fine at low speed around town, but I'd like to get it ready for another trip this summer, and I need to figure out what to do with the wheel now.

It looks like my only options are going to be either fixing the wheel or buying a replacement. Have any of you been in a similar situation? I have Ride-On tire sealant and balancer; would this help to mitigate the vibration at slightly higher speeds by balancing the wheel? I'm not willing to take the bike up to speed until I'm 100% confident that it is safe to do so, so I'd appreciate any advice. Especially if my ideas could end up getting me hurt. I can add photos if that would help.

Thanks in advance!
H

 

[mreric]

just buy a new wheel, that would be the best solution.

 

[HarveyM]

Your cheaper solution is to have your rim repaired- Front Wheel Woes

 

[Madison Sully]

I'm in the 'buy a new wheel' camp.

 

[670cc]

I'm in the 'buy a new wheel' camp.

That's an option, but the new wheel comes at a price, approximately $500, depending on the model year.

For a 2018:
WHEEL SUB-ASSY., FR. (TYPE2) (COO)

MSRP: $616.18
Dealer Price: $492.94

 

[booblinker]

That's an option, but the new wheel comes at a price, approximately $500, depending on the model year.

For a 2018:
WHEEL SUB-ASSY., FR. (TYPE2) (COO)

MSRP: $616.18
Dealer Price: $492.94

Bring a Cheapass < my safety
I vote for spend the money and buy new, or good condition used.

 

[hsoli]

I found a front wheel replacement on Partzilla for $425 (part number 44650-MKA-315ZA), however it says it's for the 2016-2018 NC. There's another one (part number 44650-MGS-306) that fits my 2013 NC. Are the wheels actually any different? Can I get away with saving the $60? I'm a college student, so any savings would be great. If not, then I think I'll just pull the trigger and get the new wheel specific to my bike.

 

[670cc]

I found a front wheel replacement on Partzilla for $425 (part number 44650-MKA-315ZA), however it says it's for the 2016-2018 NC. There's another one (part number 44650-MGS-306) that fits my 2013 NC. Are the wheels actually any different? Can I get away with saving the $60? I'm a college student, so any savings would be great. If not, then I think I'll just pull the trigger and get the new wheel specific to my bike.

The wheels came in different colors over the years, which might explain the different part numbers. You might end up with a silver front wheel and a dark grey rear wheel.

 

[Rapturee]

repair or replace, that's up to you. A friend of mine ruined one of his wheels last year as well and he scored a nice used one on FleaBay for a good price. Do some shopping around and grab what you can and get back to riding! :{)