The Westwood rim style of cycle rim used on

bicycles A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

was one of the original steel rim designs, developed during or before 1891 by Frederick Westwood of Birmingham. Bowden brakes and

cables Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

designed for use with this rim were introduced in 1896. Westwood rims have also been found ideal for use with

drum brakes A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum. The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...

. They were last used on the roadster cycles found in Britain up to the 1980s and still common in

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and

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and

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and becoming common once again in Europe. Westwood rims have rounded sides, so they are not suitable for use with caliper brakes. Westwood rims features a wide single-wall cross section, the inside circumference of the rim has a contoured section shape to aid with strength. Today Westwood profile rims found in the

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

are mostly used in drum brake system roadsters and, to a lesser degree, in bicycles with coaster brake systems.

Variations and sizes

Raleigh Bicycle Company The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a British bicycle manufacturer based in Nottingham, England and founded by Woodhead and Angois in 1885. Using Raleigh as their brand name, it is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. After being acqui ...

developed a variation that combined the rod braking surfaces of Westwood rims with flat sides for caliper braking. It has been called "Raleigh Pattern" and "Westrick". They are noted for their strength, and there is also a

Schwinn Bicycle Company The Schwinn Bicycle Company is an American company that develops, manufactures and markets bicycles under the eponymous brand name. The company was originally founded by Ignaz Schwinn (1860–1948) in Chicago in 1895. It became the dominant manuf ...

copy of this design. Westwood profile rims are most commonly seen in sizes 635 mm (), also marked 700 B,
but they are made in most of the middleweight sizes of: * 590 mm (650 A) – * 584 mm (650 B) – * 540 mm (600 A) – * 507 mm () * 406 mm ()

References

{{reflist Bicycle wheels

Variations and sizes

See also

References