WikiPedalia is not endorsed or affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.
Anodized, anodizing
Anodizing is an electroplating process commonly performed on aluminum parts, which forms a thin. protective film of oxidized metal on the surface. Anodizing is sometimes accompanied by the use of a colored dye, which gives a lustrous colored finish to the aluminum parts.
Some rims are "hard" anodized, which produces a hard surface, harder than the natural aluminum, usually in a dark brown or black. This process was popular in the 1980s, as it was presumed to improve the durability of the rim's braking surface, and to make the rim more resistant to cracking around the spoke holes.
Unfortunately, the anodized braking surfaces did not provide as good a grip as natural aluminum, and they presented an unsightly appearance as the dark coating wore off of the sides of the rim.
Even more unfortunately, it developed that the harder surface was also more brittle, causing more problems with cracking around the spoke holes.
