The Westwood rim style of cycle rim used on bicycles was one of the original steel rim designs, developed during or before 1891. Bowden brakes and cables

Bowden cable

A Bowden cable is a type of flexible cable used to transmit mechanical force or energy by the movement of an inner cable relative to a hollow outer cable housing...

 designed for use with this rim were introduced in 1896. Westwood rims have also been found ideal for use with drum brakes. They were last used on the roadster

Roadster (bicycle)

A roadster, aka English roadster, is a type of utility bicycle once common in Britain and still very common in Asia, Africa, Denmark and the Netherlands, however, during the past several years, traditionally styled roadster bicycles have gained considerable popularity in the United States and...

 cycles found in Britain up to the 1960s and still common in South

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

 and East Asia

East Asia

East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...

 and Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 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 are found in the Occident

Western world

The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...

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

Variations and sizes

Raleigh Bicycle Company

Raleigh Bicycle Company

The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...

 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

Schwinn Bicycle Company

The Schwinn Bicycle Company was founded by German-born mechanical engineer Ignaz Schwinn in Chicago in 1895. It became the dominant manufacturer of American bicycles through most of the 20th century and today it is a sub-brand of Pacific Cycle, owned by the multi-national conglomerate, Dorel...

copy of this design.

Westwood profile rims are most commonly seen in sizes 635 mm (28 x 1 1/2 in), also marked 700 B,

but they are made in most of the middleweight sizes of:

• 590 mm (650 A) – (26 x 1 3/8 in)
• 584 mm (650 B) – (26 x 1 1/2 in)
• 540 mm (600 A) – (24 x 1 3/8 in)
• 507 mm (24 x 1.75 in)
• 406 mm (20 x 1.75 in)