Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

New wheels day....what am i doing wrong?

This is most frustrating! The second best feeling after new bike day is new wheels day obviously.

However, after fitting my lovely new hunt aero sprint wheels to my rourke to complete the classic modern retro look i turn the peddles and its really stiff, pedal backwards and the cassette hardly spins l, chain sags and falls off!

I refitted the campagnolo chorus cassette off my old wheels. Ive tried loosening the lockring, greasing the qr, spraying wd40 on moving parts. The brakes are clear of the rims. Ive just admitted defeat and had to leave the maiden voyage for another day. Have i done something wrong or should i contact hunt?

Thanks in advance

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

16 comments

Avatar
moorsey72 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Wheels fitted and ready for action!

Avatar
kil0ran replied to moorsey72 | 4 years ago
0 likes

moorsey72 wrote:

Wheels fitted and ready for action!

Nice - how silvery/chromed are they? They'd be a great match for my Bowman Layhams (lots of exposed stainless steel) but photos don't seem to do them justice. Are they sort of gunmetal grey?

Avatar
moorsey72 | 4 years ago
1 like

Just an update. A combination of persistence and fantastic advice from you all paid off in the end. The wheel actually wouldnt spin backwards at all while holding the axles by hand and trying to spin it. So loosend the axle a little using a 5mm hex key and then loosened the lockring a little, hey presto! Wheel now spinning freely. Thanks everyone, now to get out and see how these babies roll!

Avatar
Jimmy Ray Will | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sounds like your cassette is touching the frame.
Did the wheels come with a dedicated lock ring, or are you using the standard campagnolo lock ring?

Avatar
racyrich | 4 years ago
1 like

So, there's no physical contact between wheel and frame.

The wheel spins OK in your hand, but when clamped in the frame by QR it's stiff. Maybe you need to slacken the wheel bearings slightly as it seems the compression on the axle casued by the QR's tension is putting too much load on them.

This used to be common with cup and cone wheel bearings but not so much with sealed bearings. 

Avatar
moorsey72 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Had a look last night and when i unlock the qr it seems to free up the wheel a lot and actually pedals backwards, although still sticky. When the qr is locked back on even lightly the wheel foes stiff again, could it be cassette/derailleur?

Avatar
moorsey72 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for all the great advice ill check everything when i get in. Its a 11 speed chorus cassette, rourke frame is only 18 months old, ive used some handbuilts with ambrosio hubs and campy neutrons with no issues.

Avatar
racyrich | 4 years ago
0 likes

Is it rubbing the frame?  Last new wheels I got the cassette lockring was just rubbing the head of the detachable dropout allen bolt.

Not easy to cure. I had to ditch the thin washer behind the cassette and use a 10 speed top cog on an 11 cassette. 

Avatar
kil0ran | 4 years ago
0 likes

Cassette alignment? Does it need a spacer? The Hunts will be 11-speed wheels. Not familiar with Chorus - how many speeds?

The derailleur kicking when back-pedalling points to a stiff link or an alignment issue, as you've ruled out the freehub pawls with the cassette test off the bike.

Pop the wheel in, leave the QR unlocked, and pop the bike back on the ground. I find that gravity does the best job of aligning the wheel and making sure it's centred in the dropouts.

How old is the Rourke frame? Did it slide easily into the dropouts? Wondering if it's a frame spacing issue.

Avatar
srchar | 4 years ago
0 likes

You say the brakes are released - perhaps wheel is rubbing on frame near bottom bracket due to axle not being seated correctly?

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 4 years ago
1 like

Take wheel out and hold it on mounts where is sits in QR slots.  Spin wheel, it should be very smooth with little resistance.  If its fine like that then its a mounting issue and needs to be investigated how you're putting it in the frame

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
0 likes

You haven't fiddled with any other part of the drivetrain? Derailleur cogs are a favourite cock up item for me.

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Are you using a lightish lube between the freehub and the hub.  A thick one might create some sticktion on the interface.

Avatar
mikewood | 4 years ago
0 likes

Try spinning the cranks backwards with the skewer cracked off. Maybe that's clamping things up too tight

Avatar
srchar | 4 years ago
2 likes

Can you freely spin the cassette backwards when the wheel is off the bike? If not, take cassette off and see if you can spin the freehub. If not, knackered freehub.

Avatar
moorsey72 replied to srchar | 4 years ago
0 likes

srchar wrote:

Can you freely spin the cassette backwards when the wheel is off the bike? If not, take cassette off and see if you can spin the freehub. If not, knackered freehub.

yes cassette spins ok when wheel off the bike

Latest Comments