Different kind of new wheels thread.....

[simon the viking]

I took my back wheel on my 6 month old defy 2 to have the bearings done today as it is very noisy and the LBS bloke bought it back to me a few hours later with bad news.....

I've done best part of 2000 miles in all weathers (winter bike didn't get a look in..... learnt my lesson there) and basically the free wheel is what was making the noise and is a bit poorly

Apparently it is part of the wheel and cannot be serviced.... to say I was annoyed was a bit of an understatement, I queried the warranty aspect and my (very good) LBS said that if returned to Giant it would be rejected as normal wear and tear and he admitted that I have been unlucky but its not unheard of failure at relatively lowish mileage.....

Has anyone else had a problem like this.......

He basically said I had 3 options.... Wait for it to fail catastrophically which maybe 2 months or 2 years, or pay £80 - £100 and possibly have same problem again within a year or spend £200 on the best (ish) alloy wheels Giant do with a serviceable freewheel.....

Do people have any ideas on alternatives they MUST have a servicable freewheel (and preferably sealed bearings he said a sealed hub would out last me...)

All this is a shock to me in the past my freewheel has been in the back block and could be changed with the sprockets for £10 quid......

I have decided to go for a long term option and spend about the £200 quid he suggested... when I discussed it with Mrs V, well I will just say I didn't know a woman's mouth could go that thin.....

 

[young Ed]

free hubs are cheaper than £80
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t...aper+expert+&_nkw=free+hub&_sacat=0&_from=R40

how about fulcrum 7 wheels they have sealed but replaceable hub bearings?
Cheers Ed

 

[gbb]

You now appear to have a freehub, with cassette..not the old style freewheel where the ratchet was inside the screw on block..is that right ?
Personally id just buy a new pair of factory built wheels...Fulcrum 5s are available for less than £150..good wheels (but look at the weight specs if youre of a larger build )..or Shimano wheels...theres plenty of choice out there if you're not stuck with the idea of Giant wheels.
I like your description of the wifes reaction BTW

 

[simon.r]

Something like a 105 hub built onto a rim of your choice. Not sealed bearings, but will last for years with a service every so often. In the very unlikely event that the freehub fails, easily and fairly cheaply replaceable. Well under £200 as well - you could probably get a matching front wheel for your budget.

 

[TissoT]

Would buy a new set of wheels for a lot cheaper !

 

[simon the viking]

Thanks guys .....
@young Ed, the problem is (I think) is that the freehub cant be changed....
@gbb yes it is a freehub and cassette.... that's the irony I spend 4 times the price of my first road bike and have a scrap back wheel 6 months later I may look at other options like the fulcrums before I commit to the Giant wheels....
@simon.r I did discuss a new hub being built into existing rim but he said a quality hub, free wheel and building would over the hundred quid mark (especially if hub diameter was different and needed new spokes)

 

[simon the viking]

[QUOTE 3007226, member: 259"]It's failed after 2000 miles on a 6 month old bike? Get Giant to fix it under guarantee, that's just daft.[/QUOTE]
I thought that but he reckons Giant will reject it as wear and tear (apparently they are pretty tight on warranty claims) as it has been used in all weathers ....... I am pretty p*****d off about it TBH

 

[Tim Hall]

[QUOTE 3007226, member: 259"]It's failed after 2000 miles on a 6 month old bike? Get Giant to fix it under guarantee, that's just daft.[/QUOTE]
What Mort says. But a bit of internet digging suggests Giant do do a freehub body, FH04 for their hub GC0328. Whether that's the hub you have I don't know, but it did strike me as daft that you can't get a replacement.

 

[simon the viking]

What Mort says. But a bit of internet digging suggests Giant do do a freehub body, FH04 for their hub GC0328. Whether that's the hub you have I don't know, but it did strike me as daft that you can't get a replacement.

I think what he was saying was that on the cheaper stock wheels the freewheel is non replaceable you have to go right to the top of the bike range to get this option..... Now the shock has worn off I will query it again tomorrow before I make a decision but I may look at fulcrum 7's before I commit to the Giant option....
I'm going to use my old bike for a few days as the noise is both embarrassing and upsetting

 

[totallyfixed]

Sorry to say this but Giant are all about quantity and not quality. A good friend of ours bought a Giant hybrid, everything about it was cheap, their accessories are even worse quality and all at a high price.

 

[TheDoctor]

Chain reaction do Shimano wheels from £75 the pair, or £59 for just the rear.
I wouldn't be going anywhere near Giant wheels after that. I'd maybe be avoiding your LBS too.

 

[simon the viking]

I might avoid the giant wheels but can't see what avoiding Lbs would do he's only telling me that the stock wheels have a design fault, he didn't force me to buy the bike.... Unless the opinion of the thread is that's he's wrong and freewheel can be changed.... Is he? Can it?,

 

[simon.r]

I remember an old thread where a similar issue was discussed, but re a Specialized (I think) freehub. The outcome was that the freewheel was an integral part of the hub, so when that went the wheel was pretty much throwaway.

I still think you should look at a traditional Shimano hub - they may not be the flashiest / lightest, but they do work!

 

[Tim Hall]

It does seem odd that you can't get a freehub for it. I can't see the complete hub being one piece, it would be harder to manufacture, so the freehub should exist as a separate component. But I'm not your LBS, who have years of experience.

Giant's response sucks bigtime whether or not you can get a replacement freehub.

 

[TheDoctor]

LBS didn't suggest 'wheels other than Giant' and dismissed the warranty claim. That's what I'd be unhappy about.
My shimano r500 wheels are going strong after 12 years and no maintenance, and they cost me £60 IIRC.