Not looking for advice here: just a rant. 
Just had (another) freehub failure: the third in the past year. In each case it's the ratchet graunching and then spinning forwards uselessly. I'm pretty certain I know what the problem is: broken or displaced pawl springs. Each time it was a 9-speed Campag-compatible hub on Fulcrum wheel - F5 or F7.
The other two were almost new wheels and I got them fixed under warranty. This latest has at least seen a good few miles (about 10,000) and I shall be scrapping it now, replacing with one of the previously-fixed ones which I have as a spare. So at least I can get back on the road.
Don't get me wrong here: I think the build quality of the F5/F7 wheels themselves is excellent, for the price: there is very little rim wear and the wheel, despite never having been re-trued, still runs almost as true as new. All the spokes are still perfectly tight. No, it's just the hubs that have let me down: but really I can't have a hub suddenly giving out on me as I'm negotiating a roundabout...
I think, after the present (almost new) cassette wears down, I shall switch brands: get a new wheel of a different make and go for non-campag this time. I've been loyal to Campag for years but Shimano beckons!
Just had (another) freehub failure: the third in the past year. In each case it's the ratchet graunching and then spinning forwards uselessly. I'm pretty certain I know what the problem is: broken or displaced pawl springs. Each time it was a 9-speed Campag-compatible hub on Fulcrum wheel - F5 or F7.
The other two were almost new wheels and I got them fixed under warranty. This latest has at least seen a good few miles (about 10,000) and I shall be scrapping it now, replacing with one of the previously-fixed ones which I have as a spare. So at least I can get back on the road.
Don't get me wrong here: I think the build quality of the F5/F7 wheels themselves is excellent, for the price: there is very little rim wear and the wheel, despite never having been re-trued, still runs almost as true as new. All the spokes are still perfectly tight. No, it's just the hubs that have let me down: but really I can't have a hub suddenly giving out on me as I'm negotiating a roundabout...
I think, after the present (almost new) cassette wears down, I shall switch brands: get a new wheel of a different make and go for non-campag this time. I've been loyal to Campag for years but Shimano beckons!
