OP
OP
Thinking about new wheels
- Thread starter footloose crow
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C R
Guru
It isn't difficult, but maybe worth watching a couple of videos to see what to expect when you have a go.
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C R
Guru
Wear and tear after 700 miles? In my old bike I have a set of wheels I got off eBay for 30 pounds, and have been going for over 4000 miles with only the occasional grease top up. A set of bearings should not really go bad that quickly unless they are defective or not properly set up.
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Milkfloat
An Peanut
That is just another wheel to replace, the sensible solution is a unicycle.Time to acknowledge the power of 3 wheels. Get a Trike.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I reckon wheels and bearings on new bikes are often low quality because they are cheaper but have just as much showroom appeal for most buyers as better quality wheels.
Put another way, it's hard to differentiate between good and bad wheel and bearing quality when buying a bike.
If the wheels and bearings on the bike are low quality, fettling will only paper over that underlying problem.
I had these Mavics on a heavy ebike which did 5,000 miles with no need to touch them.
DT Swiss spokes and Deore bearings - sounds good to me.
Almost suspiciously cheap at just over a hundred quid a pair.
They are very likely heavier than some, but I reckon they would do a good job for you.
https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/rose-28...10-hybrid-wheelset-716633?product_shape=black
Put another way, it's hard to differentiate between good and bad wheel and bearing quality when buying a bike.
If the wheels and bearings on the bike are low quality, fettling will only paper over that underlying problem.
I had these Mavics on a heavy ebike which did 5,000 miles with no need to touch them.
DT Swiss spokes and Deore bearings - sounds good to me.
Almost suspiciously cheap at just over a hundred quid a pair.
They are very likely heavier than some, but I reckon they would do a good job for you.
https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/rose-28...10-hybrid-wheelset-716633?product_shape=black
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Yellow Saddle
Guru
DT Swiss hubs seems to get a lot or recommendations, but I don't understand why. They are absolute rubbish. The seals are made of Swiss cheese - full of large holes and the bearings are just standard cartridge bearings which have no place in bicycle hubs in anyway.
The rear hubs are particularly problematic. They use proprietary roller bearings and a very thin pawl spring that's prone to rust and then breaks, leaving you without a ratchet up a creek.
It even has its own chocolate factory. After a wet ride and some time to stew, you end up with emulsified, rusty grease like this. That little ring in there is the spring. Two rides like this and it has rusted through and broken.
Avoid like the plague. The only thing with DT Swiss stamped on it that's worth buying is a spoke. They make rubbish suspension and rubbish hubs.
The rear hubs are particularly problematic. They use proprietary roller bearings and a very thin pawl spring that's prone to rust and then breaks, leaving you without a ratchet up a creek.
It even has its own chocolate factory. After a wet ride and some time to stew, you end up with emulsified, rusty grease like this. That little ring in there is the spring. Two rides like this and it has rusted through and broken.
Avoid like the plague. The only thing with DT Swiss stamped on it that's worth buying is a spoke. They make rubbish suspension and rubbish hubs.
wafter
I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
The hubs appear to be 10sp (not 11sp compatable) so that's possibly why
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
The hubs appear to be 10sp (not 11sp compatable) so that's possibly why
Hadn't thought about compatibility - mine were laced into an Alfine 11 at the back and a Shimano dynohub at the front.
I take it the OP's bike will be 11 speed.
I wonder if there's a way to make 11 speed fit - there's often a solution to problems such as this one.
wafter
I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
I did look into this a while ago as my road bike has a 10sp hub. The "proper" answer is of course a new 11sp hub with the deeper freehub to accomodate the larger cassette. There are other "workarounds" depending on the particular components (such as machining a rebate in the back of the cassette or maching the cassette itself) but IIRC none are particularly straightforward so if starting from scratch probably best just to get the 11sp components from the off IMO.
OP
OP
footloose crow
Veteran
The OPs' hubs are indeed 11 speed on a 105 chainset. They are labelled Shimano and have sealed bearings. And rumble like a goods train passing.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Shimano hubs are usually decent, so yours may well be worth servicing if that's possible.
OP
OP
footloose crow
Veteran
I have misled you. Sorry Just been out to bike shed to check my memory and the hubs are labelled 'Cube' - not Shimano- so assume they could have been supplied by anyone and are not necessarily the best. Last nights replies on this forum were really helpful (thanks guys) and prompted me to look for local wheel builders. I found one a few miles away and another (Spokesman Wheels) abroad in Devon. Assuming we are still allowed to travel across the Tamar when corona-panic sets in I will visit for a chat about hubs and wheels. Whilst I agree with everyone's points about 'just mend them', I also think that a decent set of wheels and good hubs are a good investment for the future. I learnt a lot about hubs from different wheel building websites last night in a red wine fuelled google session. They have always been a piece of round metal to me up to now. Knew it did something but not sure how. Clever things aren't they?
Not allowed on my bike for another ten days or so. This is my opportunity to 'Get the wheels done' to borrow a phrase.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I think that's spot on and typical of the hubs supplied on many new bikes.
Your new wheel plan now looks to be the best course of action because the spokes and rims will also be of similar dubious quality.
