Tarty new wheels question

Bassjunkieuk

OK so they might not be very tarty new wheels but I managed to get a nice set of black Mavic Aksium's for my birthday this year.

I haven't fitted them yet as I'm waiting on getting some new brake pads and tyres (and possibly inner tubes - might as well replace em whilst I have the wheels apart, start the new year fresh!) my question is do I need to keep the hideous looking bit of black plastic that sits behind the cassette on the rear wheel?

Compared to the current protector on the bike (Alex DA22 wheels on a Giant SCR 3.0) it is massive and is certainly going to come out further then the cassette! I understand it will keep dirt out from the insides and I'll happily admit I'm not always as on-the-ball with the cleaning as I'd like to be (5 kids does that!) so it might be best left on for a *bit* of protection.

Also and this might seem like a silly question (another one....) I assume I'll need rim tape? Looking at the rims as they are there aren't any spoke nipples visible on the internal side of the rims so I thought I might get away with it, if not I'll just add it to the wish list and forget to mention it to the missus, what she can't see won't hurt me :-)

itboffin

You don't have to keep the protector on and in many cases these tend to be as you say ugly looking plastic devices, i've taken them off all my wheels except the Trek standard bontrager as they're so few spokes I wouldn't want to risk the chain hitting them.

Rim tape is cheap and you do need it, nothings more annoying than a puncture that could have been prevented for less than £2 per wheel.

Let me know how you get on with those wheels i'm planning on a pair myself.

Bassjunkieuk

Cheers ITB! I'm working just up the road from GB Cycles in Croydon on Friday (next year!!) so I'm gonna pop down there as I spotted they currently have a sale on via their website and the Conti Gator Skins I want are a couple of quid cheaper then on wiggle :-) So I'll just pop down there and phone the wife with a "I've just found these tyres........."

As for the wheels I've seen some fairly good write-ups on them and I even think Mr SCR 08 use's a set so if they can survive with his ample frame over London roads then I should be fine ;-)

greg66_tri_v2.0

I have been told by a bike shop that it's there in case you drop your chain between the largest sprocket and the wheel - specifically, it's there to stop the chain ripping the spokes out. I dunno about this; my (Campy) wheelsets don't have these, and I've dropped the chain in there in the process of re indexing the rear mech with no I'll effects. I'm not quite sure what there would be about some hub/spoke joints that would make them more vulnerable.

I suppose that if your rear mech is set up well this shouldn't be an issue...

always_tyred

Plastic protector thingie - style disaster. If you remove it there is a finite possibility of the chain getting between the spokes and the cassette however this is highly improbable if the bike is at all well set up. I've never used the protectors and I've never had chain get stuck.

Rim tape - check the Mavic website. I have some Ksyriums and I know that these and a number of other Mavic wheels are built by melting holes in the rims and tapping threads for the (proprietory) spoke nipples into them, thereby avoiding having to drill right through the rim, which makes the wheel stronger and enables them to get away with fewer spokes. A side benefit is that you don't need rim tape.

Bassjunkieuk

Always Tyred wrote:

Rim tape - check the Mavic website. I have some Ksyriums and I know that these and a number of other Mavic wheels are built by melting holes in the rims and tapping threads for the (proprietory) spoke nipples into them, thereby avoiding having to drill right through the rim, which makes the wheel stronger and enables them to get away with fewer spokes. A side benefit is that you don't need rim tape.

I'll have a look on the site, from what you say that does seem to be what they have done. The internal surface of the rim where the tape will sit is already lovely and smooth :-)

I've already taken the plastic bit off and understand how it would help with a poorly adjusted rear mech, but as mine seems to be running fine atm and I'm trying to avoid using the big gears unless I hit the bigger hills :-)

Hoping to get to one of the LBSs on Friday to get the tyres, inner tubes and a few other bits so I can hopefully get em fitted soon :-D

Bassjunkieuk

Got all the gear gear to fit the wheels on. New tyres, inner tubes and brake blocks.
Had a look on the Mavic site and it does say they come with rim tape and I had another look yesterday and what I thought was the top of the rim certainly seems to move a bit so I guess the shop fitted it before sending!

Hope to get the whole thing fitted over the weekend and will try and do before and after pics!

cjcp

Always Tyred wrote:

Plastic protector thingie - style disaster. If you remove it there is a finite possibility of the chain getting between the spokes and the cassette however this is highly improbable if the bike is at all well set up. I've never used the protectors and I've never had chain get stuck.

Happened to me for the first time on the way home last night. Half way up an 18% hill, so a tad inconvenient.

Thought the rear gear cable needed adjusting at first, but the cassette was making this funy clicking sound. Checkedthe bike this morning and turns out the lock ring used to keep the cassette in place had come loose, so the cassette had shifted a fraction, but enough to take the chain over the 25 sprocket into the wheel.

Bassjunkieuk

:-D

Finally got them fitted! Not quite as straight forward as I hoped as it seems one of the monkeys at the LBS where I had the service done over-tightened one of the retaining screws on my rear LH brake block, rounding it off quite nicely :evil:
As soon as I put the allen key in it just started slipping, after trying needlenose pliers and trying to cut a line across the top so I could use a flat blade screwdriver I eventually relented and popped down Halfords this morning and got a new pair of cartridge brake blocks.

It wasn't the ideal solution but it has at least given me a spare RH cartridge and a pair of pads. Can't seem to get the new block alligned correctly as as soon as I tighten the nut up it pulls the front of the block away from the rim. Still with the new brake blocks I'm just hoping they'll bed in and sort themselves out!

Bike looks brilliant now, the black wheels looks ace with the black bike! Just need to get it out for a test ride now and get some pics :-)

always_tyred

cjcp wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Plastic protector thingie - style disaster. If you remove it there is a finite possibility of the chain getting between the spokes and the cassette however this is highly improbable if the bike is at all well set up. I've never used the protectors and I've never had chain get stuck.

Happened to me for the first time on the way home last night. Half way up an 18% hill, so a tad inconvenient.

Thought the rear gear cable needed adjusting at first, but the cassette was making this funy clicking sound. Checkedthe bike this morning and turns out the lock ring used to keep the cassette in place had come loose, so the cassette had shifted a fraction, but enough to take the chain over the 25 sprocket into the wheel.

Bummer. No permanent spoke damage I hope.

I'm a compulsive thread stripping over-tightener, so I've never had that particular problem!

cjcp

Always Tyred wrote:

Bummer. No permanent spoke damage I hope.

I'm a compulsive thread stripping over-tightener, so I've never had that particular problem!

Thankfully, no. Cheers. I've just had the rear wheel rebuilt too, so it was the first day's riding on the new wheel. I frantically checked all the spokes and got a bit worried by the clicking sound for the remaining two miles to home.

Bassjunkieuk

Well here's the pic as promised :-) DIdn't wanna post until I'd given it a clean, unfortunately it was starting to get dark when I got outside so not the best lighting :-)



Overall I'm really happy with the new wheels and tyres (Conti Gator Skins), the ride is now really smooth - having had a chance to take it out for a week over some of my familiar routes in London I've now realized just what a difference they make and the lovely noisy freewheel is just a joy!