Swapping a freehub

Dizeee
Dizeee Posts: 337
edited January 2019 in Road general
I am literally about to buy a new best bike, but just before I clicked on confirm, I realised that the wheels I want to swap from my current best bike onto the new one have a Campag free hub .They are Wheelsmith Aero 50's.

How straightforward is it going to be to change the current freehub to a Shimano one so I am able to swap the wheels over?

Cheers

Comments

  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    If your running 11 speed you don’t need to swap, 11 speed Campagnolo cassette and Shimano running gear will work.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,416
    according to their website those wheels are available with a number of different hubs

    depends which hub you have

    if they have dt240s hubs it's very easy...

    remove cassette

    pull off the drive side end cap (axle vice or a pair of big pliers) then the freehub body just pulls off by hand *

    slide new fhb on

    push the end cap back on firmly until it locks in place on the axle

    fit cassette

    done

    * while the fhb is off it's a good time to see if the rest of the hub needs a clean/grease

    whichever hub you have, chances are you'll find instructions can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Dizeee
    Dizeee Posts: 337
    Thanks, it is 11 speed, but some bike shops when I asked have said the wheels need sending back to Wheelsmith as they won't e able to do it. Sigma have said they ca, but only verbally on the phone and without going into much detail. I am waiting on something from them in writing to confirm as I really don't want to have to be boxing them up and sending them back.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,416
    which hub is on the wheels? ("11-speed" is not a make+model of hub)

    if it's not printed on the hub, take a clear photo showing the hub and post it here

    or if it's their own-branded one, they sell replacement freehubs, just email them and ask

    http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/product-page/aero-38-50-60
    http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/product-pag ... hub-bodies
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    Dizeee wrote:
    Thanks, it is 11 speed, but some bike shops when I asked have said the wheels need sending back to Wheelsmith as they won't e able to do it. Sigma have said they ca, but only verbally on the phone and without going into much detail. I am waiting on something from them in writing to confirm as I really don't want to have to be boxing them up and sending them back.

    As already said the spacing is the same on 11 speed, so you don't need to worry. I run a Sram cassette on an all Campagnolo groupset without an issue.
  • Dizeee
    Dizeee Posts: 337
    It is their own hubs and they are the Aero 50 wheels, which I believe are a generic chinese clincher.
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    Not to labour the point but still confused as to why the need to swap the freehub at all?
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,416
    Dizeee wrote:
    It is their own hubs and they are the Aero 50 wheels, which I believe are a generic chinese clincher.
    then either do as suggested and keep the existing cassette, or get the shimano fhb from ws and swap it
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Campag 11 speed and Shimano 11 speed spacing are not the same so that why a swap is advised. Shifting will never be quite right.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    Malcom you are the expert buts lots of people are running this without issue.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    has he mentioned tubeless yet?
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    With 11sp it appears that the spacing is much closer between brands and thus doesn’t present a problem swapping between manufacturers.

    https://fitwerx.com/campagnolo-shimano-and-sram-11-speed-wheel-compatiblity/

    It also appears the great Leonard Zinn came to the same conclusion...

    PP
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I know lots of people do it and they don't notice. I deal with people who would notice. I notice too having tried. Acceptable is the result but not how campagnolo intend.

    The difference in spacing ends up being 0.1 to 0.2 mm in total. To compound matters the spacing on campagnolo cassettes changes for the last few cogs but remains constant for Shimano cassettes. The difference is not big but it's there and shows itself with a bit if extra noise. The difference can be masked by hangers that are out if alignment or the cage sitting to far or to close to the cassette. I'm picky.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    I know lots of people do it and they don't notice. I deal with people who would notice. I notice too having tried. Acceptable is the result but not how campagnolo intend.

    The difference in spacing ends up being 0.1 to 0.2 mm in total. To compound matters the spacing on campagnolo cassettes changes for the last few cogs but remains constant for Shimano cassettes. The difference is not big but it's there and shows itself with a bit if extra noise. The difference can be masked by hangers that are out if alignment or the cage sitting to far or to close to the cassette. I'm picky.

    He's right you know. many people ride around on very sub optimal bikes with dirty drive chains or drive trains that are not set up properly; possibly blissfully unaware but those of us who like things to be right find this kind of rubbing and noise un necessary and unwelcome.

    If youre going to service your bike or buy a new one do it properly....
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/art ... ike-53448/

    Some people are apparently less fussy; Ultegra cassette with a Campag drivetrain

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