David Marshall

Chain Wizard in Sunninghill wraps with Armouride. Check out their Facebook page.

Some good advice given here but what is needed is the advice of a professional wheel builder. When a wheel starts to give problems like this you need to take a step back and try to assess exactly what is going on. So the nipples are breaking - not unusual for older aluminium nipples. Which ones? Front? Back? Drive? Non drive? Then check if some of the other nipples are able to turn. While you are about it check that the current spokes are the right length. You can then make a judgement as to whether to replace nipples or spokes and on one side or all. Take another step back. Do the components (spokes, rim and hub) warrant a rebuild? Spokes and labour are a significant cost in a wheel so to put that into a poor rim or hub is not wise. I cringe when I hear things like "to replace some of the spokes that they deem not to be good". To me it suggests that the person doing the "deeming" and the wheel builder are not one and the same. I've been building wheels for a living for 12 years and and I can't tell a good from a bad spoke just by looking at them. I can tell damaged, seized or poor quality spokes and those I replace.

Those nipples will all need to be replaced and possibly the spokes as well if it is not viable to remove the nipples. The person replacing the nipple should have warned you that others would likely go. The corrosion is galvanic caused by the two dissimilar metals (steel and aluminium) and the acid (water/mud/sealant etc). If the damage is limited to one wheel leave the other until it causes problems. Brass nipples will deteriorate in the same way but over a longer time - usually longer than the wheel life - and will tend to crumble rather than seize onto the spokes. If you can remove the nipples you are looking at the cost of a wheelbuild and the nipples (couple of hundred Rand). With a set of spokes it will be well over R1000.

It works. The problem being if you change the wheel to another bike you have to reset the gears and obviously have to adapt any new cassette. A better option is to machine the free hub if there is sufficient "meat" it. Ideally 1.8mm but you can get away with a bit less. If you need a short term solution you can drop one gear off the cassette and ride it as a 10 speed with one redundant click on the shifter.

To me it depends on where and how you plan to ride. If you are on the front a lot or chasing down moves then 50mm are the way to go. If, like me, you are more of a wheel sucker with the odd interval to get back on then 35mm is enough. The more carbon in the wheel the heavier it is. Steady wind is not too much of a problem but gusty conditions can give you some hairy moments.

On the Zitto the top part looks right but the bottom is a R425 bearing and you need a R413. Where are you based?

That is not the right headset. Yours does not need cups as the bearing fits directly into the frame. You need a to get a top part (fully integrated) with a R418 bearing. That is the top bearing and all above it in the diagram. For the lower you just need a R413 bearing and the race marked 7 in the diagram. Headset bearings are a bit of a mine field so I hope this helps.

Looks like you would pull them out with a blind hole bearing puller.

You are welcome to give me a call and check out my facility. Rebuilding is not a cheap option as apart from the labour cost of around R600 per wheel you are also most likely looking at new spokes and nipples (R800 per wheel). So what I am saying is that unless the rims are in excellent condition or something special a total new build may be better. I am based in Kyalami and advice is free.

Having worked for the Yellow Saddler I can quote him pretty well. Something like "Hang yourself from a rafter with a cable and you will notice it does not stretch" [Aside] Please don't mention to him that I build wheels with a spoke tension meter!

"No details of the rules governing the gravel events or which events will be part of the series have yet been revealed." Will my 2003 Raleigh Platinum Breeze commuter qualify?

This is how the South African cycle scene works. Dad has the latest and greatest. Mom and the three kids have old 26ers and Makro specials. All 5 get dropped at once for service. That is how I reach the 80% ratio!????

about 80% of my customers

Check with them if they did service the damper. If they did those symptoms are consistent with insufficient air pressure in the floating piston chamber. The pressure in the Monarch RL needs to be 500 psi (34.4 bar) which you can't reach with a standard shock pump. Most of the other Rockshox models only need 350 psi. If they didn't service the damper then as mentioned above that is where to start.

Just keep it clean. If you shift the chain to the biggest sprocket on the cassette and then shift down without turning the chain you can usually get enough slack on the cable to give it and the guide under the BB a good clean. I wash the juice off after every ride - before it turns to toffee.

Sounds like a 609 2RS. (9 x 24 x 7). Quite common. See if the seals have the code stamped on them or else take the lot to a bearing or bike shop.

I've built MD21 and MD25s and never had come backs with them.

You can use red rubber grease.

Zipp specify acetone - and with good reason I don't touch tubbies! Casper at Chainwizzard is the go to tubbie man.

I also would not recommend the epoxy/Loctite fix. As mentioned above it will not stand the rotational torque. The best way to remove a bearing or BB that has been "fixed" in with either is to carefully cut a slot or two and then to peel it out in a rotational manner.

See if you can find a Mavic CXP33 (Dragons Sports). Similar profile to the Velocity Fusion and just as tough. In the early days of 29rs we used them to build MTB wheels for the big boys.

If the other dimensions are the same I can turn the cap down on the lathe. Bring the axle and wheel when you come. Best to WhatsApp as I am not usually online. 072 222 7185.

Looks like the Novatec. I have them at R140 ea.

It sounds like you have a hollow axle with QR ends. Usually two types - one with ridges on the axle to rest up against the bearings and end caps which pop off and the second with spacers in the hub and free hub and end caps that screw on. Trying to modify with a Shimano axle will be a disaster. Post some pics and I will see what I have.

As you leave town turn left or right and start climbing. As mentioned those roads are generally good with mostly a good shoulder. Watch out for timber trucks.