Gipiemme Parade wheels



drubie

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Aug 30, 2006
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Got my new Orbea this week and have been giving it a bit of a hammering over the last few days. However, yesterday the funky looking Gipiemme wheel on the back of the bike starting rubbing slightly on the brake block under load (i.e. when I'm climbing or pedalling hard). It's a bit hard to describe, like the wheel is distorting slightly when it's being worked hard. I've tried leaning on the saddle to determine which way it's distorting but it isn't obvious. I sort-of assumed the wheels would dorito a little bit in the first week, but it's annoying nonetheless.

There are bugger all spokes on this wheel, and I'm not confident about re-tensioning it myself (so I'll be taking it back to the LBS for a quick look) but I don't want to turn into a "new bike whinger". Is anybody else familiar with these wheels and how to tension them properly so they don't distort under load?
 
drubie said:
Got my new Orbea this week and have been giving it a bit of a hammering over the last few days. However, yesterday the funky looking Gipiemme wheel on the back of the bike starting rubbing slightly on the brake block under load (i.e. when I'm climbing or pedalling hard). It's a bit hard to describe, like the wheel is distorting slightly when it's being worked hard. I've tried leaning on the saddle to determine which way it's distorting but it isn't obvious. I sort-of assumed the wheels would dorito a little bit in the first week, but it's annoying nonetheless.

There are bugger all spokes on this wheel, and I'm not confident about re-tensioning it myself (so I'll be taking it back to the LBS for a quick look) but I don't want to turn into a "new bike whinger". Is anybody else familiar with these wheels and how to tension them properly so they don't distort under load?

I've got a pair of these and there's no specific problem with brake rub/wheel deflection (although all wheels deflect a certain amount - worth checking that your brake calipers are centred correctly to minimise the possible rub). They're not the stiffest wheels in the world, but on the plus side they're a pretty comfortable ride - far better than my super-stiff FSA RD-400s, which are a literal pain on long rides/bad surfaces. Otherwise give it a couple of weeks and then head back to the shop for a re-tension - always worth it with new wheels anyway.
 
Eastway82 said:
I've got a pair of these and there's no specific problem with brake rub/wheel deflection (although all wheels deflect a certain amount - worth checking that your brake calipers are centred correctly to minimise the possible rub). They're not the stiffest wheels in the world, but on the plus side they're a pretty comfortable ride - far better than my super-stiff FSA RD-400s, which are a literal pain on long rides/bad surfaces. Otherwise give it a couple of weeks and then head back to the shop for a re-tension - always worth it with new wheels anyway.
I did pop back into the shop yesterday and they tweaked them up. The back one feels much better (not perfect though) - his advice was the same as yours, wait a few weeks for them to settle out. I've never had a new bike before, obviously all the wheels I've used in the past have been "pre-settled"
smile.gif


You're right about them being comfortable - overall this bike is much less harsh to ride without compromising too much.

cheers,

dave.
 
Brake centering and pad spacing are probably to blame assuming the wheels are properly tensioned. Putting more tension above spec would just reduce usage life with early broken spokes etc.

I note that Campagnolo Ergo shifters have a brake quick release button just in front of the hood, and these are designed to allow riders to easily open the brake calipers more at the start of climbs to avoid brake rubs. At other times, the brake pads can be spaced tightly for best performance. Pretty smart I thought. :)
 
sogood said:
Brake centering and pad spacing are probably to blame assuming the wheels are properly tensioned. Putting more tension above spec would just reduce usage life with early broken spokes etc.

I note that Campagnolo Ergo shifters have a brake quick release button just in front of the hood, and these are designed to allow riders to easily open the brake calipers more at the start of climbs to avoid brake rubs. At other times, the brake pads can be spaced tightly for best performance. Pretty smart I thought. :)
The bike does have campagnolo veloce gear on it, but I thought the quick release button on the hood was purely there for brake adjustment duties. The wheels aren't rubbing on the climbs any more, and I'm not sure I'm coordinated enough to disengage the quick release button on the lever while riding.

The pads could probably be spaced out a bit more - I like the front ones pretty tight but I'm indifferent to the rear ones - there's plenty of grab left when the tolerance is made a bit looser.

cheers,

dave.