The extra I experience the LeMond the extra I prefer it:
Sadly, the extra I like a motorbike the extra I’m inclined to fuss with it, and the newest object of my fussing has been the wheels.
The wheels that got here with the bike are the so-called Rolf Prima Elan Aero, and the corporate nonetheless affords basically the identical wheel immediately, although with out the aero spokes. They’re nearly shockingly gentle, and whereas I wouldn’t hunt down an ultra-light wheel myself they’re enjoyable to experience. On the identical time, ultra-light wheels are like linen pants: whereas they really feel nice and also you’re tempted to put on them on a regular basis, at the back of your thoughts you’re at all times just a little bit fearful that somethings going to go fallacious. (With the ultra-light wheel, that may very well be a damaged spoke, and with the linen pants that may very well be a rain bathe that renders them completely clear.) For on a regular basis using you desire a wheel that’s like a pair of well-worn denims: cozy and comparatively gentle, and but reassuringly sturdy. For that cause the wheels I actually wished to make use of on the LeMond have been these:
They’re the one factor I’ve left of the Litespeed:
And so they’re a becoming selection for the LeMond in that it’s kind of the Litespeed’s successor. The one downside is that they’re Campagnolo hubs, and the Litespeed makes use of Shimano.
Campagnolo in fact hasn’t supplied hubs in a few years. They hit their peak in that division with the beautiful Document 10-speed hub, which is why delusional individuals assume they will recover from $500 for them:
And the hubs on these wheels are the ultimate model of the Document hub, which is functionally the identical, albeit in black and with all of the aesthetically pleasing stuff faraway from it.
However whereas Campagnolo not promote hubs, they do promote wheels, each underneath their very own title and underneath the Fulcrum model:
The complete title of the wheel is presumably not the Sharquille O’Neal, although the bizarre character on the finish does counsel that at one level it was referred to as the Shart they usually modified it on the final second:
Anyway, clearly as a way to promote numerous wheels Campagnolo should make them appropriate with Shimano-splined cassettes, and happily their pre-built wheels use basically the identical hub design as these last Document hubs, which implies you may simply get a Shimano freehub physique and stick it on there:
Certain, it could be jarring to see a Shimano spline sample in a Campagnolo field:
However in making the change it opens up an entire new world of cassette availability.
So I started working. For a reliable particular person, engaged on a Document hub is about so simple as it will get. First I eliminated the cassette:
Then I eliminated this nut:
After which I pulled the freehub physique off the axle:
Straightforward!
From there all I needed to do was pop the brand new one on instead:
So I wiped off the grime from the hub and lubed the pawls on the brand new freehub physique:
Then I slid the brand new freehub physique on, gave it a spin, and…it was grinding like a spoke in a rubbish disposal.
Eradicating the brand new freehub physique, I discovered that the round pawl spring was all mangled:
As I famous above, servicing Document hubs is simple for a reliable particular person. I, nevertheless, am incompetent, and by not taking the time to rigorously seat the pawls I in all probability managed to dislodge the spring–although in my protection the spring is tiny and delicate and about as simple to see and work with as a pubic hair.
Anyway, I wasn’t about to be undone by a pube, so I rigorously eliminated the spring from the outdated freehub physique:
This time I inserted the freehub physique with extra care, and the operation was a hit:
Fortuitously these springs are simple to get and as soon as I’ve a alternative I’ll put the outdated Campy freehub again collectively in case I ever have to revert.
