# WHR-550 wheels = floppy like fishes?



## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

Good day!!

I was wondering if other WHR-550 owners could chime in. I didnt realise this when i first got the wheels, but now that i've ridden them lots more i've began to realise that these wheels flex a whole lot!

i dont have much issue with the front, but it is the back that's floppy like a dog's ears in the wind! i'm by no means a heavy rider--weighing in only at 130lbs, but i can make the rims rub the brakes when i get out of the saddle!

initially, i thought that i needed to get my spokes tensioned to alleviate the problem...so i did that. but even after a proper tensioning job, my wheels are still floppy, and i can still make them rub! 

are these wheels just bad wheels? It's hard to imagine that a rider like myself can bend wheels out of the saddle 

as a side note, i decided to grab the rim with my hand and bend it latterally to see how easy it was to move around...and it was reallllly easy--especially easy to bend the drive side (no thanks to it's radial lacing on that side)


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

I've got 35 pounds on you, and I don't have any trouble with my R-550s, certainly not to the point of them rubbing my brakes. Are they securely fastened in your dropouts? I have no idea what could be causing this, it sounds pretty severe. Maybe take them in to your dealer for a warranty.


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

MaestroXC said:


> I've got 35 pounds on you, and I don't have any trouble with my R-550s, certainly not to the point of them rubbing my brakes. Are they securely fastened in your dropouts? I have no idea what could be causing this, it sounds pretty severe. Maybe take them in to your dealer for a warranty.



would this actually be covered under warranty? it seems kind of arbitrary in that it's hard for them to test this out...

but one thing is abnormal: my freewheel isnt straight. when i spin my wheel on the trainer and let the wheel coast, the freewheel slightly wiggles. it wiggles enough to move the chain slightly from left to right.

maybe i should bring it in...
______________________________--

EDIT

checked it out, they're all floppy wheels. my wheelset on my 500 dollar commuter bike is a tank compared to these--and the whr-500 wheels are stiffer. they're 2 cross all around in the rear


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## tidelag (Sep 23, 2005)

What does you expect?

Few spokes with high tension and a heavy rim to compensanse for few spokes. 
A Bad Thing. 

Get a real 32 or 36 spokes wheel with a good rim (Open Pro / CXP 33), that's much more stiffness!


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

tidelag said:


> What does you expect?
> 
> Few spokes with high tension and a heavy rim to compensanse for few spokes.
> A Bad Thing.
> ...



and that's precisely what i have done. i'm now riding on mavic OP and ultegra hubs. wayyyyyyy better. although, it seems that my bike got heavier  oh well, i'd rather trade a little weight for better stiffness!


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## kirkdig (Apr 7, 2006)

What fork are you running? A guy I ride with has 60+ pounds on you and he isn't having any issues, but he is riding a fork that is better suited for a tank.


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

I ride a stock giant tcr composite 2...so the aero carbon fork that giant spec'd on it.

i didnt feel i had brakes rubbing in the front--front wheels are always stiffer anyways. it was the back that would rub the brake and forced me to have the pads quite wide apart in order to remedy the problem. 

the wheels have now been transfered to my beater bike, and i'm running mavic op's w/ dt revolution spokes and ultegras...i like them much, much better.


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