New Fulcrum Quattro and Campagnolo scirocco 35 wheels

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boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

I have a pair of quattros and love the rims. The rims are the real star of the show. The hubs they're laced to let the whole package down though. I've had an awful time with bearing tension. If I run them loose enough to spin freely, they develop play after less than one ride. If I tighten them up to remove the play, the bearings are slow. Not rough or anything, more like a seal that's too tight. They never work loose when set up this way, but you notice the drag. As I said though, the rims are fantastic. And I'm pretty sure the hubs with their steel freehub body and overbuilt design are the reason for the extra weight over similar wheels. That having been said. A steel freehub doesn't pit. I'm curious as to if anyone else has had issues with their adjustable, cartridge bearing fulcrum hubs?

by Weenie


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silentassasin
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:44 am

by silentassasin

I've had the quattros for a while now and they have been flawless. No problems with the bearings. I can't say that the extra depth in the rim does much except helping increase stiffness, but they were great through the winter months training rides and beyond. I am impressed with the price of them too, Ribble and Wiggle seem to have them discounted quite frequently. Sorry, no weights though.

boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

Good to hear that others are having better luck than myself. I've tried some white locktite on the threads. I haven't ridden them since, hopefully it works. I agree on the stiffness. The rims are super rigid. I have no issue flexing most wheels, but not these ones.

dale79
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:52 am

by dale79

boolinwall wrote:I have a pair of quattros and love the rims. The rims are the real star of the show. The hubs they're laced to let the whole package down though. I've had an awful time with bearing tension. If I run them loose enough to spin freely, they develop play after less than one ride. If I tighten them up to remove the play, the bearings are slow. Not rough or anything, more like a seal that's too tight. They never work loose when set up this way, but you notice the drag. As I said though, the rims are fantastic. And I'm pretty sure the hubs with their steel freehub body and overbuilt design are the reason for the extra weight over similar wheels. That having been said. A steel freehub doesn't pit. I'm curious as to if anyone else has had issues with their adjustable, cartridge bearing fulcrum hubs?


Yes I had the same problem so I pulled them apart and cleaned them and all good when I put back together,

This was after 2500 km with my 100kg ontop of them, they are still dead straight too

Phill P
Posts: 1870
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:10 am
Location: Nambucca, NSW, Australia
Contact:

by Phill P

they use a steel freehub with the cup and cone bearing hubs?? What is the weight difference between the normal Al freehub and the steel one?

try adjusting the preload collar while fitted to the bike and QRs tightened

Quattro's are high on the list for my next wheels, but the steel freehub is disappointing
Technical Director at www.TUFFcycle.com

boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

I honestly wish more companies used steel freehubs. It's weight added at the center of the wheel, not the rims. So it has more of an effect on weighing your bike than it ever will on riding it. Plus, it's a breeze to quickly swap cassettes. Unfortunately the hubs are not cup and cone as some other places have advertised. Adjustable cartridge bearings instead. I thought they were cup and cone as well. When the hub is correctly tensioned, they're pretty sweet wheels. Especially for the price. I'm not sure you'll find better value.

Phill P
Posts: 1870
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:10 am
Location: Nambucca, NSW, Australia
Contact:

by Phill P

Oh the check buggers - they state adjustable ball bearings. Typically in the past they have called the cup and cones bearings "adjustable" and the lower hubs "sealed bearings"

On the fulcrum website they are listing the racing 5 and racing 7 as having cup and cone bearings. Is this right? I'm sure they used to be sealed bearings.
Technical Director at www.TUFFcycle.com

boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

MY 2011 5's have cartridge bearings. Non adjustable. Mind you, that lack of adjustment means they've never worked loose on me either.

fdegrove
Tubbie Guru
Posts: 5894
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 2:20 am
Location: Belgium

by fdegrove

Hi,

Oh the check buggers - they state adjustable ball bearings.


Fooled me too. :oops:

I suppose the axle is not oversized either? :cry:

Ciao, ;)
Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

The axle is indeed oversized.

davidalone
Posts: 622
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:27 pm

by davidalone

I too have had mixed experiences with fulcrum hubs. they come well adjusted, spin well, and are generally good and don't need much attention. the problems lies in WHEN you have to service them ( because despite how good they are you eventuall have to service wheels if youw ant top nothc perfomrance form them) - really tricky to get the preload back right and you'll kill bearings pretty fast if you dont. another problem is that the spokes on fulcrum wheels are propietary- snap one and you'll have some problems finding replacements. I would get them if you have a good fulcrum distribuor/mechanic who can solve these problems for you.

a good friend races triathlons on a set of the quattros- they're decent semi-aero wheels, if abit heavy for racing.

I haven't had experience with the campy sirocco 35s, but as you said they are likely to be very similar. it depends on whether you think that the G3 lacing works for you.

why not go for a pair of handbuilts? you could go with a pair of kinlin XR300 rims (30mm wheel depth) with some decent hubs and probably come in below the weight and cost of both those wheelsets. at 100kg I'd recommend a higher spoke count though. I'm 66kg and my set of XR-300s with taiwanese hubs with 20-24 radial-2X lacing comes in a shade under 1600g, all for less than $AU 300. You'd need to find a good wheelbuilder, but hey, it's worth it.

quinner
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 12:58 am

by quinner

The sirocco seem a good deal compared to the price of say the Eurus, can't go wrong. I have Eurus for 5 years - never any issues and still roll fine - awesome training wheel.

chiumomo
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 1:38 pm

by chiumomo

toshi wrote:Any clues as to what the rim weighs? Or who might make these 35mm rims for campy/fulcrum?

Image
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Last edited by chiumomo on Wed Apr 02, 2014 5:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

istigatrice
Posts: 849
Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 8:32 am
Location: Australia

by istigatrice

Does anyone else find it odd that the front wheel is lighter than the rear wheel?

EDIT: I meant rim, the front rim is heavier than the rear rim, shouldn't it be the other way around?
Last edited by istigatrice on Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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boolinwall
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 pm

by boolinwall

No. There's a freehub on the rear wheel.

by Weenie


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