I have a set of Zipp 808 firecrest clinchers, bought in the UK in early 2013 (so I’m guessing they are the 2013 season model).
The front wheel is fine, but there is a lot of play in the rear wheel, in the region of 1-3mm. It’s quite disconcerting, when the bike is at rest and if you grab the rear wheel, there is this 1-3mm of play, and the wheel rocks/shifts from side to side. You can even hear small clunks as it reaches the limit of its play on either side. If you really tighten the rear skewer, then the play decreases, but then the wheel doesn’t freewheel for as long, and I obviously want the wheel to be as free-spinning as possible.
I’ve had it looked at by a professional bike mechanic (not sure how much experience he has with these wheels), and he says this is normal, but I wondered if anyone out there had any thoughts or any experience with a similar issue? I can’t imagine that much play does anything for my overall bike efficiency if energy is wasted in the play
It sounds like you need to adjust the preload bearings on the hub. You can google it to find a video of exactly how to do it. It’s a matter of loosening the non-drive side flange and tightening it just until snug and then backing it off slightly. Re-tighten (but not too much) the flange and you’re good to go.
Not criticizing you, but i often hear this term “professional bike mechanic” in conjunction with people describing completely incompetent and shoddy work. In this particular case it’s a simple adjustment with one Allen key and easily found in the zipp manual online. I’ve seen this lack of knowledge and skill on mechanical and electronic gearing, wheels, brakes, you name it. So yes, this is a rant against an industry that is becoming more sophisticated while at the same time not doing enough to ensure their dealers who represent the front line interface to the customer have the right qualified and experienced personel in the shop. Anyone can claim to be a “professional bike mechanic”. Rant over.
The 2002-2008 Zipp hubs are different from most hubs in that they do not side load the bearings to remove play in the hub (think traditional cup and cone set-up). Our hub is designed such that the bearing race on the axle is aligned with the sealed bearing when the end caps on the axle are properly torqued. Since the axle is not press fit into place it will have some lateral movement when the wheel is unweighted. Once a rider’s weight is added to the system, the bearing becomes loaded vertically and the play then disappears. By designing the hub this way, it is possible to extend bearing life and make a hub that will turn much smoother leading to a faster wheel.
My 808 and Super 9 are the same way. When the pre-load is adjusted so that they spin freely, there is still a bit of play in the wheel. Hopefully like the above person said, this ‘play’ is taken care of by my body weight…
My 2013 808 FC 11 speed rear is the same way. I tighten the preload to just finger snug and there’s still a little clunky side to side movement unloaded. I am told that this is normal.
Thanks everyone for the replies. I think that there’s a consensus that when the wheel, bearings, skewer and clincher nut are all 100% perfect, there will still be a degree of play in the wheel. To me, this is a bit counter-intuitive, but if that’s how it is, then that’s how it is. I’ve emailed zipp to find out what they say, but was also keen to see if anyone had experienced similar issues, and what a “normal” amount of play is.
One more question, does the play increase after riding (ie does the clincher but have a tendency to loosen? I rarely ride my Zipps, but did an Olympic tri at the weekend, and I’m sure there was slightly more play after the race than before. Thanks guys.
The way to adjust it is to put it on a stand and keep tightening the adjustment ring until the wheel free rotation stops after a few rotations. Then back it off a bit till the wheel rotates freely again. It’s a very close careful adjustment. You may have to go back and forth a few times as the bearings settle in
What you are left with is a very slight amount of play or no play. It’s so tiny that you may not be able to tell. The way you described it in the op was way too much play. Depending on the generation, they may tend to loosen. But if yours are 2013 they should hold their setting once done properly. My 2013 do not loosen.
