korbu

I have just purchased a pair of ZIPP 404s from my lbs. Ever since I received my bike (and wheels) last week, I realized that one of the spokes on the rear wheel was loose. The explanation given to me by the mechanic there was that it was supposed to be like that, because if they tried to tighten that spoke, the wheel will become untrue. Not knowing much about the wheels, I accepted his explanation and took the pair of wheels home.

I brought it to another bike shop to true and the mechanic managed to tighten all the spokes. But after a race yesterday (rode about 60km), that same spoke came loose again! The loose spoke is making me very uneasy and it creates some sounds occasionally whenever I ride on it.

I would like to know if it is true that it cannot be tightened. I did bring this up again to the mechanic but I got the same explanation from him again... has anyone of you experience this before? or know about the mechanics of these wheels?

LóFarkas

That's definitely not normal. I s'pose spoke prep should be used on the spoke that backs out to keep it tightened. Maybe the spokes are not tight enough?
Never go back to the guy who said "if they tried to tighten that spoke, the wheel will become untrue". That's total BS. They'd just have to tighten the neighboring other-side spokes, too; that is, if the wheel was perfectly true originally, which it probably wasn't.

cort

Sweet wheels! Did he even take the tire off the wheel and try to "true" it radially?? Or did he just do the lateral adjustments and be done with it?
I wouldn't let him touch those wheels ever again. Go find another mechanic who knows how to "true" a wheel properly!

lisitsa

For such an expensive wheel, don't deal with that dealer, cause the best he'll do is stuff them up and bend the rim

TriEngineer

yeah 404s are extremely expensive...would look closely about getting a professional to do it.

korbu

don't think i'll let anyone touch the wheels any more before the problem gets worse or out of hand. I have contacted the distributor and apparently he's making some noise to the Zipp. hopefully they'll get back to me real soon.

and thanx for all ur advice!