Originally Posted by
dsaul
I think the OP believes that he may have purchased a "knock off" or fake Fulcrum wheelset, so your suggestions about real Fulcrum wheelsets are not all that relevant.
In any event, the side play is because the bearings have worn enough to develop play. They may still roll smooth and feel ok with your fingers, but the side play indicates that they are worn. The only fix is to replace the bearings. Regardless of who made them, the bearings should have markings on the shield to indicate the proper replacement size.
Spot on dsaul! My initial fear was that I had possibly become the victim of a fast-talking bike wheel salesman.
But I don't deny the whiny tone of my post, which is generally related to my lack of experience with wheels. But, am enjoying the feedback from all the posters. Thanks all. I've understood that I need to learn more about this (and possibly also sound less whiny but that might be a subjective thing).
Three years of quite decent service tho... can't beat that.
In any case, everything points to this hub needing some LBS attention. Thanks dsaul for confirming that it's indeed the bearings that are the cause. Off to the LBS I go!.
Thanks again.