geraldatwork

I have Velocity Areohead wheels built by Velocity with their (made by Formula) black hubs. The rear hub I feel should spin a little better and when I emailed the owner of Velocity he suggusted that I loosen the rear hub slightly about 1/8 turn. So I guess I need cone wrenches. What size wrenches do I need?

sydney

Tried measuring? And maybe they just need a bit of breaking in before fiddling.

geraldatwork

I haven't tried measuring, not sure I have a way of accurately measuring them. I was hoping this stuff was standard. As far as breaking in you have a point. When they first arrived I noticed neither wheel spun that well. After a quick 10 mile loop from my house I noticed both wheels spun considerably better but not great. The next day I took my usual 25 mile ride and after that I noticed both wheels spinning still better. Since then I have put another 75 miles on the wheels. The front wheel is spinning real nice and smooth. The rear while spinning decently I feel could do better. The last ride or two really hasn't made much of a difference so I think for the most part the breaking in is mostly done. In a few emails with Velocity they suggested that I might ever so slightly loosen the rear hub.

fmw

Most wheels use 13 and 15mm cone wrenches. Usually 13 front and 15 rear.

DvB

Most wheels with adjustable cones need wrenches in the 13mm to 16mm range. It's easy to buy cone wrenches in 13/14mm size and 15/16mm size -- two of each will cover most wheels.

There's a (nearly) exact point of "looseness" at which the bearings should be adjusted (ignore this "1/8th of a turn" business). This is the point at which there is a slight -- SLIGHT -- amount of play in the axle when the hub's off the bike. When on the bike, with the quick-release properly tightened, this play should be gone (test by pushing the wheel left/right to feel for play). If you feel some play, remove the wheel and readjust for slightly less play. When you finally feel no play with the wheel on the bike, spin the wheel and feel the seatstay/fork. You shouldn't feel any (substantial) grinding from the moving bearings. If you do, time for an overhaul or hub replacement.

1955

My DA 10 wheels use a 15mm and 17mm for the front and you need two 17mm's for the rear.

Sheldon Brown

Rear hubs generally use 15 mm. Fronts generally 13 mm.

Sheldon "Tools" Brown

geraldatwork

As it turns out both the front and rear hubs use 17mm wrenches. I loosed the hubs but it didn't seen to make a difference. When I went to my LBS the mechanic tried to explain how the cones were set up that it wouldn't make a difference. He thought they spun decently and thought more mileage would help. He then showed me some wheels with Phil Wood Hubs that didn't spin as well as mine.

HillRider

Are the Areoheads (sp?) loose ball cup-an-cone bearings or cartridge bearings? If they are cartridges, adjusting them will affect side play but will have little or no influence on rotational drag.

Mentor58

I would sure be curious as to how with a cone bearing hub the setup wouldn't make a difference. That seems, to me at least, to be 'counterintuitive'

Steve W.
Who knows he when he hears it.