I got new wheels for my Madonne. The new wheels are 11 speed compatible. The wheel came with a spacer so I could put my ten speed cassette on it. I took the cassette off the old wheel. I put on the spacer and the cassette on the new wheel and tightened it up. When riding I would hear noise from the rear when going over a bump. When investigating I figured out that the the four largest cogs on the cassette are just a tiny bit loose, like the spacer isn't quite big enough. I took the cassette off and put it on again in case I did it wrong but there is no difference.

What could be wrong? I am riding Friday and Saturday Ragbrai and am not sure where to take it in to fix it or if any LBS is going to have time for me. Is it really bad to ride it this way? I am visiting the area so I can't put my old wheels back on it.

It shifts ok.

The first question is was there a small spacer on your old wheels? My wheels with a 10 speed cassette still uses a very thin spacer, don't know if your supposed to include that one? Sounds like it would be a very simple fix though, any good LBS should be able to just pull the cassette and replace the spacer with the appropriate one and send you on your way. The actual job should be 10 minutes max.

Supplemental question: Is there a spacer on a ten speed wheel before you put on the cassette? I put the one that the wheel builder gave me but I am wondering if I left one behind on my old wheel. That would explain the small amount of play. If so, maybe I can find a LBS with a spacer. What size? 1mm?

Cross posted with redtires. That is what I am wondering. With luck I can find a bike shop tomorrow that is actually open.

You might need 2 spacers -- Mavic wheel with shimano casette? See attached
https://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Casse...rt_2_3257.html

Did you ever think that actually telling us what brand/model of wheels and what kind of cassette you're talking about just might help?

We don't need to know the details, the OP can solve his own problem just by looking at the cassette and freehub.

In order for a cassette to be properly tightened on a freehub --- ANY cassette on ANY freehub -- it needs to overhang the front of the freehub body by 1-2mm so the lockring bears on the cassette and doesn't bottom out against the freehub face.

It's exactly comparable to how the steerer has to be below the top of the stack on a threadless headset system so th top cap can preload the headset.

So, to the OP, slip the cassette on, push it back and see if it still overhangs. If not add a spacer behind the cassette to bring it out in front.

That works...or he could just as easily tell us exactly what he is working with and we can tell him exactly how to fix it.

Just find a bike shop in the morning....they'll be able to put the correct spacer on there. If there is a serious problem, you'll only be in the same situation you are right now.

My point is that we can learn try remember the specific details of which combinations need which spacers. OR, we can learn the basic principle involved, and deal with the issue if and when it arises.

I'm kind of surprised that folks who deal with threadless headsets, can't figure this out for themselves.

I apologize, I generally am good about giving enough information. I did manage to figure out for myself that I need a spacer, the question is how much of a spacer and my guessis about 1mm. I found a bike shop in the town I am staying and will hit it up when it opens this morning. Otherwise, if they are not open due to Ragbrai (it is a one person shop) I will take apart my spouse's cassette and see if he has a spacer on there that is the right size.

FWIW
The cassette is a 10 speed shimano 105 cassette. It was on stock Bontrager 650 wheels which came on the Madone.
The hub on the new wheels is an Alchemy ORC-UL: Shimano, 11sp, Black, 24 hole, which came with a spacer to convert the 11 to a 10 speed cassette.


This is why I think I need a 1mm spacer. And thanks for the basic knowledge of how the cassette should sit.

Also, thank those of you who are patient with me when I ask questions that seem like common sense to those of you who are experienced with bikes. As it is I am feeling like idiot for not checking the wheel properly before I drove 500 miles to ride an unfamiliar ride.

OK, Shimano 10-speed cassettes come with a 1 mm spacer that goes behind the largest cog. It is required on all Shimano 8/9/10-speed freehub bodies (the few 10-speed only hubs don't require it). A Shimano 11-speed freehub body requires a 1.85 mm spacer to accept 8 or 9-speed cassettes and the additional 1 mm spacer to take 10-speed cassettes.

And that is what turned out to be missing, a 1mm spacer.

Staked out the LBS. He opened at 10:00am and I was the first customer. He agreed that the spacer was needed. He put it on and I'm ready to go. $3.91. There was a lineup behind me.

Good news. I'm glad it turned out well.

Now I can give you the standard advice I always gave to riders when I sponsored a team.

RULE #7 , Never work on your bike, or make any changes in the 24 hours before a race.

I started this after too many late Saturday night calls asking for emergency parts, as in "I pulled out my derailleur cable and it frayed and I can't get it back in. The race is the AM....Can we meet someplace tonight?"

I didn't post this earlier because that would be rubbing salt into a wound, but now that you're OK.....

I absolutely agree. Believe me, I beat myself up over this quite a bit yesterday. I know better.

And thanks for not posting your comment earlier.

There's a corollary to that rule, which is:

You always fix stuff the night before, because you need it tomorrow, and can't procrastinate anymore.

That's a corollary to the "plumbing rule"; "Never start a plumbing project when the hardware stores are closed." It also applies to electrical projects.