slebo3213

Hoping someone can help be solve an issue I'm having with my rear wheel - pics attached. The issue is the highest gear is rubbing on the frame. I bought the wheels locally after purchasing the bike. The bike is a mid 90's De Rosa Cassanova, and I'm pretty sure the rear spacing is 130mm.

I've heard about re dishing the wheel? Is that an option? Is it possible the hub wasn't meant for the cassette that's on it? Is there just some kind of spacer I can insert?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I love the ride and am hopeful there's some way to make it work with all of the existing pieces.

SJX426 

So the smallest cog is rubbing on the chain/seat stay? Looks close. One approach is to move a spacer from the non-drive side to the drive side, effectively shifting the hub toward the non-drive side. How much is dependent on what is needed. Note that even with enough clearance there is a chance that the chain will rub. Once the hub is shifted, the rim needs to be dished to compensate.

De Rosa is on my Italian bikes to own! Nice color!

slebo3213

Correct, and thanks for the compliment. I wouldn't be able to do the redishing myself, so it may be off to the shop. I guess I wanted to know if anyone could identify a reason why the hub/cassette info wouldn't work under any conditions. I think the spacing should suffice, but I don't know enough about the make/model of the hub and cassette.

SJX426 

If I counted right, there are 8 speeds. If the spacing without the wheel is 126, there is a problem. 126 supports up to 7 speed. Spreading the DO to 130 is not a big issues but not fast! Clearance would be a factor. Measure between the DO's and then the flats on the axle. Do you need to spread the frame to install the wheel?

Force 

You should ride the Merckx MX Leader instead.

orangeology

maybe it's supposed to be w 7 spd cassette other than 8spd?
i.e) Centaur (it looks Centaur to me from the photo) came with both 7 spd and 8 spd versions a couple years apart.

sorry in advance if incorrect info. just guessing.

slebo3213

My google machine states the casanova has 130mm spacing.

slebo3213

I did not.

SJX426 

Ok will then, does the wheel flats fit just slide into the DO's or is there a space that the skewer takes up when you clamp it? If so, you are missing a spacer. If not, then the first response is still applicable.

dddd

I'm thinking that the "highest gear" is perhaps not rubbing on the frame at all.

Is it perhaps the chain that contacts the frame when in high gear?

Your pictures unfortunately don't show the problem at all. Where is the chain contacting the frame?

The size/diameter of the smallest cog will affect frame clearance in many instances, but this still seems like something is amiss.

What chain are you using? A modern, 9-speed chain works perfectly on 8s cassettes and will improve clearance with the frame and at the front derailer cage as well.
Campagnolo ceased making 8s chain when 9s was rolled out, and the new C9 chain became their default recommendation.

slebo3213

You're correct, it's the chain rubbing and it's hitting the chainstay about an inch inside the drop outs

I'm not sure what chain I'm running, but you may be onto something.

paulkal

Do as sjx426 wrote, move a spacer from the left side to the right side, I did the same with my hub.
BTW, even a 8 speed cassette fits, it is a 8 speed hub. A 8 speed cassette will not fit on a 7 speed hub without removing one of the cogs.

dddd

What is curious at this point is that the chain should be running about an inch above the chainstay when on the smallest cog, so I'm not sure how it is getting pushed down where it makes contact with the end of the chainstay.

I hope you're not riding with the chain in the smallest front and rear sprockets together, which causes almost too many problems to begin commenting on.

But it is not unheard-of for older frames (which were designed when more-generous axle extension clearances were the norm) to have clearance issues with the ends of the stays when newer, more-compressed clearances resulted from the wider cassettes.
On my Pedersen race bike, I spread the stays from 114mm to 132mm, and further had to take a grinder to the inside end of the driveside seatstay.

SJX426 

I "upgraded" from a 6 speed freewheel to a 7 with 126 spacing. Fortunately I did not have a problem with clearance though one might say it is close. The key is having room for the chain to ride up on the cog when shifting. If the frame doesn't have the clearance, it will either rub or not shift. So when you check it out, do more than just having the chain on the smallest cog. Make sure it will shift to the next cog without the chain touching the frame.
[IMG]PA121374 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]

Scooper

I'm not at all clear about where the chain is contacting the frame. The chain should run well above and below the chainstay.

If the chain contact is with the seatstay when moving onto and off of the smallest cog and the smallest cog is 13t, it can happen if the frame was built assuming an 11t or 12t small cog.

My Waterford had to be sent back to the factory to have some material removed where the seat stay was brazed to the driveside dropout.