August 1st, 2006
Wheel Chess - The Game
I can now put new wheels on my Dave Yates.
The game commences, I’m playing white.
White: Build new front wheel with Velocity Aeroheat Deep V rim, Hope splined hub and spider.
Black: Screw on disc spider will not let go of old hub. I don’t need the spider, this move is a bluff.
White: Unbolt disc from screw on spider and move to new hub.
Black: Pass.
White: Swap wheels on the tandem freeing up a Hope XC Ti/Deep V rear wheel combination matching the new front wheel.
Black: Rear wheel from the tandem uses a shorter axle for use with a Hope floating caliper/stub axle.
White: Retrieve full length axle kept from when I converted the Hope Bulb hub to fit the tandem from the bowels of the “keep it handy, you might need it one day” box.
Black: On dismantling the Ti hub discover that the Bulb axle is not compatible.
White: Attempt to dismantle the broken Hope XC Ti hub in order to get the axle out.
Black: Attempt to force white to run out of time/daylight by ensuring that the bearings are seized onto the axle forcing white’s move to take three hours.
White: In the same bag as the Bulb axle find a spare stub axle. Decide to use that instead of performing major hub surgery.
Not swapping the axle in the hub also has the advantage that the rear wheel of the Yates will still be available for use in the tandem with only a change of disc and spider.
Check
Black: A last ditch move. The bolt holding the stub axle to the frame increases the effective width of the hub at the rear and the existing skewer is too short.
White: Rummage through various B.O.B. Trailer parts and find a tandem skewer long enough to go over the stub axle locknut.
CHECKMATE
Well, it was a long game, with black almost gaining the upper hand until the fortuitous discovery of the stub axle.
It also means that just as the weather breaks all my bikes are back on the road, er, trail.
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