Wheel flex

Riding the bike park today on my enduro bike. I just installed Nukeproof ARD inserts last night, so I was super sensitive to wheel/tire feel all day. Anyway, I felt some “grinding” while bottoming out on turns, and realized that it’s my tire rubbing on the chain stay.

I’m running 29er 30mm raceface turbine wheels, and I’m a Clyde.

So I’m guessing the wheels are flexing in the turn. They are perfectly true, so should I just do a half turn on each spoke and tighten things up (nothing is loose currently).  Aside from going to a shop for a full rebuild, i’d appreciate some thoughts.

I doubt spoke tension will do much but easy enough to try. Any possibility it's the frame? I have a 200mm rear rotor on my bike and chainstay clearance is tight. It will rub on hard corners, it's the frame itself in my case. What bike you on?

I’m wearing about 30 extra pounds of beer right now.. I’ve never experienced what you are.

I keep my spokes right though.

Do you have access to a park tools tensionmeter?

Running an evolve Alpha 29. Been doing so for the past 2 yrs  and have raced numerous fivers, this was my first bike park day. I haven’t noticed this before.

No, I don’t have (Not access to) a tension meter.

The only difference vs. normal is running a narrower tire (2.3 aggressor rather than 2.4 DHR 2 wt) plus ARD inserts.

One thought, the inserts are pulling  the rim out more around turns rather than just tire deflection.

... I keep my spokes tight, not right.

Hahaha, I did catch that turn of phrase.

Check the pivot hardware and rear axle. I was riding with a friend on an Alpha 29 and his bike was starting to loasen up.

Good thought - All torqued to spec and still tight.

I can't ride Alu wheels anymore because of flex. Everyone tends to jump down my throat about how carbon rims are a ripoff and blow up but I've been on the same set for over 2 years now and love how supportive they are in hard cornering situations

I'm a ~200 pounder and get the odd bit of tire buzz. I've tried the higher tension thing and think it works if you have a flexible rim. 

Maybe a couple more psi too? Sometimes the tire can deform enough that I can swear its buzzing on the frame but it's the sound of the max number of knobs fighting for traction.

Riding Spank 395s , 2X lace , 32 hole 29ers. I,m 190+lbs , can,t say I have ever noticed wheel flex.

Posted by: mrbrett

I'm a ~200 pounder and get the odd bit of tire buzz. I've tried the higher tension thing and think it works if you have a flexible rim. 

Maybe a couple more psi too? Sometimes the tire can deform enough that I can swear its buzzing on the frame but it's the sound of the max number of knobs fighting for traction.

I did have odd bit of tire buzz, but it was new tires catching my seat when I bottomed out.

It took me way to long to figure that out.

I had quite a bit of air pressure. My leading theory is that the use of inserts meant less tire deflection and it pulled the wheel over. I will play with tension I guess - trying to avoid carbon for the moment ($$$$$) - but who knows.