CRC custom wheel munted by couriers, Hope Fatsno question

Haven’t used the word ‘munted’ for about twenty years, then GLS couriers came along to provide the opportunity. I was out this morning and my wife saw fit to sign for a package that had evidently been through the mill. I called CRC before I even opened it to check the procedure and, to be fair, they have been great about it. The build was for my fat bike: a Hope Pro 4 Fatsno laced to a WTB KOM i25 29er rim. If it’s cosmetic damage they’ll discount the wheel, if it’s minor damage they’ll pay for a local truing etc, and if it’s major damage they’ll send me a new one. There’s definitely cosmetic damage, plus a missing end cap but I’m trying to work out if the hub has been damaged, presumably by the box being laid on its side and then the world stacked on top of it. The wheel seems true but spinning it in my hands I can feel a slight judder, eight times per revolution as far as I can make out. I’m not talking about the freehub clickety-clack; I even took the freehub off to check. I only have Hope front hubs so I’m not sure if this is normal for a rear. Any ideas? I’m due to go to a bikeshop to get it checked but it’s a 40 km round trip so if it’s a definite refund I’d rather not bother. Many thanks in advance.

Here is the hub poking out of the side of the box, with some helpful tape stuck over it!

Some of the cosmetic damage. Not too fussed about this if they discount the wheel, it could have happened on the first outing. Indeed, knowing me, it probably would have!

Sorry to see that! Takes the edge off a shiny new bike part purchase..

I found my rear Hopes don’t spin with a consistent sound. I also found that wheel can feel a little odd when spinning fresh from the box, I assume this is because of the grease in the bearings.

Hard to tell in your situation though. Have you got any friends familiar with hopes & wheels builds? If in doubt, send it back and start again.

Thanks Cokie. I hesitate as I’ve got a friend visiting this weekend and I’d been hoping one of us could us the 29er fatbike to go for a bimble. I live in France so there are probably fewer Hope users around than for you lot in the UK. I guess I need to make that 40 km drive, ho hum.

I just called Hope direct. For them it sounds like the axle took a hit and knocked the bearings out. That’s repairable obviously but I ordered a new wheel. Back it goes!

Note: I’ve done this on the ‘phone with CRC and their offering me FedEx one day service as a commercial gesture, so I have the wheel for the weekend (hopefully).

Pretty shit packing. I’d have sent it back too.

I suspect CRC aren’t used to handling fat hubs so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of wheel box the new one arrives in.

Yeah, I had to measure the box for the courier pick up (they don’t have the dimensions for their own boxes). It was 150 mm deep, for a 197mm hub….