Right I have another stupid question about the Pike! I want to get the star nut out as the one it came with is a bit damaged/wonky, but the bottom of the steerer has an end cap with what looks like a threaded hole. How do you get this cap out? Will it just hammer out with the star nut or is it threaded in?

DO NOT TAKE THE BUNG/CAP OUT OF THE BASE OF THE STEERER EVER EVER EVER FOR ANY REASON AT ALL!!!!

It forms part of the strength of the crown/steerer assembly. 😀

The only way to remove the star nut is to fold the fingers inwards with a screwdriver.

As a slight hijack then, how do people get mudguards to fit the Pike?

Don't bother trying to get it out, just knock it further down the steerer tube (a long 1/2" socket extension will do fine ) and refit a new one.

That bung is meant to be there in the bottom of the steerer I assume?

My mate just bought a 2nd hand pair, I'd not seen it before…

Oh right I didn't know that, thought it was just to keep mud out haha. So the best thing to do is just knock the star nut in enough to fit a new one? Will try prying the nut inwwards first though as I don't like the idea of having 2 in there for some reason.

DeVs – Member

As a slight hijack then, how do people get mudguards to fit the Pike?

The hole on the bottom of the steerer is threaded and will take a 6mm bolt. I use Topeak Defenders which simply bolt onto the underside of the fork crown. Perfectly secure, and effective

Makes sense.. cheers guys

To make this thread a bit more worthwhile now, maybe someone can help with my wheel problem.. I think there's some play in the bearings (it's a Hope Pro 2 bought 2nd hand but fairly new apparently). The guy says there was no play when they left him and that maybe I've installed the wheel wrong. What I've done is:

-Slotted first bit of maxle through the dropouts and hand tightened it
-slide the QR bit of the maxle through and tighten

That's it isnt it or am I missing something not so obvious?!

There have been reports of incompatibility / play in hope wheel / maxle / pike set ups but there is no consensus on why.

The maxle should be assembled before you put it in the fork and all the wedges and stuff clean and lubed. Maxle inserted, tighten the nut on the non qr side hand tight or a bit more them flip the lever should do it. If not flip the lever back and tighten the nut more. Mine is a bit worn in the QR / wedges and I have to tighten the nut beyond what appears sensible to get it to have no play

hmm right cheers. I've already got it pretty tight right now.

Would continuing to run the Pro 2 with a bit of play ruin the hub/fork? I don't really feel it when riding unless I go up a big bump or something and grabbing the wheel/moving it side to side doesn't seem to do much either. Thought it may be the headset but it doesn't seem to do it when the wheel is off and the bike is bounced.

Worth trying a new maxle or is that just a waste of money?

YOu should be able to get it play free unless the bearings have gone – try turning the nut with a spanner with the lever open, try squeezing the fork legs together as you flip the lever.

Isn't the tightness of the bearings determined by the bit that screws into the fork leg? I wouldn't have thought that a tighter skewer would do much for the bearings but this is my first maxle/20mm so I don't really know how it works properly yet.

No. The flipping of the lever pulls the fork legs together and removes end float which is probably the issue. the bearings have some play on the maxle in order for you to slide it in. Its only once you flip the lever that everything clamps up. Flipping the lever both removes the endfloat and expands the ends of the maxle to make it tight in the dropouts.

Take the maxle apart and clean it and grease it. reassemble it and wind it into the fork. tighten the nut on the not lever end until it is snug then flip the lever. If there is still play unflip the lever, tighten the nut more and then reflip the lever.

The skewer expands at both ends. I found that the treaded end tightened up before the lever end. The lever felt snug but there still seemed to be a bit of play at that end. I stipped and lubed the skewer paying particular attention to the internal cones and all seems well although I still need to wind the nut quite tight to get both ends to bite. I dont agree with TandemJeremy with regard squeezing the fork legs together as they should remain parallel. The hub should fit the gap perfectly.

Avalanche – its only a tinsy bit of play but there has to be some to get the hub in – even a couple of thou. Flipping the lever pulls the legs together and removes tha play.

Ok thanks, I'll give it a good clean and regrease then put it all back together and see how it goes.

flipping the lever simply expands the maxle axle inside each dropout stopping it rotating loose.

edit – talking bobbins and mixing up different systems.

It does not control the endfloat in the way I thought earlier.

Many apologies. the endfloat is controlled by screwing the maxle in.

apologies again. GW is right and I have made an arse of it 😳

I had a similar problem on a set and regardless of how much time I spent fiddling with the maxle, measuring and remeasuring everything trying another hope wheel in them (which also had some play) I still couldn't get rid of the play. IIRC mine were from around 2007.

I've had this.

Make sure the bearings are seated fully. If they're not fully pressed home even by a tiny amount, there will be play no matter how tight you do everything up.

Mine came from Hope like this. By the time I'd realised what was wrong, the bearings were buggered. 🙁 Luckily Hope sorted me out 🙂

mine have had a tiny amount of play in from new and still have even with new bearings in (several sets all proffesionally fitted)have tried brand new axles etc but it wont go away
have spent years trying to get rid of it but apparently some do and some dont but theyve done it for the last 4 years or so I just live with it g

Make sure everything's clean and greased.

Fit the wheel and axle, but don't tighten it.

Bounce forks up and down a few times to settle the axle/wheel into "the sweet spot". Tighten as normal.

I don't have a Maxle so not sure of the mounting procedure, but have similar "play" on Fox QR15s and 20mm 36s with Hope hubs.

The method I have described removes this play. I think I found this info on the Mojo website.

You could try adapting this for Maxle fitting procedure.

Ok thanks, I'll give that a go soon!

I had exactly the same problem with my Pikes and Hope wheel. In the end I replaced the bearings in the hub.

Job's a good'n'

What size bearings should I get/where is the cheapest place to get em for online? Oh and is it a job I could do myself? Not exactly sure how to do it though.

Now hopefully I ain't made an arse of it again.

6804 2RS and you need two. any bearing supplier should have them Threre is a video guide on the hope site and I find it easy to do – IMO heat the hub with boiling water and freeze the new bearings to make it easier

I've found this on a few maxles in the past, usually due to being loose tho. Use the QR in the slot as a spanner/leverage device.
With this done up tight you should have no play.
Once happy do up the qr lever so when you close it there is an impression left in the palm of your hand.
All this is doing is wedging the axle into the fork legs and holding it there. Has nothing to do with the axle width.
The first bit is the area causing you a problem by the looks of it tho.
The idea of seating it by having the bike the right way up when you tighten it doesnt seem bad… nothing i've ever had an issue with tho!