I am having some issues with my Whyte, and I am not sure exactly what the cause is.

The tyre runs very, very close to the drive side chainstay, perhaps 1mm with a Nobby Nic 2.25″ tyre in on standard rims. With a little flex in the wheel it is rubbing on the frame and it is starting to bug me.

What I don’t know is… why is this happening? Is the wheel built wrong (there is a load of space on the non-drive side), is the frame out of alignment or is it just a really rubbish bit of design work?

Going to drop it into my LBS (DC Cycles in Ulverston) next week for their opinion assuming I don’t make it past Wheelbase where I got it from before then. You would think a trail frame could take a pretty standard tyre size used in trail riding!

The other option, I suppose, it to find out what the stiffest 29er rim is and get some new wheels built. Or sell the frame and get a Horse Thief.

Dish

for £2000 they had to compromise somewhere and its probably the wheels there probably very flexi. best to let the bike shop throw then on a stand and have a look apart from that maybe go for a slightly smaller tyre like a specialized captain2.0 or 2.1 ground control as that’s the same tread pattern as a nobby nic but slightly less volume.

The dish was my first thought… going to get it looked at anyway. I don’t really want to be forced into running low volume tyres though of that isn’t the issue.

Put the wheel in the other way round. If it’s dished wrongly it’ll be close to the other side. If it’sstill closer to the same side you have a possible frame alignment problem….

I have this problem with my t129 very tight clearance, on drive side can you explain what you mean by “dish” sorry for being dumb

I have a 2.25 Ron in, less nobby than a Nobby one to be fair, it’s tight but I haven’t noticed any rub.

I was told the WTB rims were “quite similar to Crests”, ie not really a heavy duty trail rim.

The rim certainly has some flex in it – I can push it by hand to rub – but it is still stupidly close to that stay!

I shall try putting it in t’other way around tomorrow and see what it looks like, and try to take some pics both ways around too.

I run a Maxxis Ikon 2.20 in my S129. It’s not a true 2.2, but I wouldn’t be able to run much more

And, tbf not much need either with rear suspension

Suggest you take it back to Wheelbase (clearly there is an issue with dish or frame alignment) either of which are most likely covered under warranty.

Perhaps if you call them first they may have some useful and relevant experience of the issue – if its happened to you, it has probably happened to others so they will likely know about it.

jonny, dish- zero dish – is positioning the centre of the rim over the centre of the hub, thus hopefully in the centre of the frame.

it sounds like wheel needs some attention, you should not be able to flex a rear mtb wheel by hand, even a 29er.
I’d be tempted to back the spokes off and re tension it, basically rebuilding it with out relacing.

I had a problem with my rear wheel, one spoke come loose and one broke, after involuntarily taking off on the second table top on the descent at lee quarry. I was going faster than I thought, I have now replaced the wheels with Flows on hope hubs, which are much stiffer. Only problem is after having my wheels fitted my Reverb is now knackered, I’ve no idea what’s happened to it, the guy in the shop said he had put some air in it than it failed on my ride, it had never missed a beat up until that point. I think something has happened to it in the workshop. I just don’t know what its going back in this morning, hopefully they can sort it soon as I’m going away to Wales for a week on a lads biking holiday on Saturday 🙁

Although clearance is still tight on the drive side even with different wheels, thanks for explaining that speshpaul…

Sheldon Brown says it better than I can be bothered to:

Dish
A bicycle wheel should have the rim centered directly in line with the frame. The forkends are symmetrical with respect to the frame, and the hub axle locknuts (or equivalent surfaces) press against the insides of the dropouts.
Wheels should be built so that the rim is centered exactly between the axle ends on the hub. In rear wheels, the spokes attach to flanges which are not symmetrical about the denterline…the right flange is usually closer to the centerline than the left flange, to make room for the sprocket(s).

When rear wheels are built properly, the spokes on the right side are made tighter than those on the left side, pulling the rim to the right, so that it is centered with respect to the axle (and to the frame.) Viewed edgewise, a rear wheel built this way resembles a dish, or bowl, since the left spokes form a broad cone, while the right spokes are more nearly flat.

By extension, the term “dish” is used as a general synonym for accurate centering, even in the case of symmetrical wheels.

See also my Wheelbuilding article

Sounds like frame alignment issues, not uncommon on Whyte frames that some of my riding buddies have had.

Is there anything that can be done to sort this out ?

If it’s under warranty then it is an issue for the bike shop to sort out.

Only problem is after having my wheels fitted my Reverb is now knackered, I’ve no idea what’s happened to it, the guy in the shop said he had put some air in it than it failed on my ride, it had never missed a beat up until that point. I think something has happened to it in the workshop. I just don’t know what its going back in this morning,

My money is on them clamping the bike by the seat post in the bike stand. Are there any marks on the ‘upper’ of the post? That or they’ve snagged the cable whilst in the stand. It’s a known weak point on the reverb, addressed in later models so if this is the case I think RS honor it under warranty

New frame. Warranty job at a guess.

Both the wheels on mine needed spokes tightening up and a bit of dishing, but that was easy for me to just do. Now I’ve got them how I’d want them I am very happy with them … they seem much stronger than Crests (which are too light IMO). Mine have had a serious rattling.

No clearance issues with a 2.35 HD in the front and a 2.25 NN in the back. Doesn’t need any more tyre.

post has gone off for warranty, they have lent me a normal post, but im gutted as I’ve a week in wales booked next week and no dropper post 🙁 they would not accept liability, they had a Reverb on a demo five but said I couldn’t have it as It was out on Demo this weekend. I guess new customers are more important than existing ones, I hope they buy it ’cause its the last penny they will get off me.

@swayndo are you running tubeless? (what pressures?)

@capt I have a new 2.25 Rocket Ron in the rear, at 40 psi the little rubber prongs on the nobs ((I don’t know what they’re called) clear the bottom of the DS by a barely discernible amount, definitely less than a millimtere. So the nobs themselves clear by the size of those, maybe 3-4mm. It could just be that it’s tight. I’ve no noticeable whee flex though, after maybe 100 miles on non-rocky terrain.

Capt Kronos, did you pop the wheel in reverse? IS it the frame or the wheel?

mattjg, running 25-30 up front and 30-35 out back.

I haven’t had a chance yet – nightmare day at work!

Shall get onto it tomorrow though, and then if things are actually quiet perhaps get over to Staveley too.

It is in Wheelbase – looks like it is probably the dish which is way off. Loads of loose spokes too.

Hopefully it should be sorted soon.

I own a size large t129s and yes there’s not allot of clearance with the wheel on the drive side at the rear of the bike. The ATB rims are extremely flexy, basicly awful wheel set for trail riding.the rear wheel fell apart with nearly all spokes coming loose plus front wheel spokes where spongy whilst riding at FOD on my second ride. I’ve had the rear wheel aluminium nipples replaced with brass nipples using nipple freeze and front wheel tightened. Wheels still felt weak.

I’ve now replaced my rear wheel with an Arch ex rim laced on to a hope pro 2, built by just riding along, awesome build and rear wheel is very strong. Front will be replaced with same wheel soon. Overall price Is great for allot of bike but the drawback are the cheap flexy poor built wheels!

I’ve only seen the bike in photos but the show bike does look quite tight.

The drawback on any 29er are Prone to more flex in the wheels. the WTB’s on the whyte are some of the more flexible rims on the market. On any bike with a 2k price tag with a build like the 129s has a drawback, on this bike its the wheels. Saying that the bike is awesome fun to ride and great price to match. I’m very interested to see what whyte bring out for 2014 as I’ve heard rumours of a works 129 model with full XTR build!

Finding I prefer the blue decalling of the non-Reverbed version pictured above than the green of my S.

How do they get the fork to match too? They don’t on the S.

Oooh grip collars and rim logos too!

Enlarging the show bike pic seems to show little tyre clearance. Do 2.4″ tyres fit ?

Enlarging the show bike pic seems to show little tyre clearance. Do 2.4″ tyres fit ?

I’ve not tried it but I wouldn’t think so, a 2.25 Nobby Nic is fairly tight I heard. I have a 2.25 Rocket Ron on mine, it came with a 2.2 Maxxis Icon.

However a 2.25 is big enough IMO, it does have wagon-wheels and 120mm of boing too.

Whyte tyre thread