Mountain Bike Hub Replacement
Bicycle Maintenance – The Wheels
Now that spring is here, it’s time to dust off your bike and prepare to ride. One of the most important things you need to do is make sure your bike is in good shape. So, get out your tools and let’s do a quick tune-up.
First, check your tires. If any threads are showing or if there is any cracking from dry rotting, then it’s time to buy new tires. Buy something lightweight with a Kevlar bead to lighten up your bike and to improve acceleration. And be sure to buy tires with the appropriate width and tread for your size and riding conditions.
Check the tubes if you’re riding clinchers. Be sure that the valve stems aren’t bent or broken. Pump some air into the tires. Patch any leaks with a patch kit, or just buy new tubes if you find yourself putting new patches on top of your old patches. As with your tires, it never hurts to upgrade to lightweight tubes, but I wouldn’t recommend spending a small fortune. Saving rotating weight always makes a noticable improvement, but if you’re broke, you won’t enjoy the ride!
Check the rims for dents and cracks. Try pounding out the dents by putting a 2X4, or anything else you can find that is hard with a flat surface that won’t break, on the rim and pounding with a hammer, using extreme caution, of course. If the rim is in really bad shape, you will just have to suck it up and buy a new rim.
Check all the spokes, replacing any spokes that are broken or just look chewed up. Be sure that you take the old spokes with you to the shop to get the exact same length for the replacements. Using the wrong size spoke is bad, so be careful. When replacing spokes, be sure to stretch them out once they are in place and tightened, before you true the wheel, see below, as this will help the wheel stay in true.
Now it’s time to true your wheels. This is a skill I highly recommend learning to save yourself money, especially if your a mountian biker. Remember, that everytime you go head first into a tree, boulder, or building, or whenever your fall off a cliff, or get a thick branch caught in your spokes, you will need to true your wheels. I also suggest carrying a spoke wrench and spare spokes on mountain bikes and long touring rides.
Spin the wheels, and make sure they spin smoothly. If you haven’t repacked the bearings for more than a year, or if the wheels don’t spin smoothly, it’s time for an overhaul. Using thin cone wrenches designed specifically for bicycles is a good idea. Now, loosen the outer locknut while holding the inner cone still with a cone wrench. Take the locknut off, then the washer underneath, then the cone. Take out the axle by sliding it from the other side, and catch the bearings as they fall. Clean everything up, replace the bearings with new bearings of the same size and same number. Using the old bearings is bad. They’ve been squished and are elliptical now. This means that when they settle into place, your hubs will be loose. That’s bad. Be sure to put lots of quality bike grease everywhere (except on the threads of the axle) particularly under the bearings to hold them in place while you reassemble your hub. Slide everything back into place, and tighten the cone. There should be a little play in the hub when you tighten the locknut. Once you put the wheel back on the bike and tighten the quick release lever, however, there should be no play, and the wheel should spin freely.
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Bicycle Repair & Ownership : How to Overhaul a Bike’s Hub
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