Sealed bearing hub question
04-18-21, 06:44 PM
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Sealed bearing hub question
Bike = Wabi Classic, Single Speed
How many miles can I get out of a rear sealed bearing hub? I purchased the bike in August and have about 4000 miles and my drive train is starting to run rough, hearing creaking noise. I thought it was my chain so yesterday I replaced my chain and I also decided to remove the 19t freewheel I wasn’t using. in the process of removing the freewheel the weirdest thing happened my bearing popped out which was really odd so I ran down to my LBS to have them installed again. For the bearings to come out that east I’m wondering if i may have been riding with loose bearings and ruined something or are my bearings shot? The wheels are moving freely but the noises I’m hearing are not normal especially today I started to hear metal on metal sound when my wheel is spinning. Any advice?
btw, I live in SoCal and the bike has never been ridden on wet conditions.
How many miles can I get out of a rear sealed bearing hub? I purchased the bike in August and have about 4000 miles and my drive train is starting to run rough, hearing creaking noise. I thought it was my chain so yesterday I replaced my chain and I also decided to remove the 19t freewheel I wasn’t using. in the process of removing the freewheel the weirdest thing happened my bearing popped out which was really odd so I ran down to my LBS to have them installed again. For the bearings to come out that east I’m wondering if i may have been riding with loose bearings and ruined something or are my bearings shot? The wheels are moving freely but the noises I’m hearing are not normal especially today I started to hear metal on metal sound when my wheel is spinning. Any advice?
btw, I live in SoCal and the bike has never been ridden on wet conditions.
04-18-21, 07:25 PM
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Really? How about anywhere from minimal (50-100) to tons (thousands and thousands of miles). I have some hubs that originally came on my Bianchi Pista nearly 20 years ago. $550.00 msrp bike nearly 20 years ago. The rims sucked but the hubs were so damn good that I cut them out and rebuilt them w/ some NOS Mavic 280/320 tubular rims. I used them for training on the track, training on the road...In all that time I've never replaced the bearings. They're as smooth as the day I built that bike.
If the bearing fell out that easily I doubt you'll have get very good life out of any bearing. It has as much if not more to do w/ the quality of the hub construction (accurate bearing bores) as it does w/ the quality of the bearings. It sounds like your bearings are shot. All you can do is replace the bearings or get new hubs/wheels.
If the bearing fell out that easily I doubt you'll have get very good life out of any bearing. It has as much if not more to do w/ the quality of the hub construction (accurate bearing bores) as it does w/ the quality of the bearings. It sounds like your bearings are shot. All you can do is replace the bearings or get new hubs/wheels.
04-18-21, 07:35 PM
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Really? How about anywhere from minimal (50-100) to tons (thousands and thousands of miles). I have some hubs that originally came on my Bianchi Pista nearly 20 years ago. $550.00 msrp bike nearly 20 years ago. The rims sucked but the hubs were so damn good that I cut them out and rebuilt them w/ some NOS Mavic 280/320 tubular rims. I used them for training on the track, training on the road...In all that time I've never replaced the bearings. They're as smooth as the day I built that bike.
If the bearing fell out that easily I doubt you'll have get very good life out of any bearing. It has as much if not more to do w/ the quality of the hub construction (accurate bearing bores) as it does w/ the quality of the bearings. It sounds like your bearings are shot. All you can do is replace the bearings or get new hubs/wheels.
If the bearing fell out that easily I doubt you'll have get very good life out of any bearing. It has as much if not more to do w/ the quality of the hub construction (accurate bearing bores) as it does w/ the quality of the bearings. It sounds like your bearings are shot. All you can do is replace the bearings or get new hubs/wheels.
04-18-21, 07:40 PM
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could it be the company who put together the wheels didn’t properly install them or doesn’t know what he’s doing? They sent one other bike that I returned and I remember when I took the wheels out of the box the bearings on those wheels were not even in the hub, they were sitting in the box. Thats one of the reasons why I returned that bike. I’m also surprised the bearings would be out so quick. I have been considering getting new wheels. Any recommendations on wheels and hub type?
ETA: Tubes or tubeless? 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 speed? Carbon or not?
ETA: Ah...single speed. Forget about the bold bit.
Last edited by cxwrench; 04-18-21 at 07:44 PM.
04-18-21, 07:45 PM
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my bike is a single speed. Use tubes and I ride the bike for cardio exercise. I ride about 35 miles three times a week. I ride on mostly flat paved road on the riverbed. I live in SoCal so it’s all dry condition. Budget $400-$500
Last edited by jay4usc; 04-18-21 at 07:52 PM.
04-18-21, 07:54 PM
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why not just replace the sealed bearing cartridge? The fitment should not vary very much, if at all. I think the front & rear even share the same size.
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04-18-21, 07:54 PM
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As much as I hate Mavic road and mtn wheels their Ellipse track/fixed wheelset is hard to beat.
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04-18-21, 08:14 PM
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I have been thinking of replacing them anyways to get wider wheels. The inner width on these are 12.5 and I run 28 tires. Plus i don’t want to be replacing the bearings every 6 months.
04-18-21, 08:18 PM
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The first thing I thought is what was the chain tension like during the 4000 miles of use? Any tension is the wrong answer
Hubs, freewheels (if single speed) and BBs don't like getting loaded by a chain that runs tight. So many drivetrains have slightly non round (cost is not always the guaranty of perfect roundness) rings, spiders and cogs. The correct way to set the chain slop/wheel in drop out location is when at the tightest point of the system in movement the chain is still relaxed. Any more tension that that is bad and will lead to premature bearing wear. I suspect this is what happened but I'm not there or did the maintenance on this bike during those many miles so... Andy
Hubs, freewheels (if single speed) and BBs don't like getting loaded by a chain that runs tight. So many drivetrains have slightly non round (cost is not always the guaranty of perfect roundness) rings, spiders and cogs. The correct way to set the chain slop/wheel in drop out location is when at the tightest point of the system in movement the chain is still relaxed. Any more tension that that is bad and will lead to premature bearing wear. I suspect this is what happened but I'm not there or did the maintenance on this bike during those many miles so... Andy
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04-18-21, 08:47 PM
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The first thing I thought is what was the chain tension like during the 4000 miles of use? Any tension is the wrong answer Hubs, freewheels (if single speed) and BBs don't like getting loaded by a chain that runs tight. So many drivetrains have slightly non round (cost is not always the guaranty of perfect roundness) rings, spiders and cogs. The correct way to set the chain slop/wheel in drop out location is when at the tightest point of the system in movement the chain is still relaxed. Any more tension that that is bad and will lead to premature bearing wear. I suspect this is what happened but I'm not there or did the maintenance on this bike during those many miles so... Andy
Hubs, freewheels (if single speed) and BBs don't like getting loaded by a chain that runs tight. So many drivetrains have slightly non round (cost is not always the guaranty of perfect roundness) rings, spiders and cogs. The correct way to set the chain slop/wheel in drop out location is when at the tightest point of the system in movement the chain is still relaxed. Any more tension that that is bad and will lead to premature bearing wear. I suspect this is what happened but I'm not there or did the maintenance on this bike during those many miles so... AndyLast edited by jay4usc; 04-18-21 at 08:51 PM.
04-18-21, 09:02 PM
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04-18-21, 10:13 PM
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I’m certain that’s not the cause. I have plenty of slack on my chain, never run right. I usually leave about 1inch slack at it’s tightest spot. I do all my maintenance on my bike which is minimal in exception of the chain. I clean and re wax the chain after every 100 miles.
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04-19-21, 04:53 AM
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