Joe Bikerider

I had been doing overhaul on my Nexus 8 speed hub and it's a bit of a slog. Yes, I shot the snap ring across the garage but found it. Same as I did last time. But this time while reassembling I notice a ball was missing from the right side retainer. Sigh. I was tired and went to bed wondering what I should do. I woke up about 04:00 and looked up the parts list. I had found it previously. 3/16 balls in retainer 13 of them. At least I had something of go with. I searched around a bit but couldn't find that exact part, When I woke up in the morning, I thought maybe I can but just get the one ball and jam it into the retainer, at least now I knew the size. I sent a text message to my local ACE hardware at about 06:30. No response immediately but about 8 o'clock I got a response, they got 'em, 25 cents each! I got some change and ripped over there. Got it home, fit great and and finished the reassembly. Runs great, ready for a long ride tomorrow. New tire too.

I knew our local ACE was good for random small stuff but hope this might help someone looking for a ball bearing or two. Enjoy.

madpogue 

^^^^ The store was probably happy to get the payment in coin.

jimincalif

Yes, ACE is great for things like that. Unfortunately the ACE in my neighborhood has just announced they are closing permanently in October. Just this store, not the chain.

madpogue 

OUCH! That's unfortunate. Far as I know, our neighborhood ACE is doing well, even now. The neighborhood has always supported them, and vice-versa. Same location since 1927. Creaky wood floors, narrow aisles that must be grandfathered in wrt ADA, staff who know where EVERY item is in the store, they even have their own blend of coffee roasted by the local coffee roaster. Alas, the old black lab dog who used to fall asleep in the aisles passed away a few years ago.

Reflector Guy

A mark of a good hardware store! They just aren't the same if the floors don't squeak.

Pop N Wood

Bought a kit like this just to fill out my cart once. Nice to have backups.

https://www.amazon.com/Hilitchi-Metr...6200670&sr=8-5

Joe Bikerider

Yeah, the store had a case like that except with imperial sizes. Just pick out the one you want. Shimano spec sheet showed 3/16 inch balls so that was good. Pretty funny for Amazon to have pictures of the balls, they all look the same to me! Should I have bargained for a lower price since I paid with a (rare) quarter? What a world we live in.

dscheidt

Note that almost all bike loose ball bearings are inch sized. If you're going to get a set, make sure you get the right thing. A kit like that is very handy, I bought one a couple years ago when I dropped the balls rebuilding a pedal.

Pop N Wood

Are you saying bike bearings are all inch size and not metric?

In all honesty I'm not sure which I got, metric or SAE.

wayne2000

Ace is great for small engine ie lawnmower parts too. Plus the random plumbing job when you don’t want to waste 90 minutes at Home Depot.

Joe Bikerider

One other option for bicycle parts was to go to the new shop across the street from the hardware store. I don’t think I will ever go into this place.

https://www.racycles.com/page/detail/1171

can you imagine? I wonder what the reaction would be if I took my Nexus hub into this place? Which “studio” would be appropriate? ROTFL.

sweeks

OMFG! Are there enough "sophisticated and discerning" riders to keep a place like that in business?

And what does this (from the web site) mean?
"Please note, R&A Cycles does not sell any of its products nor do we represent our brand on any other website other than www.racycles.com, or R&A Black.com. Please be aware of websites or people using the R&A Cycles brand."
How do they not sell their products?Please note, R&A Cycles does not sell any of its products nor do we represent our brand on any other website other than

Ubie

It's worded poorly, but they mean they don't sell items anywhere other than their websites or stores (i.e. Amazon or a non-R&A Cycles brick and mortar). That whole set up is pretty pretentious, but Walnut Creek is one of the place you live in the Bay if you have a lot of money but don't necessarily show it off in the form of your house.

sweeks

Yeah, I see it now. I was so bowled over by the presentation that my brain wasn't working.
"Pretentious" just covers it... I'm reminded of Monty Python: Oh, 'an aeroplane'. Oh, I say, we are grand, aren't we? (imitation posh accent) 'Oh, oh, no more buttered scones for me, mater. I'm off to play the grand piano'. 'Pardon me while I fly my aeroplane.'

madpogue 

R&A - Rich & Affectatious.

dscheidt

Loose balls are almost universally inch sized, yes. it's historical, the US and UK bike manufacturers set the standard, others copied, and it's stayed that way for convenience. Cartridge bearings vary, based on who designed the part, and when. Designers usually use catalog parts, and what's readily available changes over time.

cyccommute 

The very best Ace hardware store in the world has be the one on 22nd Street in Tucson, AZ (6959 E 22nd St). It is the Mecca of hardware stores. Just their selection of chrome plated nuts and bolts is worth the visit...no, pilgrimage.

cyccommute 

While what you say is true of loose ball bearings, you are wrong about cartridge bearings. They are all standardized as well. Designers might use different sizes for different applications but their choices are bases on available bearing sizes. They don’t design the part and then build a bearing to fit it. The bearings they use are then readily available from most any supplier of bearings. QBP carries an extensive selection of cartridge bearings that readily fit in cartridge bearing applications on bicycles.