Newbie question about new bicycle wheels

[funkyrobot]

This may sound like a very silly question.

I've noticed that even though I've rebuilt by cheap Quando wheel hub bearings, I'm still getting grinding. One of the hub cups is completely rusted and the other is in bad shape too. Therefore, I thought I'd buy some new wheels for the bike.

I know the size of the wheel (have looked at the tyre size on one of the current wheels). However, I'm stuck with what to do about fitting new wheels to the bike and what to consider.

Firstly, can I just buy a similar sized wheel and fit it, or do I have to think about new bearing cones and axle spacing? Can I take the axle off my old wheel, change the cones on it and use it to fit my new wheel with the spacers in the same spot? The new wheel will probably come with the bearings already fitted, so will the axle they are attached to be the same size as my current one?

What is the process of replacing wheels on a bike (in terms of bearings, axle spacing etc)?

Sorry if the above sound confusing, but I haven't a clue. New to all of this. Thanks.

[Justin S]

Best to either tell us what bike it is or post a picture for us to help.

[funkyrobot]

Justin S said:

Best to either tell us what bike it is or post a picture for us to help.

Ok. I will do that when I get home later.

It's a Raleigh hybrid on 700c wheels with Quando hubs. It's about 3 - 4 years old.

Thanks.

[yellowjack]

funkyrobot said:

This may sound like a very silly question.

I've noticed that even though I've rebuilt by cheap Quando wheel hub bearings, I'm still getting grinding. One of the hub cups is completely rusted and the other is in bad shape too. Therefore, I thought I'd buy some new wheels for the bike.

I know the size of the wheel (have looked at the tyre size on one of the current wheels). However, I'm stuck with what to do about fitting new wheels to the bike and what to consider.

Firstly, can I just buy a similar sized wheel and fit it, or do I have to think about new bearing cones and axle spacing? Can I take the axle off my old wheel, change the cones on it and use it to fit my new wheel with the spacers in the same spot? The new wheel will probably come with the bearings already fitted, so will the axle they are attached to be the same size as my current one?

What is the process of replacing wheels on a bike (in terms of bearings, axle spacing etc)?

Sorry if the above sound confusing, but I haven't a clue. New to all of this. Thanks.

Rather than bombard you with counter-questions (what bike, road/MTB, how old etc) I'll try my best...

The wheel (rim) size is pretty easy. There should be a size marked on the current rim. A 700c wheel for instance may be marked as 23-622, where 23 is the width of the rim in millimetres, and 622 is the diameter (again in millimetres) of the inner part of the rim where the tyre bead sits.

Hubs are where things get a little more complex. There are several standards of 'dropout' width. This is the distance between the slots in the frame where the axle locates. Older road frames with fewer 'speeds' are narrower than modern road frames, and MTB frames are different again... http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_sp-ss.html is useful for an explanation. Front hub standards are simpler, and the hubs are easier/quicker to strip too.

If you buy a new wheel it usually comes complete. So the axle is fitted and bearings adjusted to fit straight in, in place of the old. There should be no need to fiddle with cups, cones, or bearings as it should be ready 'out of the box'. That said, cheaper wheels are not always greased as they ought to be, so it may be of benefit to strip and grease the bearings prior to first use, just so you have confidence that there is proper lubrication in there. So long as you have specified the correct dropout width, your new axle should be the right length. A bolt on axle will do just that, and bolt on, but if you have quick release hubs a new 'skewer' may not be included in the price. Just swap out your old QR skewer, by unscrewing the end without the cam lever. Take note of the position of the springs, and reassemble in the new hub.

In short, unpack new wheel, fit tube and tyre, and if it's a rear wheel swap over the cassette/freewheel and fit it too the frame. If you have derailleur gears, be prepared to make minor adjustments as the new hub may have a slightly different position in the dropouts, but it shouldn't be by much. This will help... http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

Basically, if you are stuck with bike maintenance tasks, for the bare facts 'Sheldon Brown' is the first thing to google, especially for anything old, or slightly out of the ordinary... http://sheldonbrown.com/

Then there are any number of youtube videos to show you the how of it all. Park Tools vids are usually close to the top of any self help list... http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=park+t...

You could do worse, if you intend do do your own bike maintenance, than buy a decent book on the subject. Lennard Zinn seems to be pretty good for that. Search "Zinn and the art of Road Bike maintenance" and "Zinn and the art of Mountain Bike maintenance" for a good start.

[funkyrobot]

Thankyou very, very much Yellowjack.

I have that book by Zinn. I'll take a look in there.

I'll also look at the Sheldon Brown stuff.

I guess my main query was about the axle stuff. I didn't know if I would need to add spacers etc to the new one to make it fit. I'll measure the dropout width of my bike and make sure that I order the correct width though.

Thanks again for your help.

[Justin S]

As Yellowjack. 700c is diameter, but the hybrid will use a slightly wider rim than a road bike. 'Most' hubs on a road/ hybrid/ MTB is 135 mm in width on the rear. Take the wheel out and measure across the face to face on the dropouts is the easier way. Does it have disc brakes etc If you buy wheels that can take disc brakes and you have rim brakes, you may not have a surface for the pads to run on to brake. Lots of things to confirm.

[funkyrobot]

Justin S said:

As Yellowjack. 700c is diameter, but the hybrid will use a slightly wider rim than a road bike. 'Most' hubs on a road/ hybrid/ MTB is 135 mm in width on the rear. Take the wheel out and measure across the face to face on the dropouts is the easier way. Does it have disc brakes etc If you buy wheels that can take disc brakes and you have rim brakes, you may not have a surface for the pads to run on to brake. Lots of things to confirm.

Thanks.

The bike has bog-standard v-brakes. I'll take the wheel out later and measure the dropout distance.

[funkyrobot]

Another quick question.

When looking at buying wheels online, I can't really see any specs that say the dropout width of the wheel hub. Am I not looking hard enough, or is there just a standard or assumption that a 700c rear will be 135mm, for instance?

Thanks.