Boardman Road Comp - Noisy Rear Wheel
Discussion
Took a short (few 100 yds) detour down a slightly sandy off road track the other day and found the bike appeared to be a little clunky in a few of the gears for the remaining 15 or so miles home.
Washed down chain and cassette with plenty of muc off, brushes and cloths and then re-oiled chain. Noticed whilst riding it next (38miles) that rear wheel appeared noisy - more noticable when freewheeling but that might just be because i could duck my head down and listen a bit more closely. Sounded a bit crackely/gritty.
Spinning up the wheels upon return home just lifting the rear wheel and hand spinning it sounds kinda graunchy/poppy/crackely/gritty. Hard to tell if making the noise when spinning up the cranks I think its still there but masked somewhat by chain etc noises.
Anyone any ideas - hub bearings or freewheel ?
The hub seems unbranded - closest google I could find was someone suggesting unbranded 'formula' hubs on a Boardman Team Hybrid ?
Not sure whether the hub is cup and cone or cartridge - again googling suggests loose bearings (cup & cone ?) on the Boardman Hybrids ?
I would rather invest in a few tools, learn the job and have the tools to do it in future but am also minded that this might sideline the bike (riding 3x/wk at moment) so might just take to LBS. I'm guessing I shouldn't ride it for now as it might damage things further.
Anyone had similar done at LBS recently to give an idea of likely cost ?
Any advice appreciated.
Washed down chain and cassette with plenty of muc off, brushes and cloths and then re-oiled chain. Noticed whilst riding it next (38miles) that rear wheel appeared noisy - more noticable when freewheeling but that might just be because i could duck my head down and listen a bit more closely. Sounded a bit crackely/gritty.
Spinning up the wheels upon return home just lifting the rear wheel and hand spinning it sounds kinda graunchy/poppy/crackely/gritty. Hard to tell if making the noise when spinning up the cranks I think its still there but masked somewhat by chain etc noises.
Anyone any ideas - hub bearings or freewheel ?
The hub seems unbranded - closest google I could find was someone suggesting unbranded 'formula' hubs on a Boardman Team Hybrid ?
Not sure whether the hub is cup and cone or cartridge - again googling suggests loose bearings (cup & cone ?) on the Boardman Hybrids ?
I would rather invest in a few tools, learn the job and have the tools to do it in future but am also minded that this might sideline the bike (riding 3x/wk at moment) so might just take to LBS. I'm guessing I shouldn't ride it for now as it might damage things further.
Anyone had similar done at LBS recently to give an idea of likely cost ?
Any advice appreciated.
Edited by Pot Odds on Sunday 12th April 09:57
You should be able to tell by looking at the bit between the hub and the drop-outs if it's cup'n'cone or cartridge bearings.
Cup'n'cone will have two nuts on the axle, the inner one the cone nut, mostly round but with narrow 'flats' for a cone spanner, and the outer one, a thin 'locking' nut again with spanner flats.
Stripping them is a doddle, with a couple of cone spanners pretty much all the tools you need. I recently rebuilt my MTB hubs with new axles and bearings. Cheap ones were £7.99 for the axles, £2.50 for a tube of grease, and not much more than pennies for the ball bearings, all at a LBS. Stripping out is simply a question of un-doing the nuts on one end of the axle, then drawing out the axle from the other end. I use a 'magnet on a stick' tool to collect the bearings (if re-using them, degrease in an old jam jar). De-grease the bearing 'cup' (part of the hub) with cotton buds, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Then a slick of grease into the bearing cup, and push the correct number of ball bearings (count them as you remove them
) into the grease on both sides. Carefully push the axle through (without unseating the bearings) and re-fit the cone nut and locking nut. Then you need to nip-up the cone nut to pre-load the bearing, and lock it off against the lock nut. This is a bit 'trial and error' but you'll know when you've got it right.
If it's a cartridge bearing, then I'm not the man to ask. My latest bike is the first one I've ever had with cartridge bearings, so I've never needed to learn how to tinker with them yet.
From left - lock nut, spacers, cone nut. See the lighter groove around the narrow part of the cone nut? That's where it's worn, and the bearings will be worn too. Catch it in time, though, and the bearing cup in the hub (often non-replaceable) will be OK. Regular re-greasing will keep a cup'n'cone bearing in tip-top shape for a surprisingly long time.
Cup'n'cone will have two nuts on the axle, the inner one the cone nut, mostly round but with narrow 'flats' for a cone spanner, and the outer one, a thin 'locking' nut again with spanner flats.
Stripping them is a doddle, with a couple of cone spanners pretty much all the tools you need. I recently rebuilt my MTB hubs with new axles and bearings. Cheap ones were £7.99 for the axles, £2.50 for a tube of grease, and not much more than pennies for the ball bearings, all at a LBS. Stripping out is simply a question of un-doing the nuts on one end of the axle, then drawing out the axle from the other end. I use a 'magnet on a stick' tool to collect the bearings (if re-using them, degrease in an old jam jar). De-grease the bearing 'cup' (part of the hub) with cotton buds, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Then a slick of grease into the bearing cup, and push the correct number of ball bearings (count them as you remove them
) into the grease on both sides. Carefully push the axle through (without unseating the bearings) and re-fit the cone nut and locking nut. Then you need to nip-up the cone nut to pre-load the bearing, and lock it off against the lock nut. This is a bit 'trial and error' but you'll know when you've got it right.If it's a cartridge bearing, then I'm not the man to ask. My latest bike is the first one I've ever had with cartridge bearings, so I've never needed to learn how to tinker with them yet.
From left - lock nut, spacers, cone nut. See the lighter groove around the narrow part of the cone nut? That's where it's worn, and the bearings will be worn too. Catch it in time, though, and the bearing cup in the hub (often non-replaceable) will be OK. Regular re-greasing will keep a cup'n'cone bearing in tip-top shape for a surprisingly long time.
OK - Update.
Took to LBS who replaced rear wheel bearings. Popped the wheel back on tonight and still got the same noises. LBS had initially thought wheel bearings then possibly freehub as the noise didnt seem to be present when we took load off the hub by removing the chain.
Think i'm gonna have to email Halfords to try to ID the freehub to see if i can get it replaced.
Am i missing anything else which could be causing rear wheel noise ?
Took to LBS who replaced rear wheel bearings. Popped the wheel back on tonight and still got the same noises. LBS had initially thought wheel bearings then possibly freehub as the noise didnt seem to be present when we took load off the hub by removing the chain.
Think i'm gonna have to email Halfords to try to ID the freehub to see if i can get it replaced.
Am i missing anything else which could be causing rear wheel noise ?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-wh-r501-clincher-r...
Probably cheaper than messing around with freehubs if you're paying someone to do it I'd have thought. Alternatively you can get a full wheelset for not much more.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-rs010-clincher-roa...
Probably cheaper than messing around with freehubs if you're paying someone to do it I'd have thought. Alternatively you can get a full wheelset for not much more.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-rs010-clincher-roa...
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