A change of parts pushes you for more repairs and improvement; NB DO NOT WADE YOUR BIKE IN THE FLOODWATERS NOR WATER THEM HUBS WHEN CLEANING

Wheels of Happiness


After I installed the CY rb tires, I experienced difficulty with its continuous rotation, Theres seems to be a bike rub.  Solution.  I tried reinstalling and centering the wheelset with the weight on the wheels.  The problem was solved.

This post then regreased the:  sealed hub bearings.  They were last regreased 6 months ago.   Now the bearings are as good as new  Maybe they will last for the next 10 years.

Just avoid wading the bike in flood waters.  Or watering the same when cleaning the bike

Removal and reinstallation of sealed bearings

Wheels of Happiness

Bearing removal and re installation

Wheels of Happiness

Genuine bearings are expensive and the diy home traditional mechanics  recommendation are not recommended because you can wreck the bearing.

You must remove the bearing via bearing removal tool that are expensive.   

      1.  Bearing removal with expanding feet at P440.00 in San Pedro Laguna at Laz

      2.  Pressfit tool with removal seet for 30 and 24 BB costing about P1,400.

      3.  Pure press fit with various drifts:     P1,200 at Lazada.

It is OK to buy this if you have a bike shop and /or bike mechanic.   But for a DIY who encounters problems with bearing once or twice every two years, a rubber mallet, drifts (from socket tools) a flat screwdriver may do the job.

DIY removal:

     1.  Remove the scewer;

     2.  Remove the cones

     3.  For hubs,  remove the axle then tap tap the screwdriver from the inside.  Do the same for other 

          bearings

     4.  For the free hub, push the bushing to other side to access the one side of the bearing.  Tap the                      bearing at four corners.  Tap tap lightly.  Do the same for the opposite bearing  Note for the

          rear hub there are 4 bearings:   2 for the main hub, and 2 for the free hub (where you attach the 

          cog.)

          While at it, remove the grime and stuck grease at the pawls.  Degrease.   Remove rust from

          round spring as the case maybe.  Relube:   light grease and oil (even Shimano mineral oil)

DIY reinstallation

    1.  For front hub, tap tap one side.  Then install the axle.   Use a drift:   a piece of tube or socket

         of same same size:  22 mm to drive the bearing in.  Tap tap slowly.  Make sure the bearing

        does not tilt

   2.  For the rear hub, tap tap one bearing.  For the other side, insert the hub, then the bearing then tap tap.

       Bearing sizes:

      6000, 6002, 6802, 6902.   There may be other sizes.   Find out from old bearings the numer

  

Bearings - sizes and uses

Wheels of Happiness

Mechanics and friends cant and will not tell you bearing sizes.  Unless you disassemble the part and look the number on the seals.   I have experienced this many times.   Some bike shops will even tell you that the hub bearings cant be serviced so that they can sell you their WS>

If you view some yt you can learn how to replace your bearings.  You can order through Shopee and/or lazada.   You can order the more expensive ones (the ceramic bearings if your budget permits and if it is your preference:

Bottom bracket           Number                  THK           ID                   OD     (In mm)

           BB 30 PF30      6806                        6                  30                   42

           BB 386

           Campy             6805                         7                 25                    37

          Shimano

           

Hub bearings

                                    6000                       8                  10                      26

                                    6001                       8                  15                       28

                                   60100                      8                   10                      26

                                    6802                       5                   15                      24

                                    6902                       7                   15                      28

Headset                      Number             Depth      OD                ID                     Chamfer

Sample sizes only

                                    K936H35          6.5             38                27,14                    36  deg

                                    K345H6.5         6.5             41                30.5                      45

                                    K347H7            7.0             47                 35                        36

                                    K4051H7          7.0             52                 47                        45       

                                    

Headset guidehttps://www.bike-components.de/blog/en/guides/how-to-find-the-right-headset-for-your-bike-with-shis/

Component seller especially for headset will try to sell you the whole set.  But you can find the right bearing sizes and save plenty.  You pay only for the bearings (this is the only one that wears out

                                    

                 

To ride or not to ride when it is raining

Wheels of Happiness

Biking in the rain is more dangerous than riding in dry conditions for an obvious reason: slippery when wet. The road itself is slicker, and so are trail obstacles. Painted surfaces and metal road features are like ice.13 Aug 2021

Bike riding when it rains

It is raining today.  And some gc members would like to ride.  But after a decade or so riding, may I suggest not to ride when it rains:

    1.  Roads are slippery when it rains and you are prone to crash especially if you ride over

         man hole cover, steel gratings, road signs.

   2.   The water may get into the cables, bearings bolts and nuts cause rust and speed up many                              malfunctions like stuck up bearing.    The bike can seize be dysfunctional and require

         expensive repair and/or replacement of parts.   

So better stay home and engage in other types of exercise:  stationary bike, weight lifting, calisthenics.. 

Bearing stories - buying bearing cartridges too early

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.22.2021

Regreasing the sealed bearing cartridge of a headset.

About 3 months ago, the wheelset of my carbon fiber P bike developed a humming grating sound at the rear wheel.  I brought this to the mechanic and he ruled a bearing "palitin"  case.  All that remained was to determine the bearing number.

Unfortunately too the carbon part of the wheel also had deep gouge marks due too hard carbon brake pads.  The controversial repair (which cost a lot of PHP) was finished and the next thing to be accomplished is the defective hub with sounds.

Last Saturday, I brought the bike to the LBS to determine the  correct bearing number.   The numbers are hard to read but I guessed it to be 6802 (as the hubset is Novatec) and is the most common bearing for hubs.  It is 6802!

And so I went to the bearing center in the next town.  (The travel took nearly 2 hours - a distance of only 20 km because of the horrendous traffic due to diversion.

The bearing cost me P200.00 (up from P130.00 a year ago)   The problem is that there was only 1 piece remaining and there was no sure restock timeline.

I searched at an e commerce store, and found the 6802 to be only P160.00 for a set of 10.  I had these ordered Tuesday.   

6802 bearings

However I watched a video on how sealed bearing could be regreased.   You simply pry off the steel rubber cover of the bearing (either black, red, or blue)   You use a pointed cutter to pry off the seal (hence the sealed bearing)

This post experimented with the MTB and was able to do this successfully on front and rear wheels.  For the MTB the drive side bearings were toast and looked rusted.   So it was kind of challenge to remove the dirty grease inside the cartridge.  I had to spray WD 40 and soak the bearings and turn the wheel on the side to remove the rusty solution.   Then, instead of grease I placed light oil and replaced the seals.   (The bearing number is 6001

Then I tried this on the carbon wheel.  (where the 6802 were)    There were 4 bearings that needed attention.   2 on the drive side (the axle) and 2 in the hub set.    The drive side bearings were problematic - one on the axle and two on the hub.    The drive bearing was rusted, the  hub bearings were dry.   They may be causing the humming grating sound.  And so I placed again light oil and grease.  It was also the chance to clean the pawls and their springs and again placed light oil (instead of grease) so that it wont get stuck. 

Now I dont think I need the bearings anymore.  Wastage of about P400.00

Knowing something new could be costly

The take away from this article is:

1,  You must service your sealed bearing periodically.  A sealed bearing is not something that runs perpetually.  It needs to be lubricated.

2.  It can be done even while still on the wheel by peeling of the metallic plastic or rubber seal.

     Once the bearing in cages can be seen, you can clean the bearing and lubricate this.  Demo shows

     that light lubed bearings are faster and efficient.  All you need is a pointed tip of a cutter.

So next question, what do I do with th 6802 bearing I ordered.