replace hub or wheel for Cheviot

[R. Scott Lake]

My favorite Riv in the stable is my Cheviot.

I have a 700c Alex Rims DM 18 with Silver hub that is clicking constantly. 

I think the bearings are worn out in the hub. 42mm tires.

Wondering if I should replace just the Silver hub or the whole front wheel.

If the whole wheel should I just get the DM18 or something else?

Many thanks

[Garth]

While I can't say without actually seeing and hearing the hub, I'd be highly surprised if it's the bearings as cartridges are incredibly durable. I've also never had a cartridge bearing fail, and I've used them since the early 80's. Grease drying out, yes, on the oldest ones. No need to replace, I pop the seals carefully and clean and regrease them. 

I'd suspect the freehub mechanism itself though, the springs and pawls. If in doubt on disassembly/troubleshooting you should call Riv and see if you can speak with Rich. I'm sure they are interested as it's their own branded hub made by a hub maker in Taiwan.

[Patrick Moore]

Garth: a worthy tangent here. 

Question: What is your technique for cleaning and regreasing hub (and bb?) cartridge bearings?

Me, I’ve pried up the seals of Phil bearings and used a fine-tipped grease gun to squirt more Pep Boys grease into the bearings (squirt if gross excess of grease, work it in with fingers, wipe up excess, reseal, keep wiping excess for days afterward) but I’ve never “cleaned” mine (no did any seem to need it). I’m curious about a good technique.

Thanks.

[Will Boericke]

It may be that Phil bearing service is a thing, but average cartridge bearings are a knock-em-out-and-replace situation.  It's not a complicated thing to do, so it might be worth the cost of a set of bearings to see if that solves it.

Will

[J J]

I concur that the pawls and springs might be the likely culprits. Dried- and gunked-up grease could be inhibiting proper movement of the pawls and springs, which might actually be in good shape. If they are, a straightforward degreasing, cleaning, and fresh grease application would remedy the situation. Thick, sludgy grease in the freehub mechanism can cause even the “best of the best” hubs to make strange noises, click, and even fail, including a Phil Wood hub on a wheel I bought second-hand, which had sat unused for many years. It’s on me that I didn’t inspect the hub thoroughly enough. Lesson learned. 

Cartridge bearings are easy enough to clean and regrease, as Garth suggested, and even easier to replace.

Good luck!

Jim

[Patrick Moore]

I’ve had Phil cartridge bearings develop noise or roughness within just a few miles — say, 1,500 miles. I’ve solved at least some of the problems by injecting grease as described, but I’ve never “cleaned” cartridge bearings.

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Patrick Moore

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[J J]

Patrick, I’ve cleaned cartridge bearings by spraying them with a good solvent (after removing them from the axle and coaxing off the seals). It removes old grease and any corrosion that has formed. The best practice for reapplying grease to cartridge bearings is to avoid overdoing it. Stuffing them with grease is counterproductive; they don’t need to be more than two-thirds full of grease. 

Jim

On Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 2:43:33 PM UTC-4 Patrick Moore wrote:

[Garth]

Sure thing Patrick. Do note that when I first did this it was out of wondering what the bearing looked like inside before I ventured the idea of replacing the bearing. I had some new bearings on hand and know how to do it, but I had to know if it really needed replaced, or was just shy of grease. So yes, pop the seal carefully, I used a robust razor blade from a box cutter. On the first one I did, from a Specialized hub(1980s !), the grease inside was like thick peanut butter and sparse. I knew that one needed a flushing to break it up. I used some WD-40 the first time, but it's not the most robust grease-breaker-upper. So oh ! I have a can of brake cleaner on hand, much more to the point, and just a squirt, run my finger around it(with nitrile gloves on !), bearing side up/vertical. Then I sprayed some low pressure compressed air in there to expel it as best I could, this time with wheel vertical with a rag covering the spray as to not spray me. Do wear safety glasses. Good enough. Now lube. I chose to use Lucas White Lithium grease in the 8 oz. tubes(don't use crappy spray WL grease, it's not the same). Real WL grease from the can or tube is much like if not the same as ye ol' Campy grease. It's not as heavy as say marine or even Phil/Park grease, but it has it's own unique lube character though, one that I cannot describe in words. It seems to be more "slippery" in use. I use it in VP pedals also, and when I take the bodies off the axle, the grease almost looks "wet" and is very slippery, but with body to it. It's funny that the Lucas package says "not for wheel bearings", that's auto wheel bearings it refers to, not bicycle wheel bearings. Totally different applications !

All that aside, I squirt the grease inside and again use my finger to work it and around. When I placed the seal back on any excess was pushed out the sides, and in initial use there was a tiny bit more to wipe off. Then none.

The cleaning is not necessarily needed if the grease inside is just sparse but relatively functioning, and adding more of the same. If using another grease like WL then I'd clean it out beforehand. I also have some Suntour XC Pro Greaseguard hubs that have some white grease in it from the factory, I assume it's WL as I don't know of any other white grease. While those bearings can be cleaned like regular cartridges, it's not needed as the new grease pushes out the old through the outer seals. It's no different that cars and farm tractors with zerk grease fittings. The grease inside never needs removed, just replenished with more, pushing out the old. The main thing is to have lubricant in there.

Fuuny thing though, I once thought one of my wheels with a Phil FW hub had a bad bearing.  I had the tire off, in the wheel stand, listening carefully. Surely it seems the bearing was making a tinny cracking noise. I hesitated though and set the wheel aside. I had another to use. After so many months, one day spinning it slowly, I realized the sound was not from the bearing, but the rim, a Mavic A719. Sure enough, there was tiny bit of aluminum that had come off inside the rim. I finally got it out, and sure enough, no more noise. Had I replaced the bearing right away I would have done so needlessly and in futility !

On Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 3:21:37 PM UTC-4 wboe...@gmail.com wrote:

[Bill Lindsay]

Multiple responders trying to be helpful have recommended free hub servicing, but appear to have overlooked that the Original Poster is talking about a problematic FRONT WHEEL.  Most front wheels, particularly the front wheel on a Cheviot, do not have a free hub.  

definitely remove the front wheel and turn the axle in your fingers.  If it feels smooth and is not rattling loose, then it's probably not the hub bearings that are making your clicking noise.  If the bearings feel rough, or excessively loose, then replace the bearings.  You could have worn bearings -AND- some other source of clicking but that's the process.

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[J J]

lol you’re absolutely right Bill!

[Garth]

Font wheel it may be, but it's too much fun talking about the other wheel instead :-)  

"I'm so offended" 

"Offended by what ?"

"Whatcha got ?"

"The other front wheel, the one in the back "

Ahahahahahaaa !