Redo bearings after 3 years?
Donald Specker
Is it worthwhile to have the bearings redone if they feel fine?
Thanks.
S. Anderson
detect something going bad early on. However, if they feel pretty good,
like clean and greased, I wouldn't rush to overhaul them. I guess you could
make a better guess by looking at the overall maintenance of the bike.
Cheers!
Scott..
--
Scott Anderson
Remove the z's for e-mail..
"Donald Specker" <vze2...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:7jPM8.5256$gs4...@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
David L. Johnson
>
> Just bought a used road bike - 1999 model, all Ultegra.
>
> Is it worthwhile to have the bearings redone if they feel fine?
Depends on how much they've been ridden. Average bike doesn't get ridden much
at all in its lifetime. People on this NG probably would have ridden that
bike enough in that time to need new bearings. The condition of the bike
would help determine it. Are those the original tires? If so, ride the bike
(unless the tires are rotted). If not, maybe the hubs should be looked at.
--
David L. Johnson
__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |
Donald Specker
Yes, original tires, with the rear quite well worn (Axial Pro green). I
guess that gives some approximation of miles ridden.
Thanks.
"David L. Johnson" <david....@lehigh.edu> wrote in message
news:3D0413FA...@lehigh.edu...
Aaron Fillion
"Donald Specker" <vze2...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:7jPM8.5256$gs4...@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
>
> Is it worthwhile to have the bearings redone if they feel fine?
Yes. If you wait till the the bearings feel rough or become loose it is too late
and you will have damaged your cones, bearings or races. The whole point of
regreasing is so that the bearings always feel fine. I usually redo every year.
Jay Beattie
> >
> > Just bought a used road bike - 1999 model, all Ultegra.
> >
> > Is it worthwhile to have the bearings redone if they feel fine?
>
> Depends on how much they've been ridden. Average bike doesn't get ridden
much
> at all in its lifetime. People on this NG probably would have ridden that
> bike enough in that time to need new bearings. The condition of the bike
> would help determine it. Are those the original tires? If so, ride the
bike
> (unless the tires are rotted). If not, maybe the hubs should be looked
at.
What bearings? Most of them are sealed cartridge bearings (headset, bottom
bracket), and the others have some other type of mechanical seal. As for the
hubs, pop a seal on the rear hub and look inside. If the grease is there
and clean, just put it back together -- unless you feel like re-packing it.
If your bearings were shot and needed replacement, you would feel it when
you spun the wheel. I got more than three years out of the bearings in my
wheels even riding high mileage. -- Jay Beattie.
Tom Nakashima
-tom
"Jay Beattie" <jbea...@lindsayhart.com> wrote in message
news:ug9jsu7...@corp.supernews.com...
Jay Beattie
"Tom Nakashima" <t...@slac.stanford.edu> wrote in message
news:ae2km8$kf3$1...@usenet.Stanford.EDU...
> Guess you don't ride in the rain, 3 years, high mileage?
> -tom
I live in Portland, Oregon and ride to work (almost) every day, rain or
shine. I raced here for almost 10 years -- including most all the spring
races (and before that in Ca. including the old SLAC races -- saw your
address). I repacked my hubs routinely, but I did not replace my bearings
unless they felt shot. Some of my headsets and BBs have suffered an early
death, but my wheel bearings have held up well -- probably because of the
Shimano seals. BUT, riding was spread between several sets of wheels, so I
cannot say that any one set would have survived three years with all the
mileage. My old sealed Phil hubs have probably held up the worst of all in
the rain. I still think most people riding average amounts of mileage (5K a
year) in places like Ca. certainly could get by on original wheel bearings
for three years. -- Jay Beattie.
Tom Nakashima
Years ago, one month, it rained 23 days with 2-days of break in those 23
days while I commuted to work...32.7 miles one way. I remember
disassembling the hubs after riding that stretch of wet weather. The
bearings were pretty much dried out, but it was the fine grit in the bearing
area that surprised me. The HS was pretty bad also, & the BB took the worst
of riding in the rain.
-tom
It does surprise me that you live in Portland, ride high mileage in wet
weather, and your hubs hold out for 3 year, what grease do you use?
-tom
"Jay Beattie" <jbea...@lindsayhart.com> wrote in message
news:ug9pg2l...@corp.supernews.com...
Frank Miles
3 years sounds low. While I haven't ridden as many miles as Jay, I have
regularly commuted (up to 35mi/day, 4-5 days/wk for 5 years, etc) in rainy
environments -- Seattle and Portland. I'm still using the same hubs, 25
years later, still riding the (mostly) same bike. Of course, I've committed
the sin of using oil rather than grease, _rarely_ cleaning the bearings.
Campy hubs. Haven't raced, but have fully-loaded toured somewhat -- including
E-W and N-S trans-ams.
In the same time, I've had to have Phil rebuild/replace my "sealed" BB
several times. Unfortunately he's now charging considerably more than
the pittance it cost originally.
Recently did clean out the hubs -- they are clearly worn, but worn smooth.
No pitting.
-frank
--
R. Himm
(Frank Miles) wrote:
> regularly commuted (up to 35mi/day, 4-5 days/wk for 5 years, etc) in rainy
> environments -- Seattle and Portland. I'm still using the same hubs, 25
> years later, still riding the (mostly) same bike. Of course, I've committed
> the sin of using oil rather than grease, _rarely_ cleaning the bearings.
> Campy hubs. Haven't raced, but have fully-loaded toured somewhat -- including
> E-W and N-S trans-ams.
>
> In the same time, I've had to have Phil rebuild/replace my "sealed" BB
> several times. Unfortunately he's now charging considerably more than
> the pittance it cost originally.
>
> Recently did clean out the hubs -- they are clearly worn, but worn smooth.
> No pitting.
So what weight oil do you use, how much and and how often do you oil the
hubs? Basically they used to say they would last about one day on oil in
the dry, since it would all run out. But maybe they weren't using a heavy
enough oil.
And how rare is rarely cleaning the bearings?
Of course one would expect to have to rebuild the Phil hub every 5 years or
so. But nowadays it disassembles with two allen wrenches, no need to send
it back to Phil.
A Muzi
-snip- bought used bike - should I OH hubs? -
> What bearings? Most of them are sealed cartridge bearings (headset,
bottom
> bracket), and the others have some other type of mechanical seal. As for
the
> hubs, pop a seal on the rear hub and look inside. If the grease is there
> and clean, just put it back together -- unless you feel like re-packing
it.
> If your bearings were shot and needed replacement, you would feel it when
> you spun the wheel. I got more than three years out of the bearings in my
> wheels even riding high mileage. -- Jay Beattie.
>
>
Jay, I would have agreed with you a few years ago but recent product is
nearly devoid of lube as delivered.
I'd look for sure and probably clean/lube.
--
Andrew Muzi
http://www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April 1971
Jay Beattie
> Ah yes the old SLAC races, so you know David Faust, Tim Montange?
> Years ago, one month, it rained 23 days with 2-days of break in those 23
> days while I commuted to work...32.7 miles one way. I remember
> disassembling the hubs after riding that stretch of wet weather. The
> bearings were pretty much dried out, but it was the fine grit in the
bearing
> area that surprised me. The HS was pretty bad also, & the BB took the
worst
> of riding in the rain.
> -tom
> It does surprise me that you live in Portland, ride high mileage in wet
> weather, and your hubs hold out for 3 year, what grease do you use?
> -tom
I did (past tense) ride high mileage. I am fat and old now, but still
commute in the rain -- but nowhere near 32.7 miles each way. When did you
find time to work?
Anyway, I have always used Phil grease because I accumulated about a billion
tubes back in the day when it was cheap, and I am still working through my
stock. I use cheap-o Penzoil lithium grease for cables, etc. I really do
think my hubs stay in pretty good shape because of the Shimano seals. If I
were riding old NR hubs -- fuhgettaboudit. My Phil "sealed" hubs crapped
out after about two years in Portland -- but they were pretty old already.
My chains go fast.
BTW, the last SLAC race I did was in '83 or '84 -- IIRC, back then they were
being won routinely by Fred Markham, Robert Ford, Eric Heiden and the usual
cast of sprinters. Suck and sprint! I don't remember Faust winning, but he
was a power-house and might have. One of my golden moments was beating
Heiden -- he crashed on the 90 degree corner right before the finish (along
with about 20 people). Sometimes it paid to be at the back (my usual
spot). -- Jay Beattie.
alex wetmore
news:none-ya02358000...@news.globetrotter.net:
> (Frank Miles) wrote:
>> In the same time, I've had to have Phil rebuild/replace my "sealed" BB
>> several times. Unfortunately he's now charging considerably more than
>> the pittance it cost originally.
>
> years or so. But nowadays it disassembles with two allen wrenches, no
> need to send it back to Phil.
Even with the older hubs you should be able to find a local shop who can
service them without sending them back. In Seattle I believe that
Bikesmith will replace the bearings in older Phil Wood hubs.
alex
David L. Johnson
>
> Yes, original tires, with the rear quite well worn (Axial Pro green). I
> guess that gives some approximation of miles ridden.
Worn original tire would be no more than 3000-4000 miles, probably less unless
casing is showing. Axles are probably OK unless many of those miles were in
the rain.
--
David L. Johnson
__o | Accept risk. Accept responsibility. Put a lawyer out of
_`\(,_ | business.
(_)/ (_) |
David L. Johnson
> > (unless the tires are rotted). If not, maybe the hubs should be looked
> at.
>
> What bearings?
Hub bearings typically are still not really sealed, and easily replaced.
> Most of them are sealed cartridge bearings (headset, bottom
> bracket),
Many headsets also have replaceable bearings.
--
David L. Johnson
__o | "It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster." --Greg LeMond
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |
Frank Miles
R. Himm <no...@none.none> wrote:
>In article <ae2sr0$1fvk$1...@nntp3.u.washington.edu>, f...@u.washington.edu
>(Frank Miles) wrote:
>
>
>> regularly commuted (up to 35mi/day, 4-5 days/wk for 5 years, etc) in rainy
>> environments -- Seattle and Portland. I'm still using the same hubs, 25
>> years later, still riding the (mostly) same bike. Of course, I've committed
>> the sin of using oil rather than grease, _rarely_ cleaning the bearings.
>> Campy hubs. Haven't raced, but have fully-loaded toured somewhat -- including
>> E-W and N-S trans-ams.
>>
>> In the same time, I've had to have Phil rebuild/replace my "sealed" BB
>> several times. Unfortunately he's now charging considerably more than
>> the pittance it cost originally.
>>
>> Recently did clean out the hubs -- they are clearly worn, but worn smooth.
>> No pitting.
>
>
>So what weight oil do you use, how much and and how often do you oil the
>hubs? Basically they used to say they would last about one day on oil in
>the dry, since it would all run out. But maybe they weren't using a heavy
>enough oil.
The oil wasn't anything special -- same oil as for auto (10/30, most likely).
>And how rare is rarely cleaning the bearings?
10k miles or so (WAG). This recent hub cleanout was "facilitated" by having
to rebuild the wheel, rims worn through by brakepads (again). That may have
been the occasion the last time, too. Rims don't last terribly long with
wet road grit as an abrasive.
>Of course one would expect to have to rebuild the Phil hub every 5 years or
>so. But nowadays it disassembles with two allen wrenches, no need to send
>it back to Phil.
It's the BB, not a hub -- and I don't recall any allen or other fastener head
on this very old style BB. Too bad! Last Phil BB had one bearing absolutely
disintegrate into a pile of rust. This bike gets a lot of wet miles on it.
-frank
--
R. Himm
(Frank Miles) wrote:
> >So what weight oil do you use, how much and and how often do you oil the
> >hubs? Basically they used to say they would last about one day on oil in
> >the dry, since it would all run out. But maybe they weren't using a heavy
> >enough oil.
>
> The oil wasn't anything special -- same oil as for auto (10/30, most likely).
>
> >And how rare is rarely cleaning the bearings?
>
> 10k miles or so (WAG). This recent hub cleanout was "facilitated" by having
> to rebuild the wheel, rims worn through by brakepads (again). That may have
> been the occasion the last time, too. Rims don't last terribly long with
> wet road grit as an abrasive.
Thanks for the info. But how often did you oil the hubs? Every ride? I
presume there was no grease in there to begin with, that you are riding on
oil only? Or were you adding oil in the hole on top of grease already in
the bearings?
John Thurston
> Is it worthwhile to have the bearings redone if they feel fine?
Probably not, but why not do the wheel bearings anyway? I mean, how
long does it take to pull the wheel, pull the cone, drop the axle,
wipe, grease, reassemble? 15 minutes? 20? And when you're all done,
you have the satisfying knowledge that the lube is in good shape and
that the bearings are correctly adjusted.
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska