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Bearing life

Started by Chris Malcolm · · Last activity · 10 posts · 349 views

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01 / Original postBearing lifeChris Malcolm · 15 Sep 2005 02 / This pagePosts 1–10Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #10m-gineering · 15 Sep 2005

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Original section
UK and Europe
Published
15 September 2005
Last activity
15 September 2005
Original author
Chris Malcolm
Posts
10
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Public discussion
Total views
349
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0
Topics
Chain lengthHub and axle standards

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  1. Original post
    Chris Malcolm
    Archived post
    #1

    Hundreds of years ago, before computers, when policemen cycled round
    the quiet streets of our towns and gave cycling lessons to schoolkids,
    I got used to the idea that the thing that wore out fastest on your
    bike was the chain. When the chain wore out I'd check the bearings.
    Mostly they needed cleaning and adjusting. Sometimes they needed
    replacing.

    A few days ago I checked the chain length on my bike. It was 1/16"
    over, time to replace. As expected, the cogs also needed replacing. I
    checked the wheel bearings. The rear wheel bearings were only 1,200
    miles old, because I had to replace them when they developed a
    clicking noise after 1,000 miles, which turned out to be bearing which
    had split in two. They were fine, all polished flawless surfaces,
    just clean and replace.

    The front wheel bearings, only 2,220 miles old, were crazed all over
    with hairline pitted cracks, as were the cones, to a lesser extent. So
    were the bottom bracket bearings.

    Is 2,000 miles all I should expect from modern [censored] bearings? The
    bike, incidentally, was a cheap Edinburgh bike co-op city hybrid
    bike. I didn't expect high quality, but I expected serviceable
    robustness well in excess of this. I'm not a hard rider, BTW, I'm an
    aged potterer who prefers not to break into a sweat and has been
    advised to avoid high heart rates.

    --
    Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
    IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
    [http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

    Report
  2. iakobski
    Archived post
    #2

    Cheap bike = cheap bearings.

    Even on not-so-cheap bikes, most manufacturers cut costs on the hubs,
    bottom bracket, headset and chain. When a purchaser is looking at a
    bike they will look at the gears, the chainset, the brakes, and take
    less notice of the hubs, BB, etc.

    2000 miles is not very much, but far more than the majority of people
    buying a cheap bike will do. I would have thought that an average
    quality chain should do more than this if it is cleaned and lubricated
    (depending on riding conditions). IMO the cheapest bearings have taken
    a step down in quality with the increase in Chinese manufacture and are
    only much good for the odd Sunday ride round the park.

    Buy replacements of a higher quality than the originals and keep the
    chain clean, you'll get much more riding out of the new ones.

    Report
  3. Simon Brooke
    Archived post
    #3

    in message <[email hidden]>, Chris Malcolm

    (') said:

    Is 2,000 miles all I should expect from modern [censored] bearings? The
    bike, incidentally, was a cheap Edinburgh bike co-op city hybrid
    bike. I didn't expect high quality, but I expected serviceable
    robustness well in excess of this. I'm not a hard rider, BTW, I'm an
    aged potterer who prefers not to break into a sweat and has been
    advised to avoid high heart rates.

    I would go and have a word with the co-op. Bearings should last longer
    than that, and the co-op has a generally good reputation to maintain.

    --
    [email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

    ((DoctorWho)ChristopherEccleston).act();
    uk.co.bbc.TypecastException: actor does not want to be typecast.
    [adapted from autofile on /., 31/03/05]

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  4. Arthur Clune
    Archived post
    #4
    iakobski said:

    IMO the cheapest bearings have taken
    a step down in quality with the increase in Chinese manufacture and are
    only much good for the odd Sunday ride round the park.

    I think it's that they are actually just cheaper. It's now possible to make
    very low cost (and low quality) bearings.

    The middle of the range stuff is much much better now than it was before
    though IMO.

    Arthur

    --
    Arthur Clune

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  5. antgel
    Archived post
    #5

    When I read the subject, I thought this would be an interesting
    psychological thread!

    Report
  6. Bob Smith
    Archived post
    #6

    I thought it was going to be about childbirth!

    "antgel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    When I read the subject, I thought this would be an interesting
    psychological thread!

    Report
  7. iakobski
    Archived post
    #7
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    The middle of the range stuff is much much better now than it was before


    though IMO.

    Yes, IMO too. Cheap stuff has got cheaper and lower quality, while good
    stuff has become middle of the range.

    Report
  8. Pete Biggs
    Archived post
    #8
    Chris Malcolm said:

    The front wheel bearings, only 2,220 miles old, were crazed all over
    with hairline pitted cracks, as were the cones, to a lesser extent. So
    were the bottom bracket bearings.

    Over-tight cones* is the most common cause of premature bearing wear,
    regardless of bearing quality. The bearing balls or hub/BB design would
    have to be exceptionally rubbish to cause the problem.

    * May not have felt tight when spun but still could have been too tight,
    too far past the point of play. Ideally with QR hubs, there should be a
    trace of play when the QR lever is half open.

    ~PB

    Report
  9. killermike
    Archived post
    #9
    antgel said:

    When I read the subject, I thought this would be an interesting
    psychological thread!

    Whereas, I was looking forward to an interesting article on the benefits of
    naturist cycling.

    --
    ***My real address is m/ike at u/nmusic d/ot co dot u/k (removing /s)
    http://www.unmusic.co.uk - about me, music, geek sitcom etc.
    http://www.unmusic.co.uk/amh-s-faq.html - alt.music.home-studio
    http://www.unmusic.co.uk/ukodb - uk outdoor bargain noticeboard.

    Report
  10. m-gineering
    Archived post
    #10
    iakobski said:


    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    The middle of the range stuff is much much better now than it was before


    though IMO.

    Yes, IMO too. Cheap stuff has got cheaper and lower quality, while good
    stuff has become middle of the range.

    First you corner the market, than you start cutting cost. Bearings in
    old stuff 1920's bikes, ancient Record, UG hubs etc are IMHO better than
    most new high end components.

    --
    ---
    Marten Gerritsen

    INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
    www.m-gineering.nl

    Report

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