bent hub or axle or ??

Heathcliff Bambino? writes under pseudonym:

Quoted message said:

If I pick up the bike and spin the rear wheel, I can see the gear cluster swaying slightly as the
wheel rotates. Is it a bad axle, hub or what? It's an old road bike wheel with a freewheel on it
and a quick-release axle. I don't really notice any problem when riding the bike but I fear this
will lead to some sort of problem down the road, so to speak.

This is common with freewheels. The FW body is not exactly perpendicular to the face that
bears against the hub and that face is not always true either. It a beauty mark that has no
effect. Use it.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

I don't think I've ever seen a freewheel that doesn't sway slightly (The old Meadas (Sun-Tour) even
clicked slightly in the higher gears, until I greased the bearings.

Unless it's a really expensive freewheel, like Campagnolo, I wouldn't worry about it.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

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

Quoted message said:

If I pick up the bike and spin the rear wheel, I can see the gear cluster swaying slightly as the
wheel rotates. Is it a bad axle, hub or what? It's an old road bike wheel with a freewheel on it
and a quick-release axle. I don't really notice any problem when riding the bike but I fear this
will lead to some sort of problem down the road, so to speak. TIA

Some amount of float is inherent to a freewheel system. If that started or increased suddenly, you
have a broken axle or a serious beraing problem. Open the hub.

--
Andrew Muzi yellowjersey.orgyellowjersey.orgOpen ↗ Open every day since 1 April 1971

Andrew Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

If I pick up the bike and spin the rear wheel, I can see the gear cluster swaying slightly as the
wheel rotates. Is it a bad axle, hub or what? It's an old road bike wheel with a freewheel on it
and a quick-release axle. I don't really notice any problem when riding the bike but I fear this
will lead to some sort of problem down the road, so to speak.

Quoted message said:

Some amount of float is inherent to a freewheel system. If that started or increased suddenly, you
have a broken axle or a serious bearing problem. Open the hub.

A broken axle or "bearing problem" cannot make a freewheel, or for that matter, a wheel wobble.
Axles do not rotate and therefore cannot make anything wobble although the wheel may run off axis.
That would mean the clearance to the brake or chainstays would be asymmetric in comparison to what
it would be without that defect. This is not something easily detected.

It is freewheel attachment to the hub that causes this effect, as was previously mentioned.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

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

Quoted message said:

Andrew Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

If I pick up the bike and spin the rear wheel, I can see the gear cluster swaying slightly as
the wheel rotates. Is it a bad axle, hub or what? It's an old road bike wheel with a freewheel
on it and a quick-release axle. I don't really notice any problem when riding the bike but I
fear this will lead to some sort of problem down the road, so to speak.

Quoted message said:

Some amount of float is inherent to a freewheel system. If that started or increased suddenly,
you have a broken axle or a serious bearing problem. Open the hub.

A broken axle or "bearing problem" cannot make a freewheel, or for that matter, a wheel wobble.
Axles do not rotate and therefore cannot make anything wobble although the wheel may run off axis.
That would mean the clearance to the brake or chainstays would be asymmetric in comparison to what
it would be without that defect. This is not something easily detected.

It is freewheel attachment to the hub that causes this effect, as was previously mentioned.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

Thanks for the reassurance. A little background: I had just swapped in this wheel, using the same
freewheel and axle I had before, so the only thing that changed really is the hub. I had just never
seen this sway before -- I figured either it was the hub, or I screwed something up, or it always
did that but I never noticed before. But I think I would have noticed. I will keep riding and *try*
not to think about
it. Thanks again.