Hi everyone, I am very new to DIY bike maintenance and could use some advice.
Yesterday the rear axle of my hybrid bike broke, snapping somewhere inside the hub. I'm wondering what the common causes are for such a breakage?
I can think of a few things, not the least of which being the fact that I myself adjusted the position of the rear wheel and 'eyeballed' an adjustment of the bearings, which I have since learned is a critical adjustment :-( I am also not totally convinced that the rear dropouts are porperly aligned.
I need help with what to do next. How do I determine the cause of the breakage, and how do I check that the frame is OK for me to put in a new axle?
Cheap rear axles used to break all the time, usually just inside one of the cones, from no obvious cause. I rode such a bike across most of northern NJ one Sunday to get home; rain served to lubricate the tire a little where it rubbed against the frame under pedalling load.
Just replace the axle, or the whole wheel for that matter; probably the bearings and cones are worn too by that time.
I don't think there's any adjustment that will make them break or not break. -- Ron Hardin [email hidden]
This is very good news. What do I need to know about the axle to buy a correct replacement? (besides showing it to the guy in the store). Are all axles created equal?
Thanks,
Adam
"Ron Hardin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Cheap rear axles used to break all the time, usually just inside one of
the
Quoted message said:
cones, from no obvious cause. I rode such a bike across most of northern
NJ
Quoted message said:
one Sunday to get home; rain served to lubricate the tire a little where
it
Quoted message said:
rubbed against the frame under pedalling load.
Just replace the axle, or the whole wheel for that matter; probably the bearings and cones are worn too by that time.
I don't think there's any adjustment that will make them break or not
"Jacobe Hazzard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hi everyone, I am very new to DIY bike maintenance and could use some advice.
Yesterday the rear axle of my hybrid bike broke, snapping somewhere
inside
Quoted message said:
the hub. I'm wondering what the common causes are for such a breakage?
I can think of a few things, not the least of which being the fact
that I
Quoted message said:
myself adjusted the position of the rear wheel and 'eyeballed' an
adjustment
Quoted message said:
of the bearings, which I have since learned is a critical adjustment
:-( I
Quoted message said:
am also not totally convinced that the rear dropouts are porperly
aligned.
Quoted message said:
I need help with what to do next. How do I determine the cause of the breakage, and how do I check that the frame is OK for me to put in a
new
Quoted message said:
axle?
I assume this is a freewheel setup and not a cassette hub. The distance between the drive side bearing and dropout is large for a freewheel hub (esp. 7/8 speed) and was a major problem and reason for the cassette hub design. The bending stress on a freewheel rear axle is excessive especially for large powerful riders and has resulted in significant breakages. I tried higher grade axles but still broke them. The axle deflection also puts additional load on the dropouts and I eventually broke the frame at this location.
