Maintenance worries.
By koopharper
@koopharper (7601)
Canada
October 12, 2012 3:10pm CST
When I'm riding my bike there are sounds I am not supposed to hear. Bicycles are supposed to operate smoothly and quietly. If it starts making unusual clicking, popping, clunking and rattling something is usually wrong with the bike. Tear sounds means you caught your pants in the chain. That's different. Wildfire was making an odd metallic rhythmic groaning sound. Not good. Testing determined the problem had to be with the bearings. Even worse. I pulled the whole thing apart yesterday. Turns out the hub was just loose. I found that odd. I've never had it make noises like that just because it was loosening up. Out of curiosity I checked all the kids bikes and found that every bike we have that originated from Walmart had a loose rear hub. Bike shop guy says that they do that regularly. That's not my experience. There is a lock nut on each side that is supposed to prevent that. Funny thing is one of our bikes originates from a different store and the parts appear to be identical. That hub with the same usage is still perfectly adjusted. I think somebody is doing a poor job of putting them together. If you have a bike and are curious about this take your rear rim and try to jiggle it from side to side. If it moves that direction even a little bit the hub is not adjusted correctly. We're all good here now. Will keep an eye on it.
2 responses
@Troublegum (641)
• United States
19 Oct 12
Most WalMart bikes use a freewheel rather than a cassette. Because of where the bearings are in this setup, the rear axles are prone to bending. Once the axle bends it starts to put strange forces on the bearings and will cause the hub to loosten up regularly. If you adjust the cones properly and tighten the lockring the problem will recur periodically. If you set up the cones just a little loose and then lock them down with the lockring it will add just enough play to accommodate the bent axle so you don't have to adjust it so often. Neither is perfect solution, but it is a way to put off buying a new wheel for a while.
1 person likes this
@Troublegum (641)
• United States
19 Oct 12
Also a new axle can be had for $10-15usd, but the issue will remain that you will be prone to bending the new one as well.
1 person likes this
@Troublegum (641)
• United States
22 Oct 12
Before you make the jump, make sure they measure your chain. If the chain is stretched you will be stuck switching the chain, and maybe even you chainrings and cranks as well. When they measure the chain they will be able to tell you what you are in for, before you get started.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
20 Oct 12
I was advised by the local bike shop to switch to the cassette style rear hub. Mainly because of my weight. I will consider it. I'm hoping to avoid replacing that part of the bike for awhile. I did snap an axle on another bike last winter. For the time being the rear hub of Wildfire is adjusted to my liking. I will monitor it and readjust periodically if necessary. The other bikes will get adjusted as well but they won't be seeing as much mileage this winter.
@work4kids2007 (49)
• United States
13 Oct 12
My husband has gotten bikes from there but he does regular maintenance and occasional upgrades on the bikes.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
13 Oct 12
I do find some of the parts don't last very long. I'm upgrading as I go. I bought my bike from a friend almost brand new. In a couple months though the rear gear cluster had to be replaced and the wheel loosening is just the latest. The price was right though and I am able to fix most issues myself.
