I've put just over 1000 miles on my Jamis Nova Sport that I use for commuting now - quite a lot of those miles have been dry thanks to a rather lovely summer 🙂
So I'm a little annoyed that the rear hub has started to play up already. It's a Formula item and you can visibly see the cassette moving around a bit then the wheel is spinning and it doesn't feel very smooth.
I took it mostly apart this morning to find that the bearings and axle looked good. Only issue was I couldn't get the free hub body off. I think I need a large and long hex key to remove it, but I didn't have anything large enough.
I think it's larger than a 10mm hex key I need, I'm guessing a 12mm, but they don't appear common. I found a set that has one in on ebay for £40, but that's got to be more than the hub is worth! Even for a single item I'm looking at close to a tenner.
So what to do? Buy the tools and be happy in the knowledge that I'd have the tools for the job in the future? Buy a new hub and get the wheel rebuilt? Take it to a shop for them to look at (but with both bikes off the road I'd be stuck getting to work)? Or buy a cheap new wheel?
I have a Formula SS rear hub, I looked into freehub removal and it might be an 11mm hex that's needed. Apparently you get an adaptor with a freehub. If you can freehub!
I had a few creaks from mine yesterday, I nipped up the lockring and it seems to of cured the creaking. Freehub did look to have a bit of play in it. If it shows any more trouble I'll try for warranty, stick the replacement on ebay and buy something I can trust not to let me down in the back of beyond!
Go to your nearest Halfords and buy a 12mm hex key for £6.39.
Use CRC and buy a Park Tools 12mm hex key for £7.99.
Or find other cheaper ones using the internet and search facilities like I did. £2.57 seems the cheapest so far.
I forgot to mention, even if I get the right size hex key to open it up - which now looks like it could be 11mm or 12mm. I've never done this before, so there is a reasonable chance that it will never go back together again.
it's a Formula
Say no more...
It might well be a sealed unit type thing like shimano ones. Not realy servicable, take of put new one on if you can get one.
I found with shimano a hub was cheaper than just buying a freehub.