Bearings whinge…..

Sigh

Stripped down my full suss bike yesterday as it was getting a bit creaky

I know it’s been a wet winter, but yikes it was a mess in there, main pivot bearings were more mud than anything else,

Headset bearings the same, and Mr rear wheel, while it spins well and has no play also creaky probably better look at that

I’ve had the bike since 2018 and changed the bearings out twice, and it’s done a lot of very wet weekends in Wales, Scotland, I’ve actually been riding my hardtail a lot through this winter but there was a point last year where I think every big ride I did was aquatic.

Damn you British weather & climate change

Sorry rant over

I tend to give the main bearings a check after very wet rides – BB/jockeys as a minimum. I’ve started packing my bearings with marine grease – certainly helps protect them.

@weeksy to the forum please

I’m just about to go out and check my full sus, getting it ready for the alps.

Fossy – what marine grease are you using ?

Twice since 2018 seems decent even if only minimal use. Mine get checked at least once a year. Even when it all feels smooth there’s usually a couple that are on their way out.

I tend to give the main bearings a check after very wet rides – BB/jockeys as a minimum

I get those two are easy to turn without disassembling anything, but surely you don’t disassemble your suspension linkage?

twice in 6 years is bloody good,

I usually replace mine every 12 – 18 months, based in north wales so always wet

When you get the new bearings, open them up and apply Mobil xhp222 marine grease

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392312562904

. Prolongs the life to very acceptable levels. Also buy good quality bearings, like skf

Brand new bike at the start of December.

headset, rocker linkage, various pivot bearings, infact the only ones I’ve not touched are the chainstay.

its been so wet, and peak district water has that very special abrasive quality..

will look at that marine grease..!

Proper sealing, G1 has done 3000 miles, jet washed. One set of bearings so far. It is possible to make bearings last, just the bike companies are too lazy to do it.

Climate change again. Wtf

Do we think the current standard bearing arrangement used for suspension isn’t really fit for purpose. They don’t seem to last very well in standard UK conditions. Better sealing would help or even grease nipples like some motorbikes used to have on linkages years ago

Some bikes are now coming with bearing covers.

I believe we in the UK are in a minority of countries where it gets hugely muddy yet we persist with riding.

I believe we in the UK are in a minority of countries where it gets hugely muddy yet we persist with riding

If we didn’t, we’d only get to ride mountain bikes for 3 weeks of the year!

I always spec full stainless replacements where possible I usually get 2x 3x the service length out of these riding in all weathers.

OK. That rumble from my back wheel

Turned out bearings were fine

On my second climb up at BPW yesterday the freehub just started spinning out

But the ratchet inside my freehub has unbonded from the hubshell, wheels are 4 years old so out of mavic warranty and don’t see how I can get a new ratchet in there

Does it screw in? Even if it screws, or is bonded, if it is spinning then it is goosed. You could try some suitable Loctite, but you’d need to get it forensically clean before and after application.

You sure it doesn’t just push on and pull off? Have the pawl springs broken and the pawls no longer engage? If so, that could be a much easier fix.

Just asking as when I pull the freehub off my Hope Pro 4, it looks very similar to what is in your picture.

I’ve just recently replaced the pawl springs as I’d snapped 1.

Cancel the above, just re-read and it looks like the inner ratchet bits spins…unsure what would be strong enough to bond it as I suspect there will be a lot of force put through that and it might not hold.

Looks like it’s a replaceable part held in with a retaining ring. Hopefully it’s only that part that’s damaged and not the hub. Part number V2252701

Diagrams and parts numbers here

https://technicalmanual.mavic.com/tech-mavic/technical_manual/data/mavic_tech.php?display=product&family=1024&subfamily=1152&macronu=30983

Cheers

I think it’s actually this one and it looks part of the hub

I’ve reached out to mavic and actually seen a s/h hub on ebay so might just go for that if they can’t help

Ah I thought I’d read that it’s one of the newer style ones rather than the old pawl system. But that should have been obvious from your photo!

Ah I thought I’d read that it’s one of the newer style ones rather than the old pawl system. But that should have been obvious from your photo!

wouldnt feel bad Mavic replied with the wrong info too ( I also sent them the picture)

Ive got a second hand hub off ebay

so who reckons it will be easy to swap out the hub, bearing in mind its got straight bladed spokes!

Gonna plug my mates business: https://trailvision.co.uk/

His bearings have always served me well.

Some bikes are now coming with bearing covers.

I’m impressed with the bearing protection/longevity on my Bird, despite it being a “budget” brand.

And my other FS bikes are Oranges, so you already know how smug I am about only having two frame bearings on those.

My Lapierre came with SKF Matrix solid oil bearings. early days yet, but hopefully they’ll last a fair while.

5 years on the eeb and not changed a bearing 🤣 it seems to bounce up and down nicely enough still

As it happens though, I’m about to strip the motor out and send it away for a refurb (it’s not broken, just want to freshen it up) and I’ve ordered a bearing set to fit while it’s out of action

Gonna plug my mates business

Also as it happens, by pure coincidence, that’s where I’ve ordered them from

We get all our bearings from him. They come pre packed with marine grease.

We get all our bearings from him. They come pre packed with marine grease.

Yes, that’s what piqued my interest and good to hear from a happy customer. I went for the more expensive option of the two for my Kenevo.

Seems my Google Fu was on point if they come recommended on here 👍

They are well worth the money, have rinsed my bike this winter and the bearings have been faultless. Glad to see others are enjoying Tom’s wares.

so who reckons it will be easy to swap out the hub, bearing in mind its got straight bladed spokes!

Me (unless it turns out the s/h hub is different and you have to work out what length spokes you need).  I’ve never built a wheel with bladed straight pull spokes but I have built with straight pull and I’ve built with bladed spokes and neither were especially problematic.  Spoke holders to stop the blade twisting are cheap or do what I did for my first pair and put a couple of bits of inner tube on a pair of pliers.

Completely irreverent but much smugness

Have just replaced the bearings in my Pro2 evo hubs. The last time I’d changed them was 7 years ago. I’ve just rebuilt them into 29er rims, the bearings felt a little grindy and the lower freehub bearing spat out all the balls as I removed it.
All good now though.

It’s a reason I have a single-pivot Orange 5.

The pissy little bearings in the Stumpjumper (especially the doubled up tiny Horst link ones) were a total and utter PITA.

+ Hope hubs and headset etc. They just take more of the UK weather and only need fixing every half a decade.