If you are considering taking up the sport of mountain biking, it will be helpful to understand how your bicycle is made. Because repairs may need to be made on the trail, it is essential that you understand your bike’s construction. Your mountain bike hubs are an integral part of your bicycle and understanding them and how they fit could make the difference between a bike that stays in top shape and one that falls into disrepair.
A bike’s hubs are found in the middle of the tyre or wheel. The hub is comprised of the axle, bearings and hub shell. The hub shell typically has holes machined into the edge flanges to accommodate the wire spokes. Therefore, your mountain bike hubs are an integral part of your bike’s tyres. The hubs of mountain bikes generally feature a quick release axle. This allows the tyre to be quickly removed and replaced without any tools, which is a great feature if you have to perform a tyre change on the trail. The bearings allow the rest of the wheel to move around the axle freely. Most bikes use ball bearings made of steel or ceramic.
Keeping your bike hubs in top shape is an important part of your bike maintenance. Your hubs are part of the integral system of your mountain bike and your bicycle will not function correctly unless they are working right. Because other systems, like the brakes and the gears are attached directly to your mountain bike hubs, any hub problem will bring your ride to a screeching halt. While it’s possible to just pull off the offending tyre and replace it, you will save money by examining the defective hub and seeking to repair it after your bike ride. The most common repair you will need to do to your bike hub is replacing the bearings. Older bike designs may contain loose bearing that can be easily disassembled, replaced and lubed. Newer hub designs feature cartridge bearings, which cannot be disassembled, but must be replaced in whole.
Your bike is comprised of many different systems, all of which work together to bring you the best ride possible. Knowing how each system works and how they fit together is an important part of maintaining your mountain bike. Mountain bike hubs are an important part of your bike’s skeleton. Your bike’s hubs take a lot of weight, wear and tear. Maintaining and repairing your bike’s hubs can increase the quality of your ride, and save you time and money.
