This is a freewheel on a low-end hub. I know some wobble is normal (more so on a freewheel than a cassette) but this seems excessive to me. Is it possible the axle is slightly bent? How can I check whether riding this is safe?
Thanks!
by PrandtlMan
6 Comments
I think you’re on the right track. Axle might be bent.
Bent axle won’t cause that. It’s the hub body or the freehhub body that are bent.
Cheap freewheels have a shit ton of play. This is perfectly normal.
Could be caused by a cheap freehub or the cassette could be loose.
Cheap freehub confirmed, my cheap Chinese electric wheel does the same thing
It’s probably too many spacers in the cheap freehub bearings. If you really want to you can buy a freehub tool to take it apart and remove a spacer.
Warning, if you don’t like picking up hundreds of tiny ball bearings as they fly across the floor, then this is probably not the job for you.
If the bike is new I would take it back to where you bought it and ask for a new freehub. It will work, but it’s pretty shitty and will wear quicker if it’s doing this.