.

[D-Man]

.

 

[Elmweaver]

To find out if everything is ok without taking everything apart, simply remove the wheel from the bike and turn the axle with your fingers. Everything turns nice and smooth without any play? Good, then you probably don't have to worry about anything. If the axle is stuck, very hard to turn or is very loose, you have to regrease your bearings. Here's how to:

http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/08/how-to-grease-bicycle-wheel-bearings.html

You may want to replace them while your in there. - Dan

 

[knightmb]

I've often wondered that myself. My e-bike is going on 3 years old and I've never done anything to the bearings in the back wheel or the hub motor. I've only ridden through the rain maybe 5 or 6 times in all my riding, I really try to avoid it. I never have any problems riding in the rain, it's just that you get so dirty from crap that splashes up from the road. I figured that once they start to squeak is when I'll get them looked at :|

 

[Elmweaver]

If your wheel bearings need grease or replacement then it would be a good time to check the bottom bracket bearings as well.

I don't have all the tools needed to do those jobs so it is easier if you have the money to just let a bike shop check and do it if needed. I think its like a $50 job most places for the wheels and bottom bracket but all you have to do is give them a call and they will tell you how much it cost.

Good Sheldon Brown article: http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/hubs.html

Rather than repacking your hubs on a fixed schedule I would recommend that you periodically check the condition of your hubs by removing the wheels and feeling how freely you can turn the axles (in the same manner described previously) Do not be fooled by the fact that your hub may seem to have "just a little" friction. Frictional drag is proportional to the load on the bearing. When you are, holding the wheel and turning the axle by hand the only load is the Weight of the axle set. When you are riding your `bike, the load is the weight of you and your machine, and the frictional drag is increased proportionally. You can feel the difference.

 

[D-Man]

Mmmmm

 

[Mathurin]

To my winter bikes I limit maintenance to air in the tires or oil on components that get noisy or stop working. If I'd have to whip out teh cone wrench to tighten a bearing I would, but I wouldn't clean/repack it even if it's making a crunchy sound. Maintenance is especially unpleasant when it's -20 out, just adding oil to squeaky parts and air in the tires is all a bike really needs to keep going. It's easier to run it to the ground and buy a new bike every 1-2 years during garage sale/flea market season.

My good bikes get cleaned, detailed, oiled, re-packed and tuned up before they need it, and so keep running smooth like swiss clocks. The hubs get repacked if the grease in 'em seems kinda dry, has sand, is tacky or is breaking up/discolored. I use synthetic snomobile grease for that, it stays good when it gets cold.