Hub maintenance

My Novatec wheel have gradually developed some creaky noise coming from the rear hub. What should I do with it?

That anoying sound is coming most likely from the bearings. Therefore, I strongly recommend you to check out the condition of your bearings and give them a proper maintenance. If there is no play in your bearings, so replacement is not necessary, you just need to clean them up and re-grease them, because proper lubrication is so important. Video at the bottom shows a good example on how to clean and lubricate your rear hub.

If unsure about how to disassemble your hub to get access to the bearings, you can contact Novatec distributors or EU office for advice. If you don’t feel confident doing such maintenance you can visit your local bike workshop and have it done by experienced staff.
Novatec uses standard sealed industrial bearings (NBK or EZO) so if needed you should be able to find replacement bearings easily in your local hardware store. Or check the availability with Novatec EU as they keep some bearings in stock.

Important: When cleaning your bike with power jet washer (pressure washer) please make sure to avoid splashing too much water directly on your hubs as the strong stream could wash out the grease from your hubs/bearings. Riding a dry hub will shorten its lifespan drastically.  

Another parts of rear hub that you should check and keep clean and well lubricated is ratchet ring and pawls of cassette body. If there is dirt or too much grease (or some old grease not doing its job) the pawls will not engage properly and that will lead to some serious issues sooner or later. So make sure this is kept in good condition and working properly.

Of course, you should give a visual check to all accessible parts and see if there are any cracks or damages on them. Make sure that all parts are properly sitting in their place, without any issues, and side caps properly tightened.

All this will assure you a nice and smooth ride and will prolong the lifespan of your hubs.

 

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