Front wheel help

[robz400]

Hi all,

My 2 year old Carrera Virtuoso's front wheel is not spinning freely, if I hold the bike up and spin it, it will slow quickly and then stop quite abruptly even turning back the other way for a couple of mm or so....

Its not rubbing on the brakes. Any ideas what it might be???? or is this the excuse I need to stick some new wheels on it....

I'm using it to commute 20miles a day and then one long ride at the weekend and plan to replace it with something nicer vis C2W scheme in November....

Thanks

 

[accountantpete]

Have you overtightened the locknuts on the outside of the hub?

Could be that the bearings have worn or lack grease.

Slightly worse the races on which the ball bearings revolve may have pitted.

It's a fairly straightforward job to check but if you have doubts I'd run it into the LBS.

 

[robz400]

The bolts were very loose so i did tighten them, firstly too tight but loosened them off slightly. Should them be just finger tight then??

 

[accountantpete]

The bolts were very loose so i did tighten them, firstly too tight but loosened them off slightly. Should them be just finger tight then??

They should be as tight as is sufficient re the cones - so it depends on the wheel.

If the wheel runs freely without play then that is the correct tension for your wheel.

BTW,ideally if you want the wheel to run at its optimal efficiency you set the nut so that there is a small bit of play in the wheel when it is off the bike. When you pop it on and tighten up the QR this play is then removed - but if you are happy with how it is I'd leave well alone!