Safe to ride with rear wheel wobble?

[Welsh wheels]

My rear wheel bearing needs tightening or possibly new ball bearings. No problems with that. However I won't be able to do it until tonight at the earliest. Safe to ride the bike before it's fixed or not? Fair bit of wobble on the wheel.

 

[mjr]

I'd ride it as long as the wobble isn't bad enough that anything's going to foul the wheel or tyre but it's almost certainly knackering the bearings and possibly the cups and cones with a wildly uneven and varying load. I wonder if it could snap a thin axle if it got bad enough. If I had any time whatsoever, I'd at least tighten the bearings a bit. If I'd got another bike option - even a hire bike - I'd use that instead.

 

[vickster]

I wouldn't unless you can't get home any other way. Just ride slowly and steadily if so

 

[Tangoup51]

Just for consideration @Welsh wheels if this ever happens again, you might be able to get away with overtightening your QR skewer (if you're running one) as it'll help preload the bearings just a tad more.

 

[albal]

Mine were going for ages before I got round to replacing the bearings.

 

[Welsh wheels]

Just for consideration @Welsh wheels if this ever happens again, you might be able to get away with overtightening your QR skewer (if you're running one) as it'll help preload the bearings just a tad more.

Cheers, thanks for the tip

 

[Levo-Lon]

If it's a cup and cone skewer wheel you will most likely be able to nip up finger tight if it's lose..
Pop out the wheel and see.

If it sealed bearings then no but it will be fine to ride home either way

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Live on the edge, go for it, if you hadn't noticed till tomorrow, would you have worried tonight?