If you've lost ball bearings it sounds like the whole hub might be fucked,
in which case it might well be easier to buy a whole new wheel. Take it to a bike shop and ask them what they would do.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:13, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

that's probably the sensible option
as I am a complete biffer when it comes to the workings of a bike, beyond the most minor adjustments to the brakes.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:14, Reply)

Make sure it's a good bike shop and not halfords
Somewhere where the bloke running it wears greasy overalls and has lots of bits of bikes lying around. If it's really clean then they'll just try and sell you a new hub.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:18, Reply)

fortunately there's a place about 2 minutes walk from my house which has an excellent reputation
I haven't the foggiest how much this is likely to cost me, what sort of ball park should I be expecting would you say?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:22, Reply)

A new spindle I would think around 20 quid ish
if you need a new wheel then around 50-60 would be reasonable, obviously you can spend hundreds on a wheel, but for what you want more than 50 quid and it's probably not worth putting something that good on a shit bike.

Edit - looks like £50 is the very bottom end of a new MTB wheel, so if you look at up to £70 as your cut off point.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:34, Reply)

let's hope I don't need a new wheel then, as I don't have a spare £50 for my bike
particularly as the whole thing only cost me £180
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:43, Reply)

That's the thing about cheap bikes
any repairs appear massively disproportionate to the cost of a new machine. Of course the new machine would suffer from exactly the same problems. Can you get on the Cycle to Work scheme at your job?
(Bazongaloid, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:45, Reply)

we do have the cycle to work scheme
but even with that I can't really afford a new bike. fairly hard up at the moment even without saving for the wedding.

I'm going to take stock of what is up with my bike tonight and then see about sorting it. I suspect the wheel and hub are ok. might just need to get a few new balls for the bearing, and a new axle, then straighten things a bit.

new tyres can wait!
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:48, Reply)

If you bought a £400 bike on the ride to work scheme
It'll cost you something like £15 a month. And a £400 bike ought to last you years and be pretty good to commute on.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:50, Reply)

what I find particularly galling is that they started the cycle to work scheme here
about a month after I bought a bike.

£15 a month does sound quite reasonable. I'll check out what might need doing with the current bike first though, because it's not actually as shit as I make out.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:53, Reply)

What's wrong with asking Roota to boost one for you?

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Mon 28 Jun 2010, 16:04, Reply)

travel costs to get it from her
plus the cost of new wheels for my car to replace the ones stolen when I park it outside her place.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 16:13, Reply)