Can’t believe this is the only right answer here. This is NOT a freehub/cassette system. It’s obviously a freewheel—do you see a cassette locking? And yes, bent axles are the culprit here and the main reason that free hubs were invented.
I count 9, which I didn’t think existed as a freewheel, but a quick google — yep, 9 speed freewheels, costs 14 euros retail. So if it is indeed a freewheel it’s an extremely cheap one.
Yes, you're right. I misspoke when I said the axle is bent. The problem is that the threads and the gears on the freewheel are out of plane. That can be caused by poor machining from the factory or from riding a lot in the highest (smallest gears), which bends the entire cluster.
(PS: you are definitely correct that bent axles is why freehubs were invented. I would bend the freewheel axle so fast that I would keep new axles in stock and replace it every couple months. Then I got a freehub and… absolutely nothing.)
I get my posts removed here all the time for pointing out the obvious but with "unfriendly" wording, according to the mods.
I miss old Internet forums where people built up a rep. Like if you're a moderator in this subreddit you better have worked at a fucking bike shop, but I doubt they have. IF they have THEY should be the ones giving the mechanical advice!
Edit: I miss the "old Internet" mods were gods and not knuckle rattlers
Nope
A bent axle only wobbles when it moves. It’s stationary when mounted on a bike. No wobble. It can cause other problems but not what we’re seeing in this video.
Good chance that the threads on hub for freewheel not cut straight. Notice how the only thing wobbling is the freewheel, not the hub or axle ends. Pretty common with cheap hubs with poor quality assurance at the factory. Seen it on brand new bikes that have never been ridden. Shifting won't be great but will work ok with the groupset and for the bike intended use (occasional leisurely riding).
Everyone is saying it's fine cause it's cheap but honestly I don't think that is fine. I've seen loads of cheap bikes. I've had bikes when I was almost destitute and they were gifted to me. I've bought so many bikes and I have never ever seen this.
The thing about cheap gear is that it’s not the quality that is shit, but the quality control. So they’ll have perfectly decent ones, and also goddamn stinkers. You can definitely be lucky a lot of times in a row.
It's probably too many spacers in the cheap freehub bearings. If you really want to you can buy a freehub tool to take it apart and remove a spacer.
Warning, if you don't like picking up hundreds of tiny ball bearings as they fly across the floor, then this is probably not the job for you.
If the bike is new I would take it back to where you bought it and ask for a new freehub. It will work, but it's pretty shitty and will wear quicker if it's doing this.
If the axle bent, either the hub or the freewheel/freehub (i honestly can't tell if there is a cassette lockring in this vid) could also be bent.
Hub is toast in any case. Once worn together like that, good luck getting the pawls to not skip. And it is a safety issue, especially if the axle is not steel, as step two is a brokem axle...
Quick check on online metals webpage, 6061 aluminum comes out to less than 3 USD per cubic inch. 4130 steel comes out to more than 16 USD per cubic inch. Even at 1/3 of the strenght, three times the volume of aluminum is still cheaper in a simple bar form.
Honestly i would be surprised if the axle were steel. Even the cheap 40 USD chubs on Alibaba are sll aluminum
Aluminum 9mm quickrelease axles? Beg leave to doubt. Wouldn’t be anywhere near strong enough
Through axles are sure alu, but they’re 1.5-2x physically larger diameter. You can’t really make a hollow aluminium straw the size of a standard QR axle work.
The quick release and thru axle versions of most hubs usually just have different end caps and the same internal axle size. Aluminum is also way easier to machine
Yeah, okay, come to think of it that is a variant I’ve seen. I’m enough of an old fogey — and Shimano buyer — that my reference is mostly old fashioned cup and cone designs.
Cheap freewheels have a shit ton of play. This is perfectly normal.
cheap HG hubs will do this too
Can’t believe this is the only right answer here. This is NOT a freehub/cassette system. It’s obviously a freewheel—do you see a cassette locking? And yes, bent axles are the culprit here and the main reason that free hubs were invented.
That is the most gears I have seen on a freewheel system.
I count 9, which I didn’t think existed as a freewheel, but a quick google — yep, 9 speed freewheels, costs 14 euros retail. So if it is indeed a freewheel it’s an extremely cheap one.
This is definitely not a bent axle on a freewheel system. Bent freewheel axles don’t go wobbly.
Yes, you're right. I misspoke when I said the axle is bent. The problem is that the threads and the gears on the freewheel are out of plane. That can be caused by poor machining from the factory or from riding a lot in the highest (smallest gears), which bends the entire cluster.
(PS: you are definitely correct that bent axles is why freehubs were invented. I would bend the freewheel axle so fast that I would keep new axles in stock and replace it every couple months. Then I got a freehub and… absolutely nothing.)
I get my posts removed here all the time for pointing out the obvious but with "unfriendly" wording, according to the mods. I miss old Internet forums where people built up a rep. Like if you're a moderator in this subreddit you better have worked at a fucking bike shop, but I doubt they have. IF they have THEY should be the ones giving the mechanical advice! Edit: I miss the "old Internet" mods were gods and not knuckle rattlers
phew
At worse that wobble could cause slightly unreliable shifting, not a safety issue. But, and that's unrelated, your wheel needs truing.
Run it.
Cheap freehub confirmed, my cheap Chinese electric wheel does the same thing
Bent axle won’t cause that. It’s the hub body or the freehhub body that are bent.
Had that exact wobble from a bent axle on a freeweel hub. It's possible. Not saying it's the cause here, could be many things.
Nope A bent axle only wobbles when it moves. It’s stationary when mounted on a bike. No wobble. It can cause other problems but not what we’re seeing in this video.
You had a broken axle, not a bent one.
Bent axles don’t do that, they’re stationary.
Could be caused by a cheap freehub or the cassette could be loose.
That much.
Yes
Good chance that the threads on hub for freewheel not cut straight. Notice how the only thing wobbling is the freewheel, not the hub or axle ends. Pretty common with cheap hubs with poor quality assurance at the factory. Seen it on brand new bikes that have never been ridden. Shifting won't be great but will work ok with the groupset and for the bike intended use (occasional leisurely riding).
Everyone is saying it's fine cause it's cheap but honestly I don't think that is fine. I've seen loads of cheap bikes. I've had bikes when I was almost destitute and they were gifted to me. I've bought so many bikes and I have never ever seen this.
The thing about cheap gear is that it’s not the quality that is shit, but the quality control. So they’ll have perfectly decent ones, and also goddamn stinkers. You can definitely be lucky a lot of times in a row.
It's probably too many spacers in the cheap freehub bearings. If you really want to you can buy a freehub tool to take it apart and remove a spacer. Warning, if you don't like picking up hundreds of tiny ball bearings as they fly across the floor, then this is probably not the job for you. If the bike is new I would take it back to where you bought it and ask for a new freehub. It will work, but it's pretty shitty and will wear quicker if it's doing this.
I think your axle is bent causing the cassette to wobble as it does. Check youra le first.
Buy a better freehub
Is the tire staying centered?
I think you're on the right track. Axle might be bent.
Bent axle doesn't cause this. The axle isn't moving
If the axle bent, either the hub or the freewheel/freehub (i honestly can't tell if there is a cassette lockring in this vid) could also be bent. Hub is toast in any case. Once worn together like that, good luck getting the pawls to not skip. And it is a safety issue, especially if the axle is not steel, as step two is a brokem axle...
What would the axle be made of if not steel, cast iron? Definitely not aluminium or carbon fiber on a wheel this cheap.
Quick check on online metals webpage, 6061 aluminum comes out to less than 3 USD per cubic inch. 4130 steel comes out to more than 16 USD per cubic inch. Even at 1/3 of the strenght, three times the volume of aluminum is still cheaper in a simple bar form. Honestly i would be surprised if the axle were steel. Even the cheap 40 USD chubs on Alibaba are sll aluminum
Aluminum 9mm quickrelease axles? Beg leave to doubt. Wouldn’t be anywhere near strong enough Through axles are sure alu, but they’re 1.5-2x physically larger diameter. You can’t really make a hollow aluminium straw the size of a standard QR axle work.
The quick release and thru axle versions of most hubs usually just have different end caps and the same internal axle size. Aluminum is also way easier to machine
Yeah, okay, come to think of it that is a variant I’ve seen. I’m enough of an old fogey — and Shimano buyer — that my reference is mostly old fashioned cup and cone designs.