Hub maintenance req'd for year-round daily bike?

[Ross 1964]

My only road bike for the forseeable future is my beloved 1984 Raleigh Gran Tour. I've recently resurrected it and will use it daily, all year round.

I had my LBS regrease my Shimano 600 hubs but I just wondered what the accepted advice is in respect of regular maintenance, given that I'll be using the bike hard, including daily runs in rain and dirt followed by just hanging it back up in the garage each day.

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[fiks]

If you drill a hole in the middle of the hub barrel, then you can pump in fresh grease from a grease gun without having to disassemble the hub.

Old Campag hubs already had the hole from the factory.

 

[Simplex]

I'm still tootling around on a pair of mid 80's 600 hubs and the bearings are the originals. They were probably the first hubs to include a decent seal to keep the crud out.

 

[bm0p700f]

I would strip the hubs annually and clean out the old grease throw the bearings away and replace with new loose grade 25 bearings and new grease like Rock n roll super web. Donlt skimp on the bearings or the grease as these will prolong the life of the hub and axle cones. At the slighest sign of pitting on the cones bin them and replace. It will save your hub in the long run.

If your mileage is in the the order of over 5000 miles a year maybe consider do this every 6 months.

Good hubs are expensive but bearings and grease are relativly cheap and your time well is free for your ride.

 

[Ross 1964]

Thanks for the advice, chaps. Much appreciated.