Hi,
I've got an old Peugeot racer. Nothing too posh, but I use it for commuting
and I really like it.
However, a couple of weeks ago I was out on a ride up in the hills above
Congleton in really heavy rain, and I heard a tappety-tappety rapid knocking
noise coming from the freewheel.
However, it wasn't until today that I got around to taking the back wheel
off. The axel had snapped, and both sides came clean away, dropping bearings
all over the place. The pressure of the wheel being clamped in place had
meant it wasn't a problem until I undid things.
I've had this happen before with other wheels on other bikes. I'm not sure
if it means:
1. I use cheapo wheels (though the axel that snapped today was from an old
Campag hub)
2. I carry too much in my panniers, and my wheels can't cope
3. There's a problem with the way the back wheel is aligned, making it more
likely I'll get these broken axels.
And finally - do people think I can rescue my back wheel by just putting in
a new axel? It's a nice wheel, the rim is pretty good, and the caps the
bearings sit in are still smooth and clean.
Thanks
Jim