Bicycle Mechanics - Crooked rear wheel...

Ok, this happened quite suddenly..

I was pedalling along when suddenly I feel extra resistance in the rear wheel with each pedal, so I pedal to the side of the road to take a look...

Turned out that when i turn the wheel, it kept on coming in contact with the break pads so I release the brake tension string to see how crooked the wheel was...

when I turn the rear wheel again, the wheel wobbled up and down but only on the side where the freewheel is (so doesn't move up and down on the other side), it's as if the bearings were gone or something, how do I check what's wrong and can I fix it using simple tools? (i.e. screw drivers, nut and adjustable wrenches)...

also when I spin the wheel, not only does it bobble up and down on one side, on some parts of the wheel, the tire actually comes in contact with the right side of the fork. Is this repairable through adjusting the tension of the spokes? or is it beyond repair?

also...an ball bearings be crushed?

thanks for the help guys..

Maybe a busted axle? If you have a freewheel (as opposed to a cassette) with a quick release, a broken axle is common.

Sorry, I thought the freewheel was the set of cogs on your rear wheel? so what's a cassette and axle?

The rear cogs may be either what is called a freewheel or a cassette. A freewheel is a cluster of cogs that has a the ratchet that screws on to the hub as a unit. A cassette is a group of cogs that slide over the ratchet which is fixed to the hub.

Newer high end bikes use a cassette. Older bikes and cheap bikes used freewheels. Although an axle can breal in either type, freewheels tended to break axles on the right side because the right side bearing is located at the inside end of the gear cluster and is not well supported. Cassettes solved the problem by locating the bearings at the end of the ratchet mechanism right next to the dropout.

In any event, you might want to remove your rear wheel and quick release to see if the axle comes apart in your hand or bends easily. A new axle is no big deal and you can get one at an LBS. Take the old one with you so you get the correct size.

Depends on the age of the bike. If it's an older bike, it has a freewheel, in which the the cogs are fastened together with the ratchet mechanism. If it's a newer bike, it has a freehub, in which the ratchet mechanism attaches to the hub, and a cassette, which is a set of cogs that slides onto the freehub. They both use an axle, but apparently, broken axles are more common with freewheels.

Is the wheel a quick-release? If it's not (that is, it's a "nutted" axle), could it be something as simple as the nut on the right side come loose?