Originally Posted by
gster
If these bikes are left outside for a long time I suspect that water can get in the hub and do some damage. The majority of the damage is from poor maintenance and "Bike Mechanics" over tightening the cones. They really need to be finger tight with a little play (looseness). It's an acquired skill. With the bike inverted, the wheel should spin freely while the pedals don't spin, or spin a bit then stop. That's where those little cone spanners come in handy.
Yes, only a very thin cone wrench will get in there. On the old hubs I've opened, the grease and oil dried and turned to crusty sludge might have helped ward off corrosion. But sprockets, spacers, dustcap are all out in the open and all oil or grease washed off by exposure yet nothing but very superficial fine powdery rust. Well, the dustcap is galvanized, I think. This isn't "stainless" steel but it is very durable. Come to think, it would be interesting to know the alloy.