SteelsReal

As the title states my real axle on the older rode bike is bent. What would be the consequences if i just rode it? I am going to be replacing it I'm just curious.

fietsbob

A Scenario : you may have to replace the whole hub ..
rebuild the wheel or buy a whole new one.
balls can make an damaging overstressed portion of the rotation of the hub, in the cup..
cones can be replaced but the cup in the hub is permanent , usable or tossed.
designing hubs for cup replacement stopped way back .. in mass market bike parts.

BCRider

As said, the axle supports the cones which form the other side of the wheel bearings. Continuing to ride on a bent axle will ensure that you damage the cups and cones so that just switching axles will no longer be enough. If you are LUCKY it would only damage the bearing balls. But more likely it's going to damage the cups or cones or both by having the bearing races being out of alignment such as a bent axle produces.

garage sale GT

If you don't want to damage your hub, stop riding until you get a new axle, cones, and bearing balls. Save your old dust caps as the new ones may not fit.

Kimmo

IME it's pretty hard to damage the cups; I've never managed it.

Seen absolutely trashed cones and balls in cups that looked fine.

Of course, YMMV.

garage sale GT

I've seen damaged cups.