hi i need help please. i have a hybrid mountain bike, and my rear wheel is playing up. everytime i place a load on the pedals (say, on an uphill) or any small amount of force; the wheel pulls to the left (looking from above,down to the back while cycling) and rubs against the frame. how can i remedy this? will i damage the bicycle by continuing to cycle with this problem?

rich

your wheel is loose in the rear stays - tighten it up. I have an old road bike that suffers from this. It doesn't like rough roads and the wheel will move to the left and rub the frame. It's hell when I don't notice it right away - I think I'm getting weak.

Is the skewer (the little thing that holds the wheel on your bike frame) tightened and locked properly?

Sounds like your quick release skewer isn't set tightly enough and by association maybe the front one as well.

Open the skewer. This is where the inside curve of the skewer faces away from the frame and adjust by holding the other end firmly and rotating the skewer until you get to a position where when you go to close the skewer, (inside curve towards the frame) you get initial resistance to closing when the skewer handle is sticking straight out. When you have the adjustment right allign the wheel and firmly close the skewer.

If this doesn't fix your problem there maybe something seriously wrong and you will have to take it to a bike shop.

Regards, AnthonyG

thank you...what exactly or where exactly are the stays???

The stays are the bits of the frame that the rear wheel is attached to. The chain stays go from the rear wheel to the bottom bracket and the seat stays go from the rear wheel to where the seat attaches.

Do you understand my explanation about adjusting the quick release tension?

Try adjusting it and see how you go.

Regards, AnthonyG

Click on the link and check near the bottom of the page and you will see photos of a skewer and its proper position.

https://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQtires.shtml

Or see the pictures below.

Dante.

thank you anthonyg and dante and everyone else...i'm going try them out now

well i removed the wheel and found the bar that runs through the hub is bent, and most of the ball bearings fell out! this is prbably due to my continued riding. i thinks its time for the cycle shop!

Glad to be of service. Good luck with the repair.

Dante.