Hi BikeForums, I've just arrived here so be gentle

I have a Kona ***** Tonk, which is a nice road bike for my needs - long, meandering, solo, medium-pace day-rides and lightweight multi-day road tours. Nothing blazing fast or light but a lovely steel frame and decent basic parts, doesn't exactly shout 'expensive' which is another bonus!

I've put a lot of miles on it in the 3 months I've ridden it and recently had the rear hub open, noticing it was rumbling quite badly. The hub is a Shimano FH-2200. The non-drive-side bearings had practically disintegrated and the cone was completely pitted and chipped. The race looks OK and the whole drive-side looks OK too.

Trying to decide between replacing the cone alone (difficult to find parts, looks like I'd have to get the whole axle anyway), and replacing the whole hub with something more weather-proof and durable, using the existing rim and spokes etc (I can build a wheel OK). The weather-sealing on this FH-2200 hub is non-existent.

If I went with a new hub, I'd be looking for something simple, durable and relatively cheap - loose bearings, I guess - rather than shiny and ultralight and expensive.

I noticed this Miche hub on Chain Reaction Cycles (I'm in the UK) with a whopping discount. Thing is, I can't find any info about the hub, reviews, or even info as to whether it would take my 9sp Shimano cassette. My next choice would probably be a Tiagra.

Any advice in this situation? Would a whole new wheel be a good investment, considering the miles I'll be doing? (In which case, given my non-racing, touring needs, what?) Or is a decent hub alone available at a reasonable price? Or should I put it down to lack of maintenance, replace the cone and repack the hub more often?

Your help appreciated!

First off welcome to BF. You have no idea what you've done...

If you replace the hub you will have to replace the spokes and nipples as well as there is a VERY high probability that they will not be the correct length. If you can build a wheel you should already be aware of this.

I'd suggest looking at a sealed bearing hub especially if you are doing some even slightly loaded touring. Sealed bearings will handle the loads better and if the bearings do fail (which all do eventually) you don't need to stress about replacing other parts. Also, bicycle hubs use standard machine bearings that are readily available from a wide variety of sources around the globe.

With all that in mind there are several brands that make hubs that should suit your needs and not break the bank. I'm sure there will be several posts following quite quickly that will suggest some.

Good luck.

I do not think it is worth rebuilding the rear wheel. Shimano hubs should last forever if they are taken care of. Three months is definitely not the normal lifetime of those hubs. I would recommend getting new cones and bearings and packing them with Phil Wood Waterproof Grease.

If you cannot get the replacement cones from Shimano, Wheels Manufacturing makes lots of replacement cones for Shimano hubs that many shops may already have in their replacment parts kit. https://wheelsmfg.com/tech/PDF/wheels_cone_chart.pdf

It looks like you need 18 1/4" ball bearings (9 on each side). I like using stainless steel bearings, but it doesn't really matter.

@valleycyclist Thank you - I found a UK supplier for Wheels Manufacturing spares and they have the correct cone in stock. I'll try rebuilding the hub with some better grease as you suggest. Thanks!

@BobDopolina Thanks for the advice - after this incident I will probably get a second rear wheel specifically for touring, as you're right that the stresses of rack+panniers are significant. A lot of my touring has been done on a very heavy-duty mountain-bike with far more durable components, so I'm not yet used to the effect that tours have on lower-end road kit!

Actually, I'd say it was a very low probability if the wheel's full tangential and he's not going from high to low flange or vice versa... anyone with a basic grasp of trigonometry should know this, let alone experienced wheel builders. Also, cartridge bearings are a step backwards; they're a cheap and easy replacement for a highly elegant system, the only flaw of which is the flip-side of its advantage: the need for adjustment. Don't blame the cup-and-cone system for a lack of weather sealing on a cheap model.

I'd be torn between just fixing the FH-2200 and using lots of good grease, and replacing it with something a bit nicer... good Shimano hubs have a service life of like, forever when treated properly, so you can find a perfectly sweet unit for peanuts second-hand, eg this one.

Small changes in flange dia and/or changes in C-F dimensions will alter spoke lengths by a few mm. This requires new spoke.

Any wheel builder knows that...



Cartridge bearings aren't so cheap and have one very significant advantage; If they fail they don't damage any other part of the hub in the process.