# Wheel movement question



## ptfmb71 (May 16, 2007)

my front wheel (almost new) seems to slighly move side to side. What I mean is if I put my hand on the top of the tire/wheel (while mounted on the bike) it seems to move side to side in between the brake pads. I noticed it because when I bouce the front part of the bike the wheel sounds like it's lose. The Quick release is on tight but it still moves. Could it be the mounting to the hub? The skewer?

any insight would be great


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

your hub is not adjusted properly, the bearings have loosened up a bit. take it to a shop and have it fixed before the bearings are ruined or the cones get ruined depending on what type of hub it is.


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## ptfmb71 (May 16, 2007)

cxwrench said:


> your hub is not adjusted properly, the bearings have loosened up a bit. take it to a shop and have it fixed before the bearings are ruined or the cones get ruined depending on what type of hub it is.



Thanks


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

It might not be the hub. I have a rear Mavic wheel that I can move back and forth. The hub is adjusted properly. It could be the spokes tension needs to be adjusted.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

vagabondcyclist said:


> It might not be the hub. I have a rear Mavic wheel that I can move back and forth. The hub is adjusted properly. It could be the spokes tension needs to be adjusted.


what? if the hub is adjusted properly, there is NO play in the hub. you can move any rim side to side if you pull on it. the OP posted that his wheel sounded 'loose' when he bounced it on the ground. pretty much has to be a loose hub, especially since his q/r is supposedly tight. if you can move the rim back and forth because the spokes are loose, the wheel is definitely not rideable.


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Is your bike red? The red ones always do that.


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> what? if the hub is adjusted properly, there is NO play in the hub. you can move any rim side to side if you pull on it. the OP posted that his wheel sounded 'loose' when he bounced it on the ground. pretty much has to be a loose hub, especially since his q/r is supposedly tight. if you can move the rim back and forth because the spokes are loose, the wheel is definitely not rideable.


I missed the noise when bounced part of the OP. 

All I know is on my rear wheel, the hub is properly adjusted but when in the frame I can move it back and forth a bit when I tug on the tire. Currently I'm not riding the wheel.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

vagabondcyclist said:


> All I know is on my rear wheel, the hub is properly adjusted but when in the frame I can move it back and forth a bit when I tug on the tire.


I would call that flex, not looseness. IMO, looseness would mean freely moving back and forth some amount, as opposed to yielding more and more as force is applied and increased.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

vagabondcyclist said:


> I missed the noise when bounced part of the OP.
> 
> All I know is on my rear wheel, the hub is properly adjusted but when in the frame I can move it back and forth a bit when I tug on the tire. Currently I'm not riding the wheel.


i'm not sure how you're equating "i can move it back and forth a bit when i tug on the tire" w/ "properly adjusted". are you just flexing the wheel when doing this? if so, what does it have to do w/ the bearings being properly adjusted? or are you actually saying there is some play in the bearings and this is what you feel when you 'tug' on the tire(wheel)?


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> i'm not sure how you're equating "i can move it back and forth a bit when i tug on the tire" w/ "properly adjusted". are you just flexing the wheel when doing this? if so, what does it have to do w/ the bearings being properly adjusted? or are you actually saying there is some play in the bearings and this is what you feel when you 'tug' on the tire(wheel)?


The play isn't in the bearings. It's coming from the spokes. Basically the wheel isn't very laterally stiff. I have a 32h Mavic OP wheel that doesn't move at all if I stand to the side and give it tug. The Askium on the other hand moves a bit laterally if I tug on it. The first thing I thought was that the bearings needed to be adjusted, but they're fine so it's either the wheel wasn't tensioned correctly or that's how Askiums are.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

vagabondcyclist said:


> The play isn't in the bearings. It's coming from the spokes. Basically the wheel isn't very laterally stiff. I have a 32h Mavic OP wheel that doesn't move at all if I stand to the side and give it tug. The Askium on the other hand moves a bit laterally if I tug on it. The first thing I thought was that the bearings needed to be adjusted, but they're fine so it's either the wheel wasn't tensioned correctly or that's how Askiums are.


got it, that's what i figured. you'd be surprised how much you can flex a lot of different wheels by pulling on them. you can make just about anything hit the brake pads...


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