How much to repair? rear wheel moving

[mmace]

Anyone know how much this will be to repair?
the bike is 4/5 months old, hybrid

I set off home tonight and at the 1st push of the pedal there was a cracking noise and the wheel didn't move properly
the rear wheel moves a lot but the nuts are tight. It's like it has a hole down the middle that's too big for the bar (if that's how the wheels work!)

Not got a lot of money and could do with the bike tomorrow night as I can't afford bus fair

is it a quick fix and is it cheap?

cheers for any advise

I'm at home, had to leave the bike at work

 

[chillyuk]

I take it you mean the wheel moves from side to side. If the axle is secure then the only thing really that can cause that is if the bearings cones have worked loose, or a few spokes have broken, but the spokes would be very obvious. You say the bike is only 4/5 months old. Did you buy it from a shop. If so I would take it back to the shop and get them to put it right under warranty. I have no idea what shops charge nowadays for labour so can't guess at what they would charge if not a warranty job. If bearing adjustment, that takes minutes. If new bearings and cones are needed it takes less that half hour to do the complete job. You can save a couple of bob by just taking the wheel in. It is a simple job to DIY. Google videos to adjust wheel bearings, I am sure there will be some.

Good luck.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Cracking noise suggests to me that they may have been working loose for some time, so one or more of the bearings may be cracked

As an "over the net" diagnosis I would suggest new bearings required. Cheap enough to do if you have the tools (cone spanner, tools to remove cassette etc)

 

[mmace]

cheers guys, no spokes broken, wheel moves side to side slightly and up and down a lot (a cm or 2)
will be taking back to the shop I got it from tomorrow

 

[gbb]

An audible crack suggests (only suggests mind) a broken axle. That'd give you the symptoms you describe.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

An audible crack suggests (only suggests mind) a broken axle. That'd give you the symptoms you describe.

Tend to agree with the addition of the "up and down" movement described in the last post

Loose bearings/cones would just give the sideways movemen, or only marginal up and down, not 1 or 2 cm

In which case wheel it to the bike shop, NOT ride it.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

As an afterthought...depending on the shop...they might argue that it is either "normal wear and tear" or argue misuse/rider fault (kerbing, crashing over pothole etc) so refuse to fix under warranty

 

[Kestevan]

+1 on the broken axle.

My old Saracen hybrid had axles made from particularly cheap cheese. Broke 2 before I junked the wheels....