How to care for a bicycle carriage?
I have long wanted to write a short article about carriage maintenance. Finally got around to it. The carriage is a very important unit that requires your attention. It is necessary to constantly monitor the carriage. It is necessary to check the fit of the connecting rod on the axle and the absence of play in the carriage before each trip.
Now I’ll tell you about the types of carriages and their care.
Open type carriage with a square or wedge axis.
The most common type of carriage on all city, road and budget mountain bikes.
This carriage consists of 2 cups, 2 open bearings, a carriage axle and a lock nut.
The carriage of this design is most susceptible to the negative effects of moisture and sand. Open carriages must be disassembled, cleaned and lubricated before and in the middle of the cycling season. If a characteristic crunching sound or light tapping sound appears when pedaling, we immediately bring the bike in for repair. We open the carriage, wash it, lubricate it, or, if you’re lucky, just stretch the connecting rods. The work depends on the current fault.
Check the tightening of the lock nut and the absence of play often - this is a problem with these carriages. The cups often unscrew and the bearing falls out while driving.
When servicing the carriage, pay attention to the wear on the cups and the carriage axle. If there is characteristic wear or scuffing, the part must be replaced. Lubricate the carriage only when disassembled. We put the grease directly into the cups under the bearing. There is no need to put a bunch of grease on the axle. Do not pour lubricant through the seat tube. Especially unsuitable lubricants, something like motor oil or waste. There are those who like to pour waste, which then turns into an emulsion that kills the carriage within a season, or even a month. I recommend not skimping on lubrication. Buy a good high temperature lithium grease. It will protect the carriage cups from rapid wear and scuffing. Ease of movement also depends on the choice of lubricant.
The principle of attaching the connecting rods changes from the axis of the carriage. An old and practically obsolete fastening method is the wedge fastening method. The more common one now is the square. The connecting rod fits tightly onto the carriage axle and is secured with a bolt or nut. The connecting rod can only be removed from the square carriage axis using a puller.
Of course, you can shoot in Russian and use percussion and some other instrument. The result in most cases is sad and we go to the store for a new set of connecting rods.
The carriage is a half-cartridge type with a square axis and a key for the carriage cups.
Rarely found on city and road bikes. Used on budget mountain bikes.
This carriage consists of 2 cups, 2 open bearings, a carriage axle, a housing and a lock nut.
More reliable and durable than an open type carriage. The carriage body and boots on the cups help reduce the entry of moisture and sand into the assembly. It is produced mainly with a square axis. Maybe there is a wedge, but I haven’t seen it.
The cups are deeper than open cups, so they are more resistant to unwinding. In terms of maintenance, it is no different from open-type carriages. We disassemble, clean and lubricate 2 times during the cycling season. If crunching, knocking or other troubles occur, we send it for repair. If the cups are tightened properly and you have used good lubrication, then the first thing that will become unusable is the carriage axle. A working will appear on it. We change the axle along with the bearings. There will also be wear on the old balls, you won’t be able to see it visually, but you will ruin the new axis.
Cartridge type carriage with square and slotted axle (octalink/ISIS). Key for carriage cups.
Rarely found on city and road bikes. Used on mountain bikes from economy class to semi-professional.
This carriage consists of 2 cups, 2 sealed industrial bearings, a carriage axle and a housing.
Depending on the manufacturer, the housing may be separate from the bearings or cast with them. The carriage cups, especially the left one, can be made of light and thin materials such as aluminum or plastic. This is fine. The carriage cup does not bear the load, it rests on the bearing, so it depends more on the quality of the press fit of the bearings and the housing.
In cheap carriages, the body and bearings will be separate, and the cups will be made of stronger and thicker materials. In expensive carriages, the right cup, bearing and housing are a single unit, the left cup is mostly plastic or thin aluminum. I repeat - this is normal, don’t let it bother you. The load will be taken by the bearing.
In general, the cartridge carriage is a very convenient carriage. As they say, set it and forget it. It does not require special care, it has passed its service life, unscrewed the old one and screwed in the new one. The service life of good Chinese ones, type VP, is 3000-5000 km. It is necessary to periodically check that there is no play in the cup and connecting rod. A characteristic sign of a breakdown is a rhythmic knocking sound. We treat it by tightening the connecting rods or replacing the cartridge, if necessary. Only special ones are removed. key. I don’t recommend hammering with a screwdriver or a hammer; you can damage the threads of the carriage assembly on the frame. To avoid sticking of the carriage, and then not suffer during replacement, give it 30 minutes of time and lubricate the threads on the cups with lithol.
Recently, a lot of cheap cartridges have begun to appear on the market. Retail cost 250-300 rubles. I held it in my hands and didn't like it. Very flimsy, the body is thin, does not provide rigidity, and does not protect from dirt and water. The quality of the bearings is also questionable. They are pressed clumsily, the vertical is not maintained. Such a carriage will most likely have runout. The resource of such a node will not exceed 1000-1500 km. The smoothness of operation will most likely suffer from the curvature of the bearing press-in. Don't skimp, buy a more reliable carriage. Among the affordable ones are VP, NECO, KENLI. If something is more expensive, then Shimano, BBB, SunRace, Sram.
When attaching connecting rods, splined axles, such as Octalink or ISIS, are more reliable. When choosing this design, you must understand that the cost of both the carriage and connecting rods is several times higher than the kit with a square axle. If you are not a professional racer, I think you should opt for the square. The choice of carriages and connecting rods with a square axle is many times greater than with a slotted one. This is a personal opinion and should not be taken as a basis.
Carriage for one-piece connecting rods. 
Consists of 2 cups, 2 open bearings, 2 axle nuts, 2 rings and a lock nut.
A cunning design that is used mainly on children's bicycles. I've seen it several times on adult cruisers and road bikes. Honestly, I never knew the advantages of this carriage over the open type carriage.
The specificity of the design is that there is no axle in the carriage. The role of the axis in the carriage is performed by connecting rods.
In addition, the seat is many times larger than in standard carriages and it is not possible to use a different carriage. If we consider it as a carriage for children's bicycles, for me it is quite suitable. I wouldn't use it for adults. I don’t really like the design itself, and then switching to a cartridge, if desired, is not possible. The locking of the axial nuts with a locknut is rather weak; under high loads it will most likely wobble. In general, there is such a carriage; almost all children’s bicycles now use it. We constantly check the tightness of the lock nut and service it before the season. We check the cups and axle nuts for wear. Mostly wear occurs on axle nuts. If there is wear, we replace the entire carriage and bearings.
There are also integrated carriages and carriages for BMX. 
I haven’t personally repaired it, so I can’t tell you much.
For integrated ones, their own special tool and fastening of connecting rods. BMX has its own crank mounting systems.
We are looking for an integrated one on prof. bicycles. Easily recognized by the bearings placed outside. The cost of repair is slightly less than that of an airplane. It is not recommended to use your bike for riding with friends in the forest and city parks. It can hit the family budget hard.
I'm finishing the article. You can leave your wishes, corrections or curses in the comments.
In our household we have a Stels bicycle, which is not only a faithful assistant in daily affairs, but also an excellent burner of excess calories. This bike is the most budget version, without sporting ambitions, nevertheless, it does its job properly - it is a pleasure to ride.
But, as often happens, parts of inexpensive bicycles do not have a very long service life. So on our Stels a knock appeared in the front carriage, and subsequently – play in the connecting rods.
The first step was to turn the bike upside down and remove the plastic bottom bracket plugs. The nuts screwed onto the shaft became visible.
They can only be unscrewed with a 15 mm tubular wrench. But, as it turned out, unscrewing the nut is the simplest thing that can be done.
Next you need to remove the connecting rods. They are pressed onto the carriage shaft. To remove them, you need to use a special one. You can buy it in stores that sell bicycle parts. If you don’t have one, don’t waste your time; without a puller, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to remove the connecting rod without damaging the bike parts. The price of a puller is low, so it’s better to buy it than to do something like that yourself.
Having screwed the puller into the connecting rod all the way, you need to screw a special pin into it (into the puller). It, resting against the carriage shaft, will squeeze the connecting rod out of its seat.
In exactly the same way, remove the opposite connecting rod from the bicycle.
Now you need to unscrew the nuts that hold the carriage in the frame. From the sprocket side, this operation is extremely inconvenient. The protrusion of the nut is so narrow that both a regular open-end wrench and a gas wrench will jump off it. In our case, a chisel and a hammer helped. With a precise strong blow, you need to move the nut from its place, then it can be easily unscrewed with a wrench.
Here you need to know that the thread of the nut on the sprocket side is reverse, that is, it must be unscrewed clockwise.
The opposite nut has protrusions for a special key, so it is much easier to unscrew. The thread on it is normal; it is unscrewed counterclockwise.
Having taken out the carriage, it became clear that the rubber sealing rings had broken and the bearing had fallen apart.
The store purchased a cartridge carriage to replace the regular carriage. This is a more modern mechanism, which is produced assembled in one piece. Cartridges differ in different shaft lengths, so in order not to make a mistake, you need to measure the length of the shaft of the carriage removed from the bicycle. The main thing is not to buy the cheapest spare parts, but to choose a cartridge from a well-known manufacturer. Then it will serve for a long time.
And there is a nuance here. To install it, you also need a special key. It must be purchased so that you can not only install, but also remove the cartridge in the future if necessary.
We insert the cartridge into the bicycle frame and tighten it with a key.
Having installed the connecting rods in their seat, we press the bolt, tightening it until it stops. While tightening the bolt, the connecting rods are pressed in.
Finally, insert the plugs, tighten the chain and use the bike.
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular; it is a universal mode of transport both for moving around the city and simply for active recreation. During the operation of a bicycle, it becomes necessary to disassemble and subsequently reassemble the bicycle or its components.
The road bike, which most often uses one gear, is the most popular type of bicycle for the city and is easy to maintain. The article discusses how to disassemble a bicycle exactly this type.
It is better to carry out work on disassembling a bicycle on a clean floor so that dirt and debris do not stick to the lubricated components of the bicycle. If you have the necessary tools, any physically healthy person can disassemble a bicycle in a few hours maximum.
Here are the basic steps to disassemble a bike:
The steps do not have to be completed in order, but if you disassemble the bike in the order specified in the article, it will take less time and the job will be easier to complete. You can use a repair stand to disassemble the bike, but this is not necessary.
Step 1: Remove the pedals
When removing the pedals, you need to pay attention to the following: the right pedal from the chain side is unscrewed as usual counterclockwise, the left pedal is unscrewed in the opposite direction - clockwise.
1. Take a wrench of a suitable size and unscrew the pedals, hooking the wrench onto the pedal at the very edge of the connecting rod.
2. The pedal must be held with your free hand so that it does not fall to the floor.
Step 2: Remove the left connecting rod
Let's start by removing the left connecting rod first; it is easier to remove since the right connecting rod is connected to the sprocket. Both connecting rods have standard threads.
1. First you need to remove the dust cap. Then unscrew the connecting rod bolt at the place where the connecting rod connects to the carriage. Most often, a hex wrench is needed, but there may be options - it all depends on the brand of connecting rod.
- You should be able to see the threads inside the crank and the bottom bracket shaft.
2. Slightly unscrew the connecting rod puller handle as shown in the figure; the puller pusher should be hidden in its threaded part.
3. Carefully screw the puller into the connecting rod. The puller must enter to its full depth, since when removing the connecting rods, a lot of force will be applied to the threads.
4. Turn the puller handle clockwise, so the pusher will be screwed into place of the bolt that secured the connecting rod. The connecting rod should be removed from the carriage with some effort.
Step 3: Remove the wheels
1. Loosen the nuts on the dropouts and remove the wheels.
- The nuts should be loosened to the point that the wheels can be easily removed.
Step 4: Remove the chain
Once we've removed the rear wheel, the chain will hang on the frame and rear sprocket.
1. Take a chain squeezer. Place the chain link between the squeeze pushers so that it fits tightly there.
2. You need to work with the squeezer in the same way as with a vice; direct the pusher of the squeezer towards the piece of metal that connects the links (see picture below).
3. Twist the squeeze until the chain connector almost comes out on the other side. The metal bracket that connects the links of the chain should remain in one half of the link, while the other half should become free and the chain will fall apart.
- Alternate twisting the squeezer into the chain and removing it from the chain, checking each time whether the chain has come loose (while the chain is in the puller, you will not be able to see this). Do everything carefully, don't rush.
4. Once the chain is disconnected, it can be completely removed from the bike. Place it on a clean sheet of paper so it doesn't get smeared.
Step 5: Remove the brakes
1. Unscrew the screws securing the brake handles at the bottom of the steering wheel.
2. Remove the brake handles from the steering wheel, being careful not to drop anything.
3. Unscrew the bolt on the fork that holds the brake.
4. Now is the time to change your brake pads if necessary and clean your brakes.
- If the brakes are V-brake (as in the picture), then you need to unscrew the small screw on each side that holds the brake pad.
- After removal, unscrew another small screw as in the picture, it holds the block itself, remove it from the metal backing.
- Replace the pad with a new one. Brake pads are not expensive, but they significantly increase road safety due to reliable braking.
Step 6: Remove the steering wheel
1. Unscrew the bolts located on the steering column stem; they secure the steering wheel tightly in one position.
2. Do not lose the locking plate after removing the last bolt.
Step 7: Remove the steering column
Hold the fork while performing this step; after removing the bolts that hold the column in the head tube, the fork may fall out. As a result, the bearings may be damaged. You may not have to deal with this, if your bike has a non-separable steering column, then this will not happen.
1. Unscrew the bolt from the top of the column cover.
2. Unscrew the ring nuts on the column shaft (it is at this time that the fork may fall out).
3. Pull the steering column out of the fork.
4. If there are race rings, remove them from the fork.
5. Remove the bearings from the cups on the frame. Place them on a clean sheet of paper; you can lubricate them with special bearing grease.
- First, clean the bearing of old grease, such as solvent.
- Lubricate the bearing balls with a suitable lubricant.
6. Note, photograph or write down the location of the bearing rings and cups and the disassembly sequence. You will need to assemble it exactly in reverse order.
Step 8: Remove the plug
1. Pull the fork out of the frame without losing the bearing race from the bottom cup.
2. Pull upward to remove the bearing ring and cup from the frame.
Step 9: Remove the right connecting rod
Remove the right connecting rod in exactly the same way as you removed the left one. There is a sprocket on the right connecting rod. If there is a need to replace it, then use a hex key to unscrew the bolts that hold the sprocket to the connecting rod.
Step 10: Removing the Carriage
Removing the carriage is the most time-consuming part of the job. You may not be able to do it yourself and will have to contact a bike mechanic. Please note that there are a large number of carriage models and they have their own specific keys. The article discusses the dismantling of the ISIS carriage. The carriage cups have a standard thread, while the carriage has a reverse thread.
1. Place the carriage wrench on the carriage spindle, which itself is not deep. The key is easy to put on. Work carefully, do not strip the threads and splines on the carriage.
2. The ISIS carriage has 2 parts - the body and the stop cup. The threads on them are applied differently, check which side the retaining ring is put on. In most cases, the retaining ring has a normal thread and should come out fairly easily (compared to the other side).
3. Select the other side, turn the key counterclockwise until the cup comes off.
4. Once you remove the cup from the spindle, turn the frame over and pull out the carriage, first rotating it clockwise.
Step 11: Removing the Saddle
1. Remove the bolt at the top of the seat tube - where the saddle post inserts into the frame.
2. Using movements left and right, pull the saddle with the pin out of the frame.
Step 12: Remove the retaining ring
The circlips on single gear bikes are located on the outer threads of the rear wheel hub. These rings are designed to secure the rear sprocket and prevent it from coming loose when the pedals are rotated backwards. Therefore, the retaining ring is screwed onto the bushing in the opposite direction, which helps to press the sprocket tightly. The thread on the locking ring is directed in the opposite direction, this prevents the sprocket from unscrewing while the bike is moving forward.
1. You need to take a puller for the locking rings and position it with the side with one notch.
2. Turn the puller clockwise to remove the retaining ring.
Step 13: Removing the Rear Sprocket
On the rear sprocket the thread direction is normal.
1. Place the key-whip on the sprocket as shown in the figure with the part of the chain that does not hang down.
2. Wrap the key chain around the rear sprocket, pulling the chain in the opposite direction to the direction of the wrapped chain.
3. Turn the key counterclockwise firmly to remove the sprocket. If it is difficult to do it yourself, then ask someone to help you. It is necessary to ensure that the chain remains on the sprocket.
Step 14: Remove the Tires
1. Deflate your tires.
2. Place a plastic bead under the rim.
3. Using pressure, lift the edge of the tire over the rim along its entire length.
4. Once part of the tire is pulled out from the rim, the remaining part will pull out easily.
5. Pull the bead over the wheel and pull out the edge of the tire.
6. Pull the nipple out of the hole in the rim and remove the tube from the tire.
7. Repeat the same steps to release the second edge.
8. If the camera has been punctured, seal the hole or replace the camera itself. You can also install a special puncture-proof tape (slipper) on the rim.
Adviсe
- A normal or common thread is a thread that twists clockwise, a reverse thread is a thread that twists counterclockwise. Follow the thread type instructions carefully.
- Regular lubrication of threaded connections extends their service life.
- When removing parts, it is advisable to clean and lubricate them before installing them back on the bike, which will significantly extend the life of the bike.
- Pay close attention to the directions of the threaded connections of the bicycle's screw-on components. Check the direction of the thread if the part is stuck and does not want to turn. Perhaps you are turning in the wrong direction.
- After removing the part from the bicycle, study it carefully and remember how and where it was placed on the bicycle. You can also take photographs of the stages of disassembling the bike.
Warnings
- When turning pedals or wheels on a bicycle, be careful not to place your fingers near the chain or sprockets. You can injure your finger if it gets caught between the chain and sprocket.
Bicycle disassembly tools
- Rags, paper towels, bicycle cleaning fluid
- Multi-purpose lubricant
- Hex keys (set)
- Whip Key
- Connecting rod puller
- Carriage puller
- Carriage key
- Plastic tire beads
- Pump
- Retaining ring key
- Pedal removal key
- Chain squeezing
Visual video on how to disassemble a bicycle:
Before removing the carriage from the frame, you must remove both connecting rods from the carriage axle. After this, you should clean the bottom bracket of dirt, since the bottom bracket of the frame is one of the dirtiest places on a bicycle and is usually difficult to clean until the cranks are removed. You need to be especially careful to scrape out dirt from the cup slots - if there is a lot of dirt, then it is impossible to insert a puller into the cup.
Installing a cartridge-type carriage is done in the reverse order.
Assembly and installation of a dismountable bicycle carriage.
The collapsible carriage is very similar to the one used on domestic bicycles, so the assembly and adjustment process is not difficult.
Before assembly, you need to wash all the parts in some solvent (I use kerosene), wipe with a cloth, and dry. I do not recommend using gasoline - it can damage the plastic seals in the cups. The new carriage should also be washed - the lubricant on it is most likely preservative.
It's also a good idea to check the frame's bottom bracket assembly for damage and any debris. Several times I found shavings and sawdust there that fell into the bottom bracket assembly from the seat tube of the frame. Once in the bearings, sawdust will not allow the bike to move smoothly.
Adjusting the bearings of a collapsible bicycle carriage.
After assembly, the carriage must be adjusted, but often you have to make adjustments without disassembling. For example, sometimes after a long drive on uneven roads, play appears in the carriage, which should be eliminated by adjustment. Play in the carriage, at best, can lead to poor gear shifting, and at worst, damage to bearings and cups. On a long trip, you can try to adjust the carriage without disassembling it.
Now you need to twist the carriage axis by hand and rock it from side to side. If everything is done correctly, the carriage should rotate freely, without jamming, and have no noticeable play. If it sticks or there is play, then unscrew the lock nut and repeat step 1, loosening or tightening the cup with a slotted wrench.
Sometimes the carriage cannot be adjusted. That is, when you try to ensure that it rotates freely, backlash appears. And vice versa, if you eliminate the play, the axle rotates tightly, with jamming. This indicates that it is time to change either the bearings or the carriage itself.
The carriage is the bearing assembly of a bicycle that connects the connecting rod system to the frame. Thanks to the bearings inside the carriage, the system rotates freely. Through the carriage, the torque from the pedals is transmitted to the bicycle wheel.
The carriage is located in the carriage cup of the frame, where it is either screwed or pressed. Due to the fact that the bottom bracket shell is located at the very bottom of the bike (between the down tube and at the intersection of the chainstays), the bottom bracket itself is highly susceptible to contamination. Such a negative external influence affects its operation over time: “crunching”, clicking, backlash, and jamming occur. To prevent these negative consequences and eliminate the possibility of the carriage failing, it is necessary to carry out regular maintenance.
Bicycle carriages are:
The latter, in turn, are screwed directly into the carriage housing of the bicycle frame. This type of carriage is subject to maintenance; it can be easily removed, lubricated, rebuilt and assembled. If necessary, it can also be replaced with a new one.
Servicing a bicycle carriage involves disassembling, lubricating its parts, installing and adjusting.
Removing the carriage from the bicycle
When removing the carriage, you need to be careful, since it may have loose bearings, which can fly apart in different directions when removed.
To remove the connecting rods from the carriage axle, you need a tool such as a connecting rod squeezer. This tool performs two functions: its right side is intended directly for squeezing the connecting rod from the carriage axis, and the left side is used to remove the connecting rod fixing bolt.
First, you need to use a pedal wrench to unscrew the connecting rod tightening bolts located at the end of the carriage shaft. The plastic plugs (if present) can be easily removed from the bolts using a regular flathead screwdriver.
After the fixing bolts are removed, we proceed to the connecting rods. We take a squeezing rod and screw the threaded part of the puller into the connecting rod until it stops. It is very important not to overdo it with pressure so as not to break the thread. Having successfully removed the connecting rods from the carriage axle, do not forget to wipe the seats.
Then, using a special puller, remove the carriage itself. In our case, we use a Shimano bottom bracket puller. A suitable puller is provided for each individual carriage model. Thus, for Hollowtech II, Howitzer, GXP carriages, a puller for integrated carriage cups is used, and for Shimano, SRAM and Truvativ carriages, you can use the so-called ISIS standard carriage puller. It is worth noting that pullers often come with handles, which eliminates the need to additionally use an adjustable wrench.
It is important to know that the carriage is removed only from the side where there are no stars on the connecting rod, that is, on the left.
So, we insert the puller into the slots of the carriage on the left side and turn it using a handle or an adjustable wrench counterclockwise. During the process, you need to ensure that there are no distortions of the puller. Otherwise, it or the bowl itself may be damaged.
After the carriage bowl is unscrewed, you need to perform the same actions on the right side. Only in this case you need to turn the handle clockwise! As a result of these simple steps, the carriage will be removed and ready for maintenance or replacement.
Want to see how to remove the cranks and bottom bracket? Watch the video review:
Bicycle carriage maintenance
After removing the carriage, check the condition of the carriage cup for contamination.
Open type carriage maintenance:
- The condition of the bearings located in the carriage cup is checked: both the bearings and their seats are wiped with a clean rag to remove any remaining old grease.
- The carriage thread is washed with kerosene, gasoline or WD-40 and wiped with a dry cloth.
- The seats are lubricated with a small amount of thick lubricant.
- The bearings are installed and a little more grease is added. If necessary, old bearings must be replaced.
Lubrication of the ball bearing carriage
It is worth noting that this type of carriage is short-lived, so maintenance and adjustment of the bearings must be carried out quite often.
Maintenance of a non-removable carriage
If problems arise with a carriage of this type, it is replaced. When choosing a new bottom bracket, it is important to know the length and width of the shaft, as well as the type of connection to the connecting rods.
Assembling and installing a bicycle carriage
An important point when assembling the carriage is the correct placement of the cups. It is worth remembering that the left cup has a right-hand thread, and the right one has a left-hand thread.
You should start assembling the carriage from the right side: the carriage axle is installed in the right cup and tightened with the carriage puller until it stops. Then the same is done with the left cup. After this, it is recommended to check the carriage: you need to rotate its axis in different directions and make sure that there is no play (the carriage should turn easily and silently).