Shop Supplies

When doing any kind of budgeting or ordering it is important to remember those shop supplies that most people will take for granted -- until they run out! Like anything, the larger quantity you buy, the cheaper the bulk rate. So buy as much as you can every time.

Loose Ball Bearings

Loose Ball Bearings

To determine what size a bearing is use this ruler. The most common sizes are:

• 1/4" Found in Rear Hubs and Bottom Brackets
• 7/32"
• 3/16" Found in Front Hubs
• 5/32"
• 1/8"

You can buy bearings from bicycle part distributors or from bearing companies.

Grades

Bearings come in different Grades, the important thing to remember is quality and cost increase as the grade number gets lower, so 100 grade is better than 1000 grade. Grade 25 is the best you can buy, but you can use bearings all the way up to grade 800.

NOTE: Avoid mixing different kinds of bearings as they are made in batches, and bearings from the same batch work better together. It may be tempting to consolidate bearing containers when one gets low, but it is better to just let them run out.

Retainers

Also known as caged ball bearings.

Grease

See also Grease

Shop Rags

Rags are in endless supply and an easy donation to get. Surplus T-shirts from past athletic events work great too.

Housing and Cables

Housing is the outside casing, the cable is the inside wire. While it is possible to re-use housing and cables, most people find it easier to replace it. As a result, this becomes a good reason to get a distributor account.

Note: Old cables and housing can be recycled with steel.

Housing

The metal in brake housing looks like a spring. Just think of spring break and you will never forget.

The metal in derailleur housing looks like straight strands.

You will need two types of housing, buy in 50 meter boxes:

• Derailleur
• Brake

Cables

There are three kinds to keep in stock, buy boxes of 100:

• Road Brake aka Mushroom
• ATB Brake
• Derailleur

See Also

• Shop Recycling

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• Shop Manual