Unipack hub bearing dimensions - anyone?

Hi there, i'm in the range of mileage where a hub checkup and regrease is due and after i serviced my front hub (cup and cone), found a ruined race, replaced, regreased and it runs so much smoother than my rear hub bearings.

so since i had a few rain runs , i want to change them too, some time soon, problem is, rears are encapsulated press in bearing types and i have no idea what size to get to replace them. i know they are to last a bit longer between checkups/repack intervalls but they will have to come out eventually.

before i have some replacements to make it a transplant job, i really don't what to take mine out to measure. call it bad experiences in the past.
does anyone has an unipack rear hub laying around that i could acquire, and/or might know or has the chance to measure the bearing dimensions?

strategies, hints and tool borrowings offered to make it an easy peasy transplant are more than welcome, as i think it will not be as easy as on my skateboard to pop them out.

sincerely,

reeen

Long screwdriver straight through one side, resting on the outside edge of the bearing (not the shields), few light taps all the way round carefully and they pop right out. Easiest way is to take one into your local bike shop and ask for equivalent replacement.

Putting them back in, stick the new ones in the freezer for an hour to shrink slightly. Place them squarely on the hole, then using the old bearing placed over the top, tap it in slowly and carefully again. It's surprisingly easy but take your time so not to fuck up the shields.

thanx mate ... that screwdriver move was what i figured i'd do. the old bearing on top for protection is good, i thought of a bit of wood much like with a headset crown job. thanx!

seems i have to take em out and train to work for that, i really hoped i could get new bearings ordered e.g here given i have the size for no down time. i also try to get some good ones with removable shield for rapid regrease action® ;)

Replace my unipacs rear bearings yeterday. I used the axel and a hammer to knock them out, it took quite a bit of force. Then went to BLB for two 6000 size bearings £3 each. Runs super smooth now.

cool! do you have the old ones for a quick mesure action? i could bring a caliper thingy and some coins for a pub beer while fiddling with them.
do the new ones from BLB have removable shields?

ah oh wait just see the 6000 is a standard not a brand thing, think i can come up the the right ones now. cheeers!

I paid £2.80 for a pair delivered from ebay. 6000zz

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260289829059&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:GB:1123

If you get them from here dont forget to change the quantity to two! Im sure you know this, just trying to be helpful ;)

It was a little messy getting the old bearings out, once one is bashed out you can use the axel with a nut on it to tap the other one out (I think thats what I did). The new ones went in no problem. Tools - g-clamp, wood and 2p!

Hope this helps

thanx guys, i'm sorted now. as lucky as one can be, i found out that there is a bearing and belts shop around in the neighborhood and on my way to work today the very knowledgeable chap told me all there is to know 'bout "propah bearings, mate!" i got some of those linky as they are to be real good quality parts and he recommended them strongly for the application at hand. as to use the rubber sealed ones, they are tighter sealed and protect better against the grit and water while keep the grease in for life (< whotever that means ... probably their lifespan rather than mine) to assure long lasting smoooof roll.

as i mentioned it at the Bright Times, we did have a giggle about the full ceramic ones for a second there ;) unipack with carbon forks - done, ceramics in the original hubs FTW - hmm?! what's next?

Hi Guys...

I read about unipack bikes being of poor quality, so geniusly decided to buy a create bike instead...to find out that they are the same thing....

Ive only had mine for a couple of days (30miles) and already I can feel the hubs are a bit stiff. The BB feels a little loose, but I didnt feel the need to check it when i picked up the bike. I gather that they werent greased along with the BB.

Have you guys found that after replacing the poor original parts that the bike is good?
I reckon its better than a halfords bike if I can get the parts changed for better quality...

If I can get the distributor to refund me some cash to get new parts, or do you think I should just give it back for a full refund?

i know its a cheap bike and you get what you pay for, but too many people on this forum dont seem to understand that some of us cannot afford expensive kit. Would a halfords bike be just as poor quality?

Cheers
benji

you didn't do enough research
couldn't you see that they looked identical? minus a crappy logo?
full refund if you can

just pray

you shouldnt have o replace poor parts after just a couple of days riding. not fit for purpose. yes bearings and the like are consumables but a couple of days is not fair life expectancy unless you are riding in glue and sand. go back in, bust heads and get a refund and buy something else. and yea, pray.

also, in terms of not affording expensive kit, i would wager that if you kept the bike and replaced parts as they failed/ wore out, in about 6 months or less you would have spent enough in total (including the original ourchase value) to get something better. its a false economy buying ultra cheap bikes. i also think that if you set out your budget, and did research and were patient, you could build a bike for less than the unipac, you'd be happier with it and learn more in the process.

Thanks for that...

It has confirmed my thoughts.

Anyone in London selling a single speed (not fixie) for under 200 notes?

:)

@ benjamina ~ why not learn to love your bike and start to add bits n pieces before transferring em over to another frame?
You'll hav fun picking your parts and learn a lot about mechanics in da process!
Z

If you bought it in a bike shop and have a receipt you should be able to return it easiliy. If they refuse to cooperate your local coulcil's trading standards office is the next place to go. and don't forget to pray :-)

and bust heads. busting heads is important.

i partly agree with learning to love your bike even if its shit. however, riding a dangerous bike is not something to love. especially if your mechanical knowledge doesnt know that its dangerous. there is someone else with a unipack and a list of things they had to change, it was a scarey list, partly because of the fact that you buy a new bike and then have to spend more money making it work/safe, and partly because some of the bits they had to change were massively unsafe. brakes that bend when you use them, levers that snap...

any bike shop worth its doormat and name has a little process that EVERY bike has to go through before it leaves the shop. its called a P.D.I. Pre delivery inspection. it should turn up things like bolts not done up properly, i'll fitted/adjusted/broken parts. this should be done by a competant person (open to discussion). plus, by law (i think) it has to leave the shop with a bell, front and rear reflectors and wheel reflectors too. if it didnt, then thats more ammo for your complaint. true, you might not want the reflectors, but if the shop arnt doing a pdi or selling bikes with the neccesary aaccesories as well as selling bikes that arnt fit for purpose, then you have a lot to tell trading standards if the shop gets funny.

go back to the store, be nice, dont get talked into a corner. find out what the indended use of the bike is, that way they cant turn around and say "but its not meant for that type of riding, warrenty void". and if being nice doesnt work, stay calm and polite as you request your money back. and then, bust heads and carve threats and profanities into their foreheads with a 15mm ring spanner....

oh, and learn about bike mechanics. its so rewarding and and useful too. good luck.

Hi Guys...

I read about unipack bikes being of poor quality, so geniusly decided to buy a create bike instead...to find out that they are the same thing....

Ive only had mine for a couple of days (30miles) and already I can feel the hubs are a bit stiff. The BB feels a little loose, but I didnt feel the need to check it when i picked up the bike. I gather that they werent greased along with the BB.

Have you guys found that after replacing the poor original parts that the bike is good?
I reckon its better than a halfords bike if I can get the parts changed for better quality...

If I can get the distributor to refund me some cash to get new parts, or do you think I should just give it back for a full refund?

i know its a cheap bike and you get what you pay for, but too many people on this forum dont seem to understand that some of us cannot afford expensive kit. Would a halfords bike be just as poor quality?

Cheers
benji

i bought a unipack
worst experience ever...
my bottom bracket come loose 3 times.
only for it to be replaced to a shimano sealed unit befor it felt smoothe.
but then i was startin to feel the other probs, rear hub being the main prob
i suggest a refund...
and build your own... find the parts cheap enough youl still have cash left...
or you cn build quite a decent bike for about the same as a uni pak...

hope this helps

i know its a cheap bike and you get what you pay for, but too many people on this forum dont seem to understand that some of us cannot afford expensive kit. Would a halfords bike be just as poor quality?

Cheers
benji

There are some who believe you can build a decent bike for sod all, and they're right (as well as being very canny). Otherwise, get a credit card and splash out on something that you're going to love and is going to last. £1000 won't seem much when you're loving it day in day out for years.

As Whatfriends mentioned bike mechanics is very rewarding and a really cool hobby :-)

As Whatfriends mentioned bike mechanics is very rewarding and a really cool hobby :-)

i have a feeling when you take up cycling as a hobby you wish to spend time cycling, buy a unipak and you have just taken up servicing as a hobby with very little pleasurable cycling.

ffs dont buy a unipak or create bike

if you cannot utfs you deserve one

Thanks so much for everyones comments.

I managed to get a full refund!!!!!!!!

When I told them about all the problems I've had after only 2 days, they looked confused and said I quote "Thats odd, we've never seen that happen before!"

They offered me a free segumo crank/pedal upgrade, replacement BB and new rear wheel.
I declined their offer and requested a refund in full. They agreed and didnt kick up a fuss like some people have said.

After the refund went back onto my card, I told them it was well snide of them to change the name from unipack to create after the bad kudos..all he could do was smirk like a teenager watching a porno for the first time...

So, for those who are unfortunate enough to be stung by buying this bike, the distributors are not called jazzco, but fellia...there address is

FELLIA LTD
Unit 12, Ponders End Industrial Estate
East Duck Lees Lane
Enfield
Middlesex
EN3 7SP
Tel: 020 8344 9997

FYI... I called Brick lane Bikes about these [ s ]Create[ /s ]Imitate bikes and they said they were offered them at £45 a piece when buying in bulks of 10. So there you go....

Im off to do what i should have done in the first place....buy a specialized single speed.....the fixie will come when i finish uni :)

.....blah..........blah......

Im off to do what i should have done in the first place....buy a specialized single speed.....

Specialized singlespeeds are all (i mean langsters and singlecross) with flip flop wheels so you have both ss and fg :-) Bare in mind that there are many other ss/fg bikes to consider like charge, bianchi, giant bowery series, genesis flyer, fuji track and many others. If you want something with more character then a good custom built bike is all the way to go:-)

Thanks so much for everyones comments.

I managed to get a full refund!!!!!!!!

When I told them about all the problems I've had after only 2 days, they looked confused and said I quote "Thats odd, we've never seen that happen before!"

They offered me a free segumo crank/pedal upgrade, replacement BB and new rear wheel.
I declined their offer and requested a refund in full. They agreed and didnt kick up a fuss like some people have said.

After the refund went back onto my card, I told them it was well snide of them to change the name from unipack to create after the bad kudos..all he could do was smirk like a teenager watching a porno for the first time...

So, for those who are unfortunate enough to be stung by buying this bike, the distributors are not called jazzco, but fellia...there address is

FELLIA LTD
Unit 12, Ponders End Industrial Estate
East Duck Lees Lane
Enfield
Middlesex
EN3 7SP
Tel: 020 8344 9997

FYI... I called Brick lane Bikes about these [ s ]Create[ /s ]Imitate bikes and they said they were offered them at £45 a piece when buying in bulks of 10. So there you go....

Im off to do what i should have done in the first place....buy a specialized single speed.....the fixie will come when i finish uni :)