I have the Real Design SuperSonic 60’s with Real Design hubs. The rear wheel seems to spin smooth but the hub / bearings make a slight rumble. It is only noticeable at a very slow speed since the noise of the pawls is quieter or slower. I didn’t notice it while riding but rather when I was cleaning after a ride and was spinning the wheel by hand and was very close to the hub. Is this normal or do I need to grease or replace the bearings? I have a 25 mile ride this weekend…can I get away with not doing anything until after the ride? Thanks.
Time to overhaul the hub and repack the bearings with grease. The rumble usually shows up when the bearings are getting quite dry in their races; i.e. the old grease has probably worn out/dried up/been washed out. You can get away with riding this weekend before you do it but it’s always best to get it taken care of sooner than later to avoid excessive wear on your hubs bearing races.
Thanks for the reply. What kind of grease do you recommend?