<p>Your shimano hubs use a cup and cone bearing where a set of loose ball bearings are held by two races, one fixed one one adjustable. A bike shop has a special vice to hold the axle and allow a quick adjustment of the cone on the axle, if they are not busy they can do it in a minute or less. This assumes the grease is still OK, they should check this too.</p>
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<p>Ron, your Mavics use a cartridge style bearing. There is a plastic cup on the side of the hub that encirlces the axle with two small holes (if memory serves) and you take a special plastic wrench that came with your wheel or get one off the floor of the bike shop and tighten then down a little. if the cartridge bearings are shot, it's very easy to replace them, either take the bearings to a ball bearing shop or ask your bike shop to swap them, it's very easy.</p>
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<p>I prefer the old style cup and cone bearings because they are easy to service and last a long time. The cheap ones like the Shimano WHR550 are not as well made and fail much sooner because both the bearings and wear surfaces are not hardened as well</p>
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<p>Ron, your Mavics use a cartridge style bearing. There is a plastic cup on the side of the hub that encirlces the axle with two small holes (if memory serves) and you take a special plastic wrench that came with your wheel or get one off the floor of the bike shop and tighten then down a little. if the cartridge bearings are shot, it's very easy to replace them, either take the bearings to a ball bearing shop or ask your bike shop to swap them, it's very easy.</p>
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<p>I prefer the old style cup and cone bearings because they are easy to service and last a long time. The cheap ones like the Shimano WHR550 are not as well made and fail much sooner because both the bearings and wear surfaces are not hardened as well</p>
