Maintenance plan
The SPEEDHUB 500/14’s gear unit runs protected by seals in an oil bath, so it needs very little maintenance. There is nothing to take apart, grease or adjust inside — the work comes down to a few regular jobs.
Intervals
Section titled “Intervals”| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Regularly, and always after riding in the rain | Clean and lubricate the chain and chain tensioner — see Care and cleaning |
| Regularly | Check the cable tension and adjust if needed |
| About every 5,000 km | With external actuation, take off the cable box, clean it and lightly grease the cable pulley |
| Every year or every 5,000 km | Oil change — also a condition of the warranty |
| At every service | Check the spoke tension (about 1,000 N with the tyre inflated) and the wear parts |
Adjusting the cable tension
Section titled “Adjusting the cable tension”For light shifting the grip needs 2–5 mm of free play. You set the tension with the two cable adjusters: unscrewing increases it, screwing in reduces it. Too much tension increases the friction and makes shifting heavier.
If the mark on the grip is not quite opposite the numbers, you can align it without changing the tension: screw one adjuster in and the other out by the same amount.
With internal actuation the adjusters are on the cable stop — depending on the bike, at the left brake mount or on the left chainstay.
With external actuation the adjusters are on the cable box, on the left of the SPEEDHUB.
Wear parts
Section titled “Wear parts”The sprocket, the carrier, the chain and chainring, the tensioner pulleys, the shift cables, the grip rubber and the brake disc wear over time. How fast depends on load, dirt, weather and care. For safe operation they must be replaced once they reach their wear limit — best checked at the yearly service. The full list and the warranty conditions: Warranty, invoice and serial number.
The tools you need and the bolts’ tightening torques are listed in Tools and bolts — along with how to measure chain wear.
Frequently asked questions
- How much maintenance does a SPEEDHUB need?
- Very little: an oil change every year or 5,000 km, regular chain care, a check of the cable tension, and with external actuation a clean of the cable box about every 5,000 km. The gear unit runs sealed in an oil bath and never needs taking apart.