Rear wheel/chain/gear weirdness

[Stephen \(aka steford\)]

Came back off holiday on Tuesday, took the bike out Wednesday and of course
there were all sorts of problems.

Left it until today to sort with work tomorrow and so to avoid the tube on
my 1st day back I really need to get this fixed. Any help greatly
appreciated.

When I pedal normally all is fine. If I go over a bump or stop pedaling
abruptly the chain loosens and slips. I initially suspected the rear mech or
something but on closer inspection this happens if I pedal backwards and if
I do this slowly enough with the bike upside down I can get the rear wheel
to turn in the opposite direction which I think is the root of the problem.

Any online guides or simple ways to fix this?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Stephen \(aka steford\)]

"Stephen (aka steford)" <R_e_M_sabotenO_v_E@T_H_i_Skei99.co.uk> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Came back off holiday on Tuesday, took the bike out Wednesday and of
course
> there were all sorts of problems.
>
> Left it until today to sort with work tomorrow and so to avoid the tube on
> my 1st day back I really need to get this fixed. Any help greatly
> appreciated.
>
> When I pedal normally all is fine. If I go over a bump or stop pedaling
> abruptly the chain loosens and slips. I initially suspected the rear mech
or
> something but on closer inspection this happens if I pedal backwards and
if
> I do this slowly enough with the bike upside down I can get the rear wheel
> to turn in the opposite direction which I think is the root of the
problem.
>
> Any online guides or simple ways to fix this?
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
Just had another look and can see that when pedaling forwards and coasting
the pedals keep turning so I'm assuming this is something to do with the
freewheel/hub or whatever I have. Checked out Sheldon Brown's site and it
looks like there's not much I can do without a replacement which is
impossible on a Sunday. My own fault for leaving it for 5 days before doing
anything about it.

Does this sound like the problem? Anything else I can try?

Thanks.

 

[John]

>>
> Just had another look and can see that when pedaling forwards and coasting
> the pedals keep turning so I'm assuming this is something to do with the
> freewheel/hub or whatever I have. Checked out Sheldon Brown's site and it
> looks like there's not much I can do without a replacement which is
> impossible on a Sunday. My own fault for leaving it for 5 days before
> doing
> anything about it.
>
> Does this sound like the problem? Anything else I can try?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
Hi, it sounds like it could be the freehub sticking. You could try and
dismantle it and lube the inside of it! There are instructions here on how
to do this; http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_freehub.shtml

John

 

[Pete Biggs]

Stephen (aka steford) wrote:
> Came back off holiday on Tuesday, took the bike out Wednesday and of
> course there were all sorts of problems.
>
> Left it until today to sort with work tomorrow and so to avoid the
> tube on my 1st day back I really need to get this fixed. Any help
> greatly appreciated.
>
> When I pedal normally all is fine. If I go over a bump or stop
> pedaling abruptly the chain loosens and slips. I initially suspected
> the rear mech or something but on closer inspection this happens if I
> pedal backwards and if I do this slowly enough with the bike upside
> down I can get the rear wheel to turn in the opposite direction which
> I think is the root of the problem.

With the bike upside down, it only takes a tiny amount of friction within
the freewheel mechanism to make the wheel go backwards. A slight effect
of this is normal on most bikes and doesn't affect anything when cycling.
But you might have identified a problem if it's much easier to do than
usual.

I'm not sure about The problem yet though. Could you describe what
actually happens when the chain "loosens and slips" more graphically?
Does the chain stay in gear but go droopy? If so you might indeed have a
faulty freewheel or freehub body which probably would need replacing.

~PB

 

[Stephen \(aka steford\)]

"John" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> >>
> > Just had another look and can see that when pedaling forwards and
coasting
> > the pedals keep turning so I'm assuming this is something to do with the
> > freewheel/hub or whatever I have. Checked out Sheldon Brown's site and
it
> > looks like there's not much I can do without a replacement which is
> > impossible on a Sunday. My own fault for leaving it for 5 days before
> > doing
> > anything about it.
> >
> > Does this sound like the problem? Anything else I can try?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> Hi, it sounds like it could be the freehub sticking. You could try and
> dismantle it and lube the inside of it! There are instructions here on how
> to do this; http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_freehub.shtml
>
> John
>
Thanks John.Unfortunately that looks beyond my skills and tool set. My car
now also has a flat battery so even getting to a shop to buy a tool is
impossible. Gah - what a Sunday! 2 weeks off and all these problems the day
before I go back!!

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Stephen (aka
steford) ('R_e_M_sabotenO_v_E@T_H_i_Skei99.co.uk') wrote:

>
> "Stephen (aka steford)" <R_e_M_sabotenO_v_E@T_H_i_Skei99.co.uk> wrote
> in message news:[email protected]...
>> Came back off holiday on Tuesday, took the bike out Wednesday and of
> course
>> there were all sorts of problems.
>>
>> Left it until today to sort with work tomorrow and so to avoid the
>> tube on my 1st day back I really need to get this fixed. Any help
>> greatly appreciated.
>>
>> When I pedal normally all is fine. If I go over a bump or stop
>> pedaling abruptly the chain loosens and slips. I initially suspected
>> the rear mech
> or
>> something but on closer inspection this happens if I pedal backwards
>> and
> if
>> I do this slowly enough with the bike upside down I can get the rear
>> wheel to turn in the opposite direction which I think is the root of
>> the
> problem.
>>
>> Any online guides or simple ways to fix this?
>>
>> Thanks a lot.
>>
> Just had another look and can see that when pedaling forwards and
> coasting the pedals keep turning so I'm assuming this is something to
> do with the freewheel/hub or whatever I have. Checked out Sheldon
> Brown's site and it looks like there's not much I can do without a
> replacement which is impossible on a Sunday. My own fault for leaving
> it for 5 days before doing anything about it.
>
> Does this sound like the problem?

It could be; if it is be very careful because a freehub as stuck as that
can very quickly knacker your rear derailleur. If you've an
old-fashioned free-wheel - and - cluster type mechanism the ratchet is
usually pretty easy to service once you've got the cluster off the hub,
but getting it off is a swine.

> Anything else I can try?

Also check that your chain is not excessively worn - although if it is it
isn't going to help you much on a Sunday, as if it's worn enough to give
this sort of symptom you're going to need a new cassette as well as a
new chain, and possibly even chainrings as well.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; All in all you're just another nick in the ball
-- Think Droid

 

[Pete Biggs]

John wrote:
> Hi, it sounds like it could be the freehub sticking. You could try and
> dismantle it and lube the inside of it! There are instructions here
> on how to do this;
> http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_freehub.shtml

I think sticking freehubs usually stick the other way (pawls not springing
back down, resulting in no drive). Irreparable damage can cause a freehub
to stop freewheeling.

~PB

 

[[email protected]]

You might try cleaning the freewheel mech by putting the wheel on its
side and flooding in thin oil, deisel fuel, white spirit or whatever,
whislt spinning the block. If you use a solvent you would need to
follow with oil of course.

 

[John]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> John wrote:
>> Hi, it sounds like it could be the freehub sticking. You could try and
>> dismantle it and lube the inside of it! There are instructions here
>> on how to do this;
>> http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_freehub.shtml
>
> I think sticking freehubs usually stick the other way (pawls not springing
> back down, resulting in no drive). Irreparable damage can cause a freehub
> to stop freewheeling.
>
> ~PB
>
>
Hi, I have had this problem once and it was the freehub sticking,
occasionally, and causing my chain to slap onto my chainsytay. I soaked it
in an oil bath and it seemed to cure the problem, but I then changed it a
few weeks later as I was paranoid about it returning and causing major
damage.

John

 

[Stephen \(aka steford\)]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Stephen (aka steford) wrote:
> > Came back off holiday on Tuesday, took the bike out Wednesday and of
> > course there were all sorts of problems.
> >
> > Left it until today to sort with work tomorrow and so to avoid the
> > tube on my 1st day back I really need to get this fixed. Any help
> > greatly appreciated.
> >
> > When I pedal normally all is fine. If I go over a bump or stop
> > pedaling abruptly the chain loosens and slips. I initially suspected
> > the rear mech or something but on closer inspection this happens if I
> > pedal backwards and if I do this slowly enough with the bike upside
> > down I can get the rear wheel to turn in the opposite direction which
> > I think is the root of the problem.
>
> With the bike upside down, it only takes a tiny amount of friction within
> the freewheel mechanism to make the wheel go backwards. A slight effect
> of this is normal on most bikes and doesn't affect anything when cycling.
> But you might have identified a problem if it's much easier to do than
> usual.
>
> I'm not sure about The problem yet though. Could you describe what
> actually happens when the chain "loosens and slips" more graphically?
> Does the chain stay in gear but go droopy? If so you might indeed have a
> faulty freewheel or freehub body which probably would need replacing.
>
> ~PB
>
Yes it stays in gear but the chain becomes slack so slips off the outer
front ring before finding itself back on something then back up to the outer
ring again.

The bike is now at work (I took it in by car) for me to drop into the repair
shop tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help guys.