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Frozen freewheel???

  • 01-02-2010 9:05am
    #1
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,370 ✭✭✭


    I was out on Saturday morning and the temperature was about -1. In other words...it was bloody freezing!. Every now and then, when i freewheeled, the chainset skipped when i applied pressure to the pedals. It felt like the "pawls" in the freewheel were not engaging for some reason. At one stage, I was pedalling and going nowhere for about 4 or 5 revolutions before it finally engaged. At first i thought maybe the return spring was broken, but by the time i got home, the problem had rectified itself. When i got home i removed the sprockets and had a look at the freewheel and i also had a listen to it and i can hear the rachet mechanism working correctly. If the springs was broken, i inagine the problem would be constant and not intermittent. Am i right??

    I'm now thinking that maybe the grease inside the freewheel was frozen and freed up over a period of time. I bought the bike last November, so the freewheel is practically new, so I'm assuming its not worn at this stage.

    Anyone else come across this? I think i'll change the freewhell anyway, as I've lost confidence in it now and i don't want to be left stranded some day. Cheers


Comments

  • #2
    short circuit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 730 ✭✭✭short circuit


    There was a thread on this a few days back.

    Either low quality grease freezes or gets so thick that it causes this.
    Or water got into your freehub and is frozen.
    Storing the bike in a warm place should fix this.

    A hub service or replacement might also be in order.
    07Lapierre wrote: »
    I was out on Saturday morning and the temperature was about -1. In other words...it was bloody freezing!. Every now and then, when i freewheeled, the chainset skipped when i applied pressure to the pedals. It felt like the "pawls" in the freewheel were not engaging for some reason. At one stage, I was pedalling and going nowhere for about 4 or 5 revolutions before it finally engaged. At first i thought maybe the return spring was broken, but by the time i got home, the problem had rectified itself. When i got home i removed the sprockets and had a look at the freewheel and i also had a listen to it and i can hear the rachet mechanism working correctly. If the springs was broken, i inagine the problem would be constant and not intermittent. Am i right??

    I'm now thinking that maybe the grease inside the freewheel was frozen and freed up over a period of time. I bought the bike last November, so the freewheel is practically new, so I'm assuming its not worn at this stage.

    Anyone else come across this? I think i'll change the freewhell anyway, as I've lost confidence in it now and i don't want to be left stranded some day. Cheers


  • #3
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,370 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    Thanks Short Circuit, inclined to agree with the low quality grease theory.


  • #4
    joker77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭joker77


    Quick question 07Lapierre - what type of bike is it?

    I got my Planet X in late October, and got this same problem early January. Went over to Mr. Skeffington for a service to have it looked at - he said the grease used was low quality, cleaned it and replaced with teflon grease. Been fine since. The free-hub was fairly 'pitted' from the cassette eating into it...


  • #5
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,370 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    joker77 wrote: »
    Quick question 07Lapierre - what type of bike is it?

    I got my Planet X in late October, and got this same problem early January. Went over to Mr. Skeffington for a service to have it looked at - he said the grease used was low quality, cleaned it and replaced with teflon grease. Been fine since. The free-hub was fairly 'pitted' from the cassette eating into it...

    Its a Paganini Frame and the Freewheel is Shimano Tiagra. (Don't think the frame has anything to do with it :D).

    Yes I imagine the grease is the problem. While i don't think it actually froze, i do think the low temterature probably made it more tactile and restricted the movement of the pawls. The fact that the freewheel is quite new also added to the problem as I imagine the "rough" edges on the pawls etc. will run alot smoother once they wear down a bit. Didn't notice any "pitting" from the cassette.

    As shortcircuit said earlier, if there was any moisture inside the freewheel, this could have froze, which again wouldn't help.

    cheers


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