Knackered freewheel? Expensive?
Discussion
I've got a two year old Specialized Secteur Triple (thank you, C2W). It's done, rough guess, about 10,000 miles under my fat backside. Of late, it's felt like, to compare it to a car, the clutch has been slipping - I pedal, we get up to a fair old pace, I stop pedalling and start again, and my legs spin but no drive reaches the wheels.
I've been told its probably the freewheel mechanism inside the hub (by the resident bike nut at work) - is this a repairable thing, or more likely to be a replacement of the wheel/cassette/everything associated with?
It's an 8-speed rear with 26" (I think) Alexrims S480 wheels, for reference.
I've been told its probably the freewheel mechanism inside the hub (by the resident bike nut at work) - is this a repairable thing, or more likely to be a replacement of the wheel/cassette/everything associated with?
It's an 8-speed rear with 26" (I think) Alexrims S480 wheels, for reference.
Sounds like the pawls are sticking, nothing that can't be sorted with a good clean out and some new lubrication. It's not difficult, but you will need some specialist tools for removing the cassette and mechanical dexterity to do the job. Unless you are confident it's probably a job for the shop.
Now for the proper PH advice, use it as an excuse to upgrade. Maybe just the wheels, or more likely to a complete new bike, something in the 1,500 to 2,000 range should do it.
Now for the proper PH advice, use it as an excuse to upgrade. Maybe just the wheels, or more likely to a complete new bike, something in the 1,500 to 2,000 range should do it.
gazza285 said:
Sounds like the pawls are sticking, nothing that can't be sorted with a good clean out and some new lubrication. It's not difficult, but you will need some specialist tools for removing the cassette and mechanical dexterity to do the job. Unless you are confident it's probably a job for the shop.
Thanks chap!I'm guessing by "specialist tools" you don't mean "a selection of hammers and blue language", haha. Rough time or cost of doing the job?
Depends on the hub design, the Fulcrum wheels on my crosser are easy, it's a ten minute job from start to finish, but if it's the same as the Shimano design, then it'll be more cost effective to replace the freewheel mechanism as they are a pain.
As for cost? No idea! I haven't worked in a bike shop for twenty years, and I do all my own repairs.
As for cost? No idea! I haven't worked in a bike shop for twenty years, and I do all my own repairs.
You could try flooding the item with wd40 or similar, or a very light oil, or better still penetrating oil and moving it by hand/banging tyre on ground etc to free the pawls. If they are stuck due to some corrosion/no lubrication it may just do it. Once achieved then get rid of any of the fluids by draining and flooding with a suitable light oil eg 3in1. It could work (I've known it do the job before). Yes, it's better to dismantle, but unless you are familiar with workings/very careful you can just end up with bits all over your garage and a busted freewheel. Good luck - please report back if successful so as to help others.
ShampooEfficient said:
Disco You said:
Try not to use the word "freewheel" when talking about your freehub, as a freewheel is a different component which does a similar job....
Duly noted. I'm mechanically minded but not au fait with bikes, so I tend to lump them together.A freehub is a hub for a bike wheel with a ratchet mechanism, you slot on a cassette and you're good to go.
Sheldon Brown has a page on this:
http://sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html
ShampooEfficient said:
I've got a two year old Specialized Secteur Triple (thank you, C2W). It's done, rough guess, about 10,000 miles under my fat backside. Of late, it's felt like, to compare it to a car, the clutch has been slipping - I pedal, we get up to a fair old pace, I stop pedalling and start again, and my legs spin but no drive reaches the wheels.
I've been told its probably the freewheel mechanism inside the hub (by the resident bike nut at work) - is this a repairable thing, or more likely to be a replacement of the wheel/cassette/everything associated with?
It's an 8-speed rear with 26" (I think) Alexrims S480 wheels, for reference.
Mention has been made to your problem being due to sticking pawls. It could also be down to broken pawl springs, the little springs that force the pawl into the driving ratchet. I have in the past replaced these using homemade springs.I've been told its probably the freewheel mechanism inside the hub (by the resident bike nut at work) - is this a repairable thing, or more likely to be a replacement of the wheel/cassette/everything associated with?
It's an 8-speed rear with 26" (I think) Alexrims S480 wheels, for reference.
As has been mentioned previously taking the freehub part apart could be interesting !!
I should point out I am currently a Campagnola user and have carried out the following, but I guess once inside the unit, the operating principal will be similar in your Shimano.
How you remove the freehub from the actual hub is down to your powers of observation and natural curiosity.
When you are actually in a position to split the freehub make sure you have a large cloth under the component so as to catch whatever drops out, usually ball bearings. You may well find the balls are of different diameters (two races)
Check out what needs replacing.
At this point you may decide to cut your losses and give up.
If not, the fun begins as you reassemble, the ball bearings need to be held in place with a smear of grease. The tricky bit .........if you do not have a custom made (Campag do supply) clip to hold the now sprung pawls in place so that the two parts of the freehub can be assembled, some sort of retaining device will have to be made .........think heavy fuse wire rapped round the circumference of the pawls (just tight enough to hold in place but loose enough to remove as the two parts come together) this operation may take a few practice attempts!!!!!!!!
Reassemble onto hub check operation and if successful refit sprockets and congratulate yourself.
If you are short of a bit of spring steel to use for pawl springs a strand of brake/gear cable could be used, don’t ask.
For those of a certain age I did have to do the above when out on a ride, admittedly I only had a 5 speed block at the time and garages were a lot more helpful then. By the way the repair outlasted the bearings in the block.
Fastpedeller said:
You could try flooding the item with wd40 or similar, or a very light oil, or better still penetrating oil and moving it by hand/banging tyre on ground etc to free the pawls. If they are stuck due to some corrosion/no lubrication it may just do it. Once achieved then get rid of any of the fluids by draining and flooding with a suitable light oil eg 3in1. It could work (I've known it do the job before). Yes, it's better to dismantle, but unless you are familiar with workings/very careful you can just end up with bits all over your garage and a busted freewheel. Good luck - please report back if successful so as to help others.
As it happens, this was my initial plan of attack - plenty of Wurth Ultra 2040 (PTFE spray) sprayed in from every conceivable angle - and it seems to have worked at least as a temporary measure. Will see how it goes and report back. Thanks all! 
m_cozzy said:
Don't try and bodge it. A slipping freewheel is no fun when it suddenly slips under power whilst you are standing up peddling, lots of painful sac / crossbar or stem interaction.
I've done ten miles today into a ridiculous headwind without incident, so I'll see how I get on. Understand exactly what you mean though, it has happened...I had a freehub break on me at the top of a climb whilst up on the pedals, I was lucky as I did not go over the bars and end up on the ground but it wasn't a pleasant experience. I ended up replacing the wheel as the freehub was too costly to replace for the wheel. Also a good excuse to upgrade your wheels.
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