Will1985
Über Member
- Location
- South Norfolk
I haven't ridden my MTB for a while, but whilst doing it up this morning, I noticed that 2 driveside spokes and 1 non-driveside spoke have snapped at the neck by the hub.
Here comes the stupid part: I thought that I might be able to buy some spokes and do the wheel myself once I had removed the freewheel block. So, I follow Sheldon Brown's advice about putting the freewheel puller into a vice and rotating the wheel anti-clockwise. First, I had a go with an old 6-speed wheel and it just needed a bit of force. Ok I think; no problem here - so I reset the freewheel puller (actually just a splined cassette tool) and have a go with the 7-speed wheel. I kept turning and suddenly the wheel turned - unfortunately because my cassette tool has shattered into 4 pieces! Not being one to give up, I find another cassette tool and exactly the same thing happened!
How can this happen? I have an MTB for 8 years and can get the block off easily, but one ridden for less than 18 months won't budge....can it be due to the enormous amount of torque I generate!?!?! (I like to think), or that the block may have been screwed on wrongly and cross-threaded. Bear in mind that it is a cheapo Decathlon bought in Italy.....I'm wondering whether the mechanic might have done something?
Thoughts anyone?
Here comes the stupid part: I thought that I might be able to buy some spokes and do the wheel myself once I had removed the freewheel block. So, I follow Sheldon Brown's advice about putting the freewheel puller into a vice and rotating the wheel anti-clockwise. First, I had a go with an old 6-speed wheel and it just needed a bit of force. Ok I think; no problem here - so I reset the freewheel puller (actually just a splined cassette tool) and have a go with the 7-speed wheel. I kept turning and suddenly the wheel turned - unfortunately because my cassette tool has shattered into 4 pieces! Not being one to give up, I find another cassette tool and exactly the same thing happened!
How can this happen? I have an MTB for 8 years and can get the block off easily, but one ridden for less than 18 months won't budge....can it be due to the enormous amount of torque I generate!?!?! (I like to think), or that the block may have been screwed on wrongly and cross-threaded. Bear in mind that it is a cheapo Decathlon bought in Italy.....I'm wondering whether the mechanic might have done something?
Thoughts anyone?
