Pedalling Backwards

[Norry1]

I've noticed on my last couple of rides that when I pedal backwards slightly, the freewheel doesn't spin, and so the chain goes very loose and then clangs back hard when I take up the slack again - this can be scary especially when descending at speed!

Does this sound as though I just need to give the transmission a good clean or does it sound more serious?

It is a newish bike (Secteur, done about 800 miles from new last October)

Martin

 

[PpPete]

Clean and relube the chain, check for any stiff links.
Check chain wear (stretch) too. A decent chain shouldn't wear out in 800 miles, but IME Secteurs, although lovely looking bikes, are built "down to a price point" so some very cheap & nasty components creep in.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Had this recently ad the cassette hub was full of crap pereventing the pawls to engage and disengage smoothly. Yep, it's a tad scary but an easy fix. My Shimano Freehub is pretty crud-proof, but my Reynolds one is a crap-magnet. At least easily remedied.

 

[Norry1]

Had this recently ad the cassette hub was full of crap pereventing the pawls to engage and disengage smoothly. Yep, it's a tad scary but an easy fix. My Shimano Freehub is pretty crud-proof, but my Reynolds one is a crap-magnet. At least easily remedied.

Just a good wash, or did it need the cassette taking out (however you do that )?

Martin

 

[rusty bearing]

Try flushing it out with something light like GT85 a few times and then relube with a light oil, if it doesn't work all is not lost as you can replace quite easily, just require a big allen key down the middle.

 

[Cubist]

Sounds like a stiff chain. Test by slipping the chain off the cassette and spinning it to see if it freewheels without the chain on.

 

[Norry1]

Thanks people. I'll go have a look at it today and see if I can free it up.

The other weekend when I was out riding, we went through a deep ford with water coming quite high on the bike. I wonder if that got water where it shouldn't go?

Or maybe I just need to clean / lube my bike more

Martin

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just a good wash, or did it need the cassette taking out (however you do that )?

Martin

Firstly check whether chain or free-hub, take the wheel off and spin the hub, see if graunches or the engagement is not smooth. If it's all good then it's the chain, but I still reckon it's the hub.
There's not much to loose squirting a drop of GT80/WD40 into it, from behind the cassette, but overdo it and you might get some working it's way into the bearings.
Removing the cassette/freehub body is not difficult, take a look at Sheldon or park-tools site or similar for assistance. If you take the pawls and spring out makes sure that you catch all the bits before they 'ping' everywhere!

Repack with some light grease, I use Vaseline in my Shimano hubs and Finish-line wet-lube in my Reynolds hub as it just seems to attract less carp and keeps going in the Reynolds.

 

[rusky]

I had the same thing today on a Specialized double. it happens when the wheel gets to a certain position so my guess is a sticking pawl

 

[Maz]

I recently had exactly the same problem as the OP. Turned out there was plenty of crud in the freehub.
I removed the axle, cleaned and regreased the axle bearings. Flushed out and re-lubed the freehub.
Much better after that.

 

[Norry1]

I recently had exactly the same problem as the OP. Turned out there was plenty of crud in the freehub.
I removed the axle, cleaned and regreased the axle bearings. Flushed out and re-lubed the freehub.
Much better after that.

I reckon that is the issue - or the flooding.

I cleaned the chain (new Park Chain cleaner is brill) and the mechs and squirted GT85 everywhere. It rode better but still caught now and again. Off to LBS for a (very early) annual service.

Martin

 

[rusky]

Luckily, mine is still under warranty so I dropped the wheel off at Evans for them to deal with.

 

[Norry1]

Luckily, mine is still under warranty so I dropped the wheel off at Evans for them to deal with.

That's a good point - mine is only 5 months old