Pedals went round...back wheel didn't!

[badkitty]

This is a new one.
Got on bike this morning, put foot on pedal,pedal went round, back wheel didn't - met no resistance whatsoever from the back wheel.
Clicked gears a bit, spun the pedal round and round with the back wheel sitting on floor.Nothing.

After more clicking, lots of panicking and some swearing, it suddenly started working again, and carried on working for the next 6 miles, no problem.

The cartridge isn't that old - 5 months maybe, was squeaking yesterday so was oiled, but was working fine before and after this funny five minutes, and has never just totally failed like that before.

Now, although swearing at my bike often seems to fix it, I think I really need to know what the heck happened from some people with a more technical approach to bike maintenance.

So please, anyone?

 

[jay clock]

Freehub ratchetty bits got damp and frozen? or just knackered?

 

[swee'pea99]

Frozen seems a reasonable first suspect. There's a surprisingly skimpy ratchety mech in the middle of that block - all it would need would be for one very thin spring to get frozen in the wrong position and you'd get the effect you describe. Was it outside in sub-zero? I wouldn't panic - yet. See if you get repetition. Try keeping it out of the cold for a few days and if it still goes pear-shaped, then panic.

 

[spandex]

+1 for frozen

BTW Welcome to cc

 

[badkitty]

Thanks folk!

I knew you guys would know. My poor frozen bike.

Was only outside for about 20 mins before I went. Was in the green house overnight.

So maybe it was the swearing at it which fixed it; my hot breath thawed it out!

See - cycle maintenance - easy...a few rudimentary sweary words, and you're sorted!

 

[andy_wrx]

Probably far more info than you want, but here's a guy talking about 'winterizing' (he's US or Canadian) a freehub.
http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/freehub.htm

He says "At temperatures below about 20 F (-7 C) some freehubs start to have problems"

The Iditabike he's talking about is a winter mountainbike race in Alaska - I guess it gets colder there than in your greenhouse !

 

[fossyant]

Got it in one there - outside. I've had one freeze up before christmas - garage at about freezing, but left outside for 30 mins, then wheeled to the main road - result frozen. Got home - bike in house, got changed into civvies...bike fine....

I've since replaced the freehub body.

 

[Steve Austin]

easy way to fix a frozen freehub is to pour water on it. it'll raise the temperature enough to make it work again.
of course if you have no water, then needs must and it is perfectly acceptable to resort to other sources of liquid.

 

[badkitty]

The Iditabike he's talking about is a winter mountainbike race in Alaska - I guess it gets colder there than in your greenhouse !

Thanks for that - very interesting.
I really do hope the greenhouse is warmer than Alaska, or the poor rabbit (daughters Christmas present) which is also taking shelter in there isn't going to make it to spring!

 

[badkitty]

Thanks Fossyant - nice to know I'm not alone in freezing bikeland.

And Steve - thanks for the very useful advice, though am really not sure how the mechanics of what you're suggesting would work in practice, for a female. Do i lie the bike down and risk standing on the spokes whilst crouching ..or do I stand up and just hope for the best and a lack of breeze at the crucial moment?

Oh to be a man.

 

[MePower]

You were facing forward sat on the bike?

 

[andrew_s]

And Steve - thanks for the very useful advice, though am really not sure how the mechanics of what you're suggesting would work in practice, for a female. Do i lie the bike down and risk standing on the spokes whilst crouching ..or do I stand up and just hope for the best and a lack of breeze at the crucial moment?

Oh to be a man.

http://www.shewee.com/

 

[badkitty]

Thanks for the link Andrew_s, and sorry if this seems ungrateful but

Nooooooooooooo!

I will never ever ever use one of those! A truly horrible idea...

What do you do with it once its been used? Pop it back into my pocket? - yuk...
Can't ditch it - really hate litter..

It would seem I've got no choice. If this becomes a recurring problem, I may have to either stop cycling till it gets warmer (not a chance), or consider surgery...