Superstar Switch EVO - Knackered Freewheel?

bugmonkey

I have a Superstar Switch EVO/Mavic AM719 wheelset which is around 2 months old and has done about 400 miles. Everything was good until the rear hub packed in on the second day of a multi-day trip (resulting in a bit of a long walk). During a climb there was clunking/snapping noise and the freewheel now rotates in both directions.

I've contacted Superstar to see what they want to do about a warranty repair/replacement, but in the meantime I was wondering if a) I'm right in thinking it's the freewheel that's gone, and b) if anyone else has had or heard of a similar problem?

Thanks.

nicklouse

open it up and have a look- bet the spring has gone.

bugmonkey

I'm tempted to have a look, but I think I'll wait and see what SS say first - I don't want to pull it open and void the warranty.

Is it a common thing to go on hubs, or common for Switch EVOs?

nicklouse

hubs do fail.

bugmonkey

Yep, most things will! At least it didn't lock up and I could still ride down hills.

Cheers for the help.

YeehaaMcgee

It happens. But, since it's only 2 months old, they "may" cover it under warranty, since it should last more than that really.
At least you were lucky. My WTB freehub jammed on me, turning my bike into a fixie. The shame, the SHAAAAME!

JohnBurt

Freehub pawls are a serviceable part and easy to remove on the swith hub - just pulls off when the axle is removed, from memory they're 24.99 for a new one but could just be gunked up or wanting a spring. I tend to lube mine with oil and not grease, less drag a bit more click but reduced service intervals.

bennett_346

I once had the dreaded fixie fail. That made for an interesting days riding..

JohnBurt

??? Fixie fail - or singlespeed.

bennett_346

Fixie fail...

JohnBurt

Stripped splines ??

bennett_346

No the pawls stuck engaged. If the splines were stripped it woud constantly freewheel, this was the opposite.

JohnBurt

Ah so you went from freewheel to fixie - interesting descending!!

bennett_346

It certainly kept me on the ball

Braking down a hill whilst pedalling - just wrong!

YeehaaMcgee

bennett_346 wrote:

It certainly kept me on the ball

Braking down a hill whilst pedalling - just wrong!

And drop-offs. Oh god, the drop-offs :shock:

Yes, in hindsight, I maybe should have just taken the chain off, but there was also a lot of pedalling to be done.

bennett_346

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

It certainly kept me on the ball

Braking down a hill whilst pedalling - just wrong!

And drop-offs. Oh god, the drop-offs :shock:

Bad memories.

jairaj

to the OP. I've replaced the freehub in my switch hub and its a pretty straight forward thing to do. Superstar can email a instruction sheet on how to do this if you don;t already have one.

bugmonkey

I'm glad the hub didn't seize up and turn into a fixie, I think I'd definitely have needed to take the chain off - the problem happened while coming over the Corrieyairack Pass.

jairaj wrote:

to the OP. I've replaced the freehub in my switch hub and its a pretty straight forward thing to do. Superstar can email a instruction sheet on how to do this if you don;t already have one.

That's good to hear, I'm waiting to see what Superstar say, fitting a new freehub would probably be less hassle than posting back the wheel.

bugmonkey

After speaking to Superstar they asked me to send back the freehub and axle (much easier than the whole wheel). When I pulled out the axle the problem was pretty obvious, looks like the part of the freehub with the pawls has detached from the cassette body - explains the clunking/snapping noise when it happened.

Pawls:


Cassette Body:

nicklouse

now i did not see that coming.

YeehaaMcgee

wow!

Neal_

Blimey, do your legs look like this?

bramstoker

Just broke the axel in my superstar rear wheel, when you do get through to them on the phone they seem helpful, posting the bits off today hopefully this is a one off.