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Chain spins but bike doesn't move ? huh ?

AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
edited March 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
Hey guys.

Wondered if someone could help me ?

I fit some new brakes to the bike, so I took the bike out today to bed them in, I was doing full brake stops from about 18mph.

On the way home I was pedaling and I found that I had no power, so I pulled in and looked at the bike and I span the crank arm and the chain and cassette moved round but the wheel didn't ?

Does anyone have any idea what this could be ? could I have loosened something with the heavy braking ? I hope to god its not a hub issue this wheelset is not far off being new.

I don't understand how the chain and cassette can spin but not engage the wheel ?

Any advice much appreciated :D
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Posts

  • styxdstyxd Posts: 3,234
    Your freehub sounds like its broken. Whats wheelset is it?
  • DCR00DCR00 Posts: 2,160
    Sounds like your freehub is toast

    Doubtful it was the brake bedding

    take the wheelset back to where you bought it and get them to look at it
    Tranny
    Tracey
    Bouncy
    Carbon
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Oh man ya joking ! :(

    I bought them from Superstars and there not the easiest place to get them to fix things.

    DAMN ! :( I'll get on it then and send them an email see what they say, doubt I done 200 miles on these rims and the bearings was shot in the first 6 weeks and they wouldn't even replace those :(

    Not good for a 300 wheelset :(
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    Easy enough to whip the freehub off and have a look.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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    Parktools
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    ps from the pics of your bike, overcleaning can be more of a problem than undercleaning.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Silly question, how do I take the freehub off ? :oops:
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,804
    Remove wheel from bike, use allen keys or cone spanner (as apropriate to the wwheel you have - look at it) to remove the endcap, if the wrong one comes off you need to hold the axle (8mm allen inside it) and remove the freehub endcap, then pull it off.

    BEFORE you do that, superstar hubs seem prone to the grease freezing and holding the pawls out, warm it up and see if it's then OK.

    If it is you have a choice to leave it or replace the grease with a thinner one.

    It could be your excessive cleaning has got water into the pawls and that has frozen in which case it will want drying out in front of a radiator.
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    remove the caps and pull.

    IIRC SS have service info on their webby.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Many thanks Nick :D
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Thanks for the info too beginner.

    I emailed superstars and despite a read receipt hours later I got no answer so I decided to drive there pretty raged and the chap I spoke too suspected bearings again! Just like the fronts that was shot after only a few weeks.

    There said they would email me tomorrow, I certainly hope they do.

    Thanks all for the info, really useful much appreciated.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    Bearings have nothing to do with hub engagement.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,804
    Agreed, it would take catastrophic bearing failure (which would be more of an issue than lack of drive) to cause an issue.

    At least you may get the bearings done as well!

    Or had the freehub defrosted by the time you got there?
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • mcnultycopmcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    The Beginner wrote:
    Or had the freehub defrosted by the time you got there?

    I don't think he said it had frozen, but I'd have suggested that as a potential cause. My freehub froze about this time last year (miles from the car, luckily mainly downhill to get back to it) then just defrosted and worked again a day or so later when the weather had warmed up. It must have had a lot of water in it though, as the freehub died a month or so later in any case.
    Nerve AM 7.0
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  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,804
    He didn't say it was or wasn't frozen......but if it was a few minutes ride in a car will have defrosted it, hence no fault found at SS!
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Well all I can tell you about it was that the hub span back and forth and it was silence when it used to do loud clicks one way, well thats all gone, and one way was easier to twist than the other.

    Superstars said they would email me back today, so far I have had no email and its 2:30pm, I have tried to ring them and the phone line sounds disconnected, its very very poor customer service, no chance of riding this weekend then :(

    How long does it take to replace a freehub ? seconds ? .. so I have to sit and wait probably until next week, not a happy bunny...
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    nicklouse wrote:
    remove the caps and pull.

    IIRC SS have service info on their webby.
    Have you had a look?
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I did look but couldn't find anything on their website.

    I have had a email back saying its with the warranty team and there not sure I will have the wheel back by the weekend which is a bummer but as long as it comes back working thats all am bothered about :D
  • njee20njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Do you jet wash your bike? You've posted photos of it looking suspiciously clean, and bearings and freehubs don't tend to spontaneously fail within weeks.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I use a garden hose maybe every other ride, usually its bucket and sponge.

    I had the wheelset since July last year I think, I noticed on my last ride the clicking noise when free wheeling wasn't there as usual, then after just 1.8 miles during my ride the other day it just started spinning.

    I find it hard to imagine cleaning the bike has done anything its not like I use a pressure washer on the hub or anything but ya gotta clean ya cassette sometimes with brush and bucket and sponge.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    CubeCrazy wrote:
    I did look but couldn't find anything on their website.

    I have had a email back saying its with the warranty team and there not sure I will have the wheel back by the weekend which is a bummer but as long as it comes back working thats all am bothered about :D
    I meant did you take the freehub off and have a look - can only be pawls.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    No I didn't do that mate I didn't know what I was doin or pulling at, its some superlegra 120 thing knowing my luck I would have ball bearings all over my floor lol wanted to leave it to the professionals on this one.
  • leafliteleaflite Posts: 1,651
    Freehub replacement shouldnt be too difficult, especially in a cartridge bearing hub like yours.
    The hub is very similar to a Halo Superdrive, which you may be able to find more info/diagrams for.
    GT Hardtail
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    Titus FTM Carbon
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I still haven't heard back from Superstars yet, really not impressed.

    If its an easy unbolt the old one bolt in the new I don't know whats taking so long Zzzzzz

    I'll ring them again tomorrow.
  • frankspencer1979frankspencer1979 Posts: 525
    The Beginner wrote:

    BEFORE you do that, superstar hubs seem prone to the grease freezing and holding the pawls out, warm it up and see if it's then OK.

    I think this has been happening to my hub recently (Superstar Trizoid.) I've got the bike out the shed in the morning, the free hub spins silently without engaging, but if I spin the cranks with my hand eventually it suddenly engages and goes back to normal. I guess the friction of spinning it warms the grease up.
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,804
    also the pawls will throw out with the centrifugal effect.......

    3 people in my ride group have all had this problem with SS, there is no weather proofing to stop moisture getting in the pawls, it just relies on a close fit, between the hub body and the freehub, 2 were working OK< went on a roof rack, got to the ride and no drive....a quick wee fixed them!

    Just fitted SS hubbed wheels on mine, so I cleaned out the grease that was in there and repacked with a cold temp one and tried to get as much is as possible to prevent water ingress.
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I have a question about this.

    Lets say I have gone out cycling for the day and am 20 miles away from home and this happens, pedals spin along with the cassette but its not engaging the wheel, is there a fix to get me home ?

    I am just wondering if Superstars bodge my freehub and it goes on me when am miles away from home what I would do ?

    Thanks
  • Chunkers1980Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Not a great deal. Zip tie the block to the spokes making it a fixie.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Man ya jokin ... :(

    OK I ain't into this whole 120 pawl hub business, thats last thing I want to happen, is there an alternative to this freehub ? is there something called a fixed hub perhaps ? sorry I dont know the terminology on this one, am starting to wish I kept my old heavy wheelset :(
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    You want light and delicate, you deal with any issues.
    But there's probably nothing wrong that a bit of a fiddle can't sort out.
    You need to learn to fiddle.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • RevellRiderRevellRider Posts: 1,794
    CubeCrazy wrote:
    Lets say I have gone out cycling for the day and am 20 miles away from home and this happens, pedals spin along with the cassette but its not engaging the wheel, is there a fix to get me home ?

    You could scoot it along
    Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon.
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