themp

I ride a Specialized Crosstrail Hybrid Elite purchased in 2016. Cost was a little over $1000. I have now put around 21K miles on it and during the winter months I have had occasions when I stop pedaling that the chain on the cassette makes a slipping noise. When the temperature goes above 60F, it never happens. It is cold weather related. The cassette and chain are at the point of needing to be replaced. I usually get 4K miles on a chain and I am close and the cassette is now on its fourth chain. I usually change the cassette every third chain but the Rohloff HG check tool, showed it was fine last chain replacement. It is now showing a fail on some chain rings on the cassette. So, when I do the chain and cassette replacement in the next few weeks what should I be doing to the freehub? The description of the freehub for the Crosstrail stated: "Specialized Hi Lo disc, double-sealed, ground race, QR, 32h/Specialized Hi". I did some internet searches and basically it looked painful to disassemble and lube. Or some say just drip lube into the gap on the freehub and hope for the best. Basically, when I have the cassette off, what would you do to service the freehub, since I have done nothing since acquiring the bicycle?

Andrew R Stewart 

I suspect this rear hub has loose balls for the axle and for the free hub body. I would suggest a complete bearing overhaul for the axle and a flushing out of the old crud from the free hub body. While the axle bearings will want a thick grease the free hub body wants a medium to thick oil dripped through it. This servicing should be done annually, or after problems start

At 21K miles I would expect other wear items are due for checking. Chainrings (the ones attached to the pedals), Other bearings. Shift cables. Brake pads.

How's Raleigh these days? I spent 7 years at the Falls of the Neuse Allstar Bike Shop. Andy

themp

Andy thanks for the response. I will look at doing this overhaul. Other parts of the bicycle have all been replaced over the years(small chain ring, shift cables, brake pads and rotors, bottom bracket). Been holding off on the large chain ring for some reason(I did source a replacement and have it).

Raleigh is doing good. The MUP/Greenways are expanding and it is fine city to ride in. I assume you know Jeff Hutchinson, one of the owners of All Star. He is regularly seen on the Neuse River Greenway and posts also on the Neuse River Trail Facebook page. The shops(3) all still are in operation. The Ridgewood shopping center location has moved within the same center. I see your posts to these forums pretty regular, but now I will know you are tied to Raleigh and All Star.

Andrew R Stewart 

Thanks for the updates. I rode many mid week miles on the greenways. Weekends were usually out of Carboro or another 30 minute drive away. I worked at the FoN Allstar before they moved into the end of strip location. Terry, Fred, Ashley and I were the main staff for quite a while. I have been blessed with the ability to work for and with really good people over the years. Jeff is well up on that list.

Good that you are taking care of your bike. So many riders only think a problem started when their ride was affected, yet the seeds started on their first ride. Andy

Crankycrank

The freehub body should be flushed before adding any lube. This guy has a very good vid on how to easily clean and lube the freehub body without taking it apart. If you don't have a good solvent for the soak such as Odorless mineral spirits or kerosene you can use WD-40 spray or similar.

themp

Thank you, great video. Freehub it is!

79pmooney

Gentle correction - you title the thread and talk once of a freewheel. You have a cassette. Calling it a freewheel may cause confusion in the future. Yes, the freehub inside your cassette is a "freewheel" that allows the cassette to spin freely in one direction but not the other. Engineers outside the bicycle world will be quite happy you called it that. But - in the bike world, "freewheel" means the entire assembly as a rather heavy steel unit that threads directly onto the hub. Until the 1980s, all hubs with multiple cogs had them on freewheels. Now, only very cheap bikes come new with freewheels. And most pre-1990 vintage bikes came with freewheels. General rule of thumb - 8 or more cogs - cassette, 7 or fewer - freewheel.

Some people get very bent out of shape with cassettes being called freewheels. And when it comes to working on them, they are very different.

zedda

With some exceptions: first cassettes (Shimano) were I think 6-speed (edit - they were 5 speed), first Campagnolo cassette was a 7-speed. Also there were some 8-speed freewheels available at the end of their era - I have one of those, Regina America S 1992.

themp

Did not see a way to edit the title. But I did edit the body of the post.

Anywho, I ended up just replacing the bearings in the freehub and dripping Phil Tenacious oil into the top edge a drop at at time until the clicking was reduced. My LBS recommended this as they said the freehub was fine and do not take it off the wheel. I would have needed a 12mm hex wrench to remove it.

themp

After lubricating the freehub it still on occasion would either stick or fail to engage when I stopped pedaling. And it would cause chain noise which I could never really see since it was happening at the cassette. I did once see the chain go slack to the chain stay when I looked down when the problem occurred. So, I purchased this:

https://www.performancebike.com/spec...100013/p629339

Found a 12mm hex wrench at Northern Tool and needed a breaker bar to free the nut holding the freehub(counter clockwise to loosen from the non-drive side). Did a 20 mile test ride today and no noise, so I think it is solved.