sortieavelo

Mates, I recently finished this bike, Cervélo Soloist, Ultegra, and Neugent alloy tubulars. On stand everything checks out. On Maiden voyage today, something just didn’t feel right. Felt like rear wheel was rubbing against something. I loosened brakes, checked stays: no rubbing there. But when I got off to walk the bike, the rear wheel would intermittently seize up and skid along the pavement for a sec, then it would spin freely… rear wheel is true and doesn’t feel over-tightened…thanks for thoughts and Happy Holidays!

UPDATE—Problem solved: the rear brake cable housing as it exited the handlebar tape, was caught on a stem bolt. When Front wheel turned to the right, it caused left rear brake pad to rub rim.

Iride01 

If you know it wasn't a piece of bubble gum stuck to the tire then check the wheel bearings. If they are cartridge bearing, then just be done with them and get new. They aren't expensive.

This wasn't something that occurred after a few pints and maybe you were squeezing the brake lever as you walked the bike was it? <grin>

frogman

My first thought was the wheel not true and the brake pads rubbing but you said you loosened the brake pads. I would remove the quick link and remove the chain next.
Then roll it along and see if it goes away. If it goes away then it could be the freehub or the chain catching on the chainwheels.

ClydeClydeson

My guess is wheel bearings.

Two other observations (likely not related to your stated problem)

-The L pad on the rear brakes has excessive toe-in
-The run of cable housing at the rear derailleur is slightly too short. This might work fine or might cause excessive drag on the cable and make shifting less than perfect, or it might be fine now and will get worse with time.

sortieavelo

Thank you--I noticed toe-in yesterday--easy fix, as is the cable housing--that I didn't realize.

Wheels are brand new, out of box, handbuilt by John Neugent. They spin smooth on the stand.

I wonder if it's a seized chain-link? Would that do it?

alcjphil

You say that the wheels spin smoothly on the stand. While they are spinning, try holding the cassette from turning with the wheel. If you find that it catches and tries to spin with the wheel you will have found a possible explanation for your problem

Unca_Sam

Your chain shouldn't affect the wheel while coasting (unless it's a fixed gear). If I were in your shoes, I'd walk the bike around to get the wheel to stop, and once it did, confirm that nothing is in contact with the wheel. You could also just take the wheel out and look for evidence of tire rub on the chainstays or seat tube. If you have no contact anywhere it's likely the bearings because there's really nothing else that it can be.

Updated:
alcjphil has a good point, in that your freehub could be rubbing or catching on something intermittently. I looked to see what hubs your wheels were built with, but there's no branding and I'm no modern hub expert. If you're able to, break the cassette free from the freehub if his suggestion pans out and carefully watch the space between the hub body and the freehub for contact.

Iride01 

Your issues pretty much have to be the freehub, hub, clearance to the tire or rim or something jamming the tire or rim every so often. If the chain were completely froze up the freehub should still turn.

You didn't have some strap or a cord hanging down on your test ride and walk that might have been periodically getting caught between the tire and frame or brake that was out of the way by the time you looked did you? Maybe a bag you took with you for that ride that wasn't out of the way.

Is the axle properly in the drops and the QR secure?

curbtender

I wouldn't expect the tire to lock up if it was the freehub but your crank would start spinning. How tight do you have the quick release?

70sSanO

Just curious, how much space do you have between the brake caliper, not the pads, and the tire. I wouldn’t imagine there would be an issue unless the tire picks up a pebble and you have less than a mm clearance.

I think any freehub bearing or body issue that seizes up to the point of skidding a tire wouldn’t survive a ride.

John

sortieavelo

John,

I rode 1 hour on the road (16 miles),but when I walked the bike before & after the ride I noticed the weird momentary locking up. I lifted rear wheel, peddled it with my hand, and it spun freely.

going to take off cog set & reinstall tonight. And check chain.

sortieavelo

UPDATE—Problem solved: the rear brake cable housing as it exited the handlebar tape, was caught on a stem bolt. When Front wheel turned to the right, it caused left rear brake pad to rub rim.

Unca_Sam

SUCCESS! 🥳

Guess it wasn't the bearings, then...

cranky old road 

Always grateful when the OP reports on their problem's solution.

sortieavelo

here is the offender.

Andrew R Stewart 

Try to move the casing, under the bar tape, to be more under the bars then in front of them. This will lower the exposed loop and help reduce the chance of a casing snag. Maybe next time the bars get wrapped lengthen the casing a bit there. Andy

70sSanO

Personally, I’d just bite the bullet and do what Andy recommends before you need new tape.

There is really no guarantee that when making a tight slow speed u-turn that it won’t catch and the rear brake brings you to a stop and you to the ground.

Too nice a bike for a few bucks and a little bit of time.

John

curbtender

Let me get OCD and ask you to center the bars. That line should be centered in the stem. You can unwrap the tape to the shifters and then tape the cable to the bottom of the bars at the bend and before it exits where the tape stops.

sortieavelo

Thank you! Will do that today—this is my first modem road bike build, so still learning.

thank you. QUOTE=curbtender;22349935]Let me get OCD and ask you to center the bars. That line should be centered in the stem. You can unwrap the tape to the shifters and then tape the cable to the bottom of the bars at the bend and before it exits where the tape stops.[/QUOTE]

Andrew R Stewart 

As a one time pro wrench I have learned to cut my casing sections, that run from the bars to the frame, a tad long to allow complete bar swings w/o binding. Too many riders don't handle their bikes well as they go through doorways or carry in/on their cars. Andy (who still has a lot of anal details on bike set ups running round his head).

Crankycrank

There are also these fancy doo dads to clip cables together to keep them from getting caught on something when turning the bars. Jagwire Rotating S-Hook Box of 4 | eBay You can also just use a zip tie loosely tied to another cable to do the same thing. But as mentioned, you may just need to move the cable under the bar tape and/or lengthen the cable. Before doing anything, center the bars in the stem as mentioned by curbtender and you may change the cable position slightly to not have to do anything else.