What’s wrong with my bike?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
What’s wrong with my bike?
I was walking my road bike down a hallway and the freewheel click, click, click stopped and my cranks started turning a few rotations. Then it went back to click, click, click and then again the cranks started turning. Freewheel? Rear hub? Rear derailleur? Thanks. You guys rule.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 5,805
Bikes: 1986 Cannondale SR400 (Flat bar commuter), 1988 Cannondale Criterium XTR, 1992 Serotta T-Max, 1995 Trek 970
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1943 Post(s)
Liked 2,164 Times
in
1,323 Posts
Probably nothing. Path of least resistance.
It is only an issue if, with the crank stopped, and the chain goes slack between the cassette and crank. Then the pawls could be getting stuck.
John
It is only an issue if, with the crank stopped, and the chain goes slack between the cassette and crank. Then the pawls could be getting stuck.
John
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
I had a few Trek bikes that came w/ those wheels have multiple freehub issues. I don't think it's the design, but more manufacturing defects. For one customer they ended up replacing the wheels w/ the next level up. As far as I'm concerned those wheels are garbage.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Actually they’re amazing when compared to my Firecrests. Lol
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
#12
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,976
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6186 Post(s)
Liked 4,803 Times
in
3,313 Posts
This doesn't really indicate anything is wrong. So why care if your cranks start turning?
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 5,923
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1818 Post(s)
Liked 1,693 Times
in
974 Posts
It could be something as simple as the lubricant in the area of the freehub pawls becoming thickened with age or something as complicated as the mechanism itself wearing out and parts ready to fail. Only way to find out is to give it a thorough overhaul and inspection
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
For example if I’d noticed my chain stretch and picked up a new chain I wouldn’t have had to pick up a new chain, cassette and chainrings.
#15
Over the hill
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,372
Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 996 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times
in
690 Posts
I've seen bikes turn the cranks if there is no resistance on them. Usually not a big deal, and it might just be a matter of the freehub getting old and/or gunked up. Not fun to have a freehub fail on you, though, so it might not hurt to take it apart and see if it needs a cleaning and some fresh grease... or a new hub... or new wheel.
__________________
It's like riding a bicycle
It's like riding a bicycle
#16
Senior Member
If you look on VisionTechUSA.com you should find a freehub maintenance guide for those wheels. To completely disassemble the hub it looks like you need a special tool, though. For my money, those look like pretty decent wheels. I had some much less expensive Vision wheels; I found the wheels themselves to be really strong, putting up with horrendous abuse on a commuting bike over thousands of miles without going out of true. The freehub failed, though, and I found the cost and difficulty of getting a replacement made it not worth while fixing them. Very different freehub design to yours, though.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 5,805
Bikes: 1986 Cannondale SR400 (Flat bar commuter), 1988 Cannondale Criterium XTR, 1992 Serotta T-Max, 1995 Trek 970
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1943 Post(s)
Liked 2,164 Times
in
1,323 Posts
The easiest fix is to buy a new freehub body and replace the old one. That will keep you on the road while you decide how to clean and lube the old one and keep as a backup, especially if you have a lot of miles on the original without any maintenance.
I'm not familiar with Vision products, or installation of freehub bodies, but I've done that with Shimano freehub bodies. I don't mess with overhauls that sideline me if I can easily replace and overhaul later.
John
I'm not familiar with Vision products, or installation of freehub bodies, but I've done that with Shimano freehub bodies. I don't mess with overhauls that sideline me if I can easily replace and overhaul later.
John
#18
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,976
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6186 Post(s)
Liked 4,803 Times
in
3,313 Posts
I'm not certain what kind of catastrophe you expect. Usually things just eventually get so bad that they make themselves evident that they need to be replaced. However if you prefer remove and replace things that might still have quite a bit more life in them, that's okay. I use to do the same, taking things apart and keeping them clean and lubed. However I've since found it's easier and less expensive to just wait till it shows for certain.
However if you regularly do competitions, then by all means you need to stay on top of everything maintenance wise no matter how small.