Pedals keep spinning - not in a good way either

[MudRhino]

Had a recent stack - came around a corner, found my friend on the ground, cranked the brakes, flipped - bammo.

Rear derailer went into the spokes, wheel buckled (not a huge amount but still a buckle), snapped a spoke, road rash on a few parts including my brake/gear levers, bent the bars and tore my nice new jacket :yell:.

Anyhow, spent the last 3 weeks slowly fixing everything, and put it back together tonight. I even put on a new rear cassette to improve the gearing (previous was 11-21, new one is 11-28 - did not replace the chain though).

So whilst up on the stand I was tuning the gears (or trying to anyhow) when I noticed that the pedals would keep turning (whilst the back wheel was spinning) after I let go instead of stopping. It seems to do this more so in the high gears, but not in the low gears.

I am confused - has this got to do with me changing the cassette (e.g. chain too tight, which it doesn't seem to be) or have I done other damage to the bike?

Any ideas?

 

[Ride_Guy]

Freehub body is seizing up a bit by the sounds of it Evan.

 

[Pastavore]

This^^^^^^^


I just squirted some oil into it when my bike was doing this. But I'm sure there is a proper way to do it.

 

[mtb101]

Anyhow, spent the last 3 weeks slowly fixing everything, and put it back together tonight. I even put on a new rear cassette to improve the gearing (previous was 11-21, new one is 11-28 - did not replace the chain though).



Any ideas?

chain would need to be resized, is it possible new cassette is bang up against the spokes/hub? otherwise yes seized freehub, seems strange that its just happened something bent? or hitting something?

 

[SummitFever]

... has this got to do with me changing the cassette...

With certain hub and cassette combinations, the cassette lock ring will on tightening up against the cassette, slightly distort the freehub barrel and this will result in this type of binding. Remove the cassette and see if the freehub spins freely, then mount the cassette and see if there is any difference.

 

[MudRhino]

With certain hub and cassette combinations, the cassette lock ring will on tightening up against the cassette, slightly distort the freehub barrel and this will result in this type of binding. Remove the cassette and see if the freehub spins freely, then mount the cassette and see if there is any difference.

Thanks for the responses guys - I am new to all this but will take a crack at looking at the freehub.

Regarding what you said SummitFever - is it possible I over tightened the cassette? I just use a hand wrench, not a torque wrench - but 40nm of torque is a shit load, so I doubt it... but then again, i am known to over tighten things like a caveman.

 

[Jaredp]

Pretty much what these guys said. But one question... Do you have cartridge bearings or cup and cone type?

 

[MudRhino]

Pretty much what these guys said. But one question... Do you have cartridge bearings or cup and cone type?

To be honest I am unsure - I am thinking cartridge. The rims are Easton Circuits, or otherwise known as Velomax.

I am going to take the free hub off and see if the pawl are dirty - hoping that is all it is.

 

[RB 24]

Pretty much what these guys said. But one question... Do you have cartridge bearings or cup and cone type?

funnily enough I replaced my bearings thinking this was my situation when my wheel was doing this also...It wasn't the case but for $15 and a few new bearings and then finding the free hub was seizing with grit inside the pawls it runs like a dream. Took the free hub out and squirted the beejeebers out of it with silicon spray then blew it with a air pressure gun and wiped pretty clean. Back into the hub and happy days!

 

[MudRhino]

Yep it was the pawls that were dirty. I used the Eaton/Velomax instruction guide to dismantle the hub, and wouldn't you guess it - even though it was the model on the guide, it did not open in the same way.
So after trying for about 30 minutes, I gave up and used an air compressor to wash half a cup of WD40 through the freehub whilst it was still stuck to the rim, then dropped in some light grade oil, and surprise surprise - it works fine now

Interesting thing I discovered was that my rim actually clicks as it rolls - I had never heard it do that before, as it use to run silent.

Thanks everyone for your time and suggestions.

 

[moorey]

Yep it was the pawls that were dirty. I used the Eaton/Velomax instruction guide to dismantle the hub, and wouldn't you guess it - even though it was the model on the guide, it did not open in the same way.
So after trying for about 30 minutes, I gave up and used an air compressor to wash half a cup of WD40 through the freehub whilst it was still stuck to the rim, then dropped in some light grade oil, and surprise surprise - it works fine now

Interesting thing I discovered was that my rim actually clicks as it rolls - I had never heard it do that before, as it use to run silent.

Thanks everyone for your time and suggestions.

They always over grease hubs :tsk:
First thing I ever do is remove it and add a bees dick of light grease. Mmmmmm, clicky.