Bicycle Mechanics - Bike keeps getting stuck in "neutral"

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rnc
12-16-09, 02:16 AM
Hello,

I am no expert at all so thought I'd post this to see if anyone out there had any ideas...

My bike is behaving very peculiarly. It is as if it is stuck in "neutral" and I lose all power when pedalling. It appears to happen spontaneously (and not consistently) after freewheeling or after taking corners and appears to be worse when the weather is cold.

It is as if the bike no longer recognises the switch between pedalling backwards to pedalling forwards - the pedals continue to slip when going forwards in the same way they do when going backwards. This only last for a few moments before the gear then kicks in and I can pedal normally again.

Any ideas?

dabac
12-16-09, 02:35 AM
Sounds like it's your freewheel mechanism that isn't engaging. Not knowing what bike you have makes it a bit dificult to advise om most appropriate fix. Some mechanisms can be flushed with a runny oil (like WD-40) and then re-lubed with a slightly less runny oil. Some can be disassembled with a moderate effort, which makes them decent candidates for being cleaned and rebuilt. Others are good candidates for being replaced straight off.
operator
12-16-09, 02:47 AM
Hello,

I am no expert at all so thought I'd post this to see if anyone out there had any ideas...

My bike is behaving very peculiarly. It is as if it is stuck in "neutral" and I lose all power when pedalling. It appears to happen spontaneously (and not consistently) after freewheeling or after taking corners and appears to be worse when the weather is cold.

It is as if the bike no longer recognises the switch between pedalling backwards to pedalling forwards - the pedals continue to slip when going forwards in the same way they do when going backwards. This only last for a few moments before the gear then kicks in and I can pedal normally again.

Any ideas?

Cold/rainy weather will usually **** things up in that fashion. Like #2 said it's the freewheel mechanism. Doesn't really matter if it's a freewheel or a freehub though, both can be flushed out.

Chris_W
12-16-09, 02:53 AM
Lots of advice in this recent thread: cassette problems at -25f (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?607958-cassette-problems-at-25f).
rnc
12-17-09, 01:56 AM
Many thanks for the advice. I will see whether the runny oil/less runny oil option works.

Thanks!