Bicycle Mechanics - Need help getting my bike to run in cold weather

As the temperature gets below freezing the pedals become harder to turn. This difficulty in moving the pedals becomes exponentially more as the temperature approachs -10F/-23C or so. At that temperature the pedals become disengaged from the back wheel and they become very easy to turn but they don't move the back wheel.

When I told my bike shop about this they said it was just a function of how all bikes are designed. But I know that other bikes have functioned in colder weather. Like when I went to the library when the temperature was -20/-25F -29/-32C or so there was a fellow biker there who was riding fine in said cold weather. I have talked to other people who have ridden in cold weather like that and not had that problem.

These temeratures I speak of are actual temperatures not "windshield temperatures".

Please tell me via poll and post whether you have had this problem and if anyone knows a way to fix it (some kind of gear upgrade or what ever) please let me know

Wheres the poll? and i have not had it as bad as it being noticeable. most of the time its me working harder cause im freezing, but it may be different for you.

But have you ridden when the temperature is minus -15f/-26c ? (not windshield temperature)
I know it for sure the wheel disengages in temperatures below that for me.

BTW, It took some time to write up the poll which is why it wasn't there right away.

NO problem,

And i have never had to ride in -15 degrees F. the lowest ive gone is 20 degrees. Wasnt out for too long.

Your description sounds like the grease in your rear hub and freehub is getting too thick. The harder turning at low temp is from the rear hub bearing grease becoming hard. The 'disengaged' feeling you describe sounds like the freehup pawls are no longer moving freely due to oil/grease thickening up so much that the pawl springs cannot overcome the friction.

Since you feel that the pedals turn freely in the end, I suspect that your BB lubrication is OK.

I would try a thinner grease or one rated for lower temperatures for the hub bearings. For the freehub, try running some solvent through the freehub to get rid of any grease, then lube with Mobile 1 motor oil or some lightweight oil. Mobile 1 is ideal because it is PAO based and has very little viscosity change with temperature.

Oh, and go find a new LBS. The one you are using obviously doesn't have a clue and just gave you the brush-off.

What is BB? Bottom Bracket? (a guess from reading sheldon glossary)

What is PAO?

What solvent would you recommend? How would I run this solvent through the hub and how do I then lubricate it?

I've been using finish line- cross country for oiling my chain, it claims to be good for "extreme weather" Might that be good for the hub as well?

As far as my LBS, its the only one in the area. There was another but it went out of business last year. They knew even less anyways.

When I talked to them about the cold weather issue I didn't feel like I was getting a brush off, I think they really thought it was inherent part of bicycle design. I got a speech about how most bicycles are for warmer areas and that bicycle designers don't make bikes made for cold weather because so few of their customers live and ride in such cold areas.

Look at www.icebike.com under winterizing for some pointers on these questions.
There is also a forum on Bike Forums devoted to Winter Cycling near the bottom of the forums
list. Recent posts have addressed this question. Steve

This is why I ride a fixie in the winter. I've done at least -30F before windchill, and never really noticed. It could be that the snow creates enough drag that I don't notice that the grease is gelling up.

What is BB? Bottom Bracket? (a guess from reading sheldon glossary)

What is PAO?

What solvent would you recommend? How would I run this solvent through the hub and how do I then lubricate it?

I've been using finish line- cross country for oiling my chain, it claims to be good for "extreme weather" Might that be good for the hub as well?

As far as my LBS, its the only one in the area. There was another but it went out of business last year. They knew even less anyways.

When I talked to them about the cold weather issue I didn't feel like I was getting a brush off, I think they really thought it was inherent part of bicycle design. I got a speech about how most bicycles are for warmer areas and that bicycle designers don't make bikes made for cold weather because so few of their customers live and ride in such cold areas.

The BB (bottom bracket) is the bearing for the crank arms (what you pedal).

PAO is Poly Alpha Olefin and is a synthetic motor oil base.

I would probably use mineral spirits to flush out the freehub. Be careful to dribble a little at a time between the freehub body and the axle. You may need to remove the cassette to do this. I assume you have a cassette as opposed to a freewheel. If you don't know the difference or don't have the tools, you might want to ask your LBS to do it for you. You'll need to flush out the existing grease/oil, let the hub dry out, then dribble in the oil. It may take a day for the solvent to evaporate. You may be able to use your current chain lube but check it out in the cold first to make sure it doesn't get real thick.

There is nothing intrinsic about a bicycle that I know of that makes it good only for warm weather.

I talked to my LBS about what you said. They said my freehub isn't serviceable like that so I can't use solvents. But that he could put in new lower viscosity oil which would act as a solvent to the old oil which he would do for me for $5. He swears I should experience a big difference in my cold weather riding. He wants me to wait till it gets really cold so I can tell the difference.

As far as the cold weather biking forum, which topic are you refering to?

I commute regularly with a low temp threshold of -30c I've never had a problem with my freewheel disengaging
I agree with Supcom it sounds like the pawls are the problem. How often do you service your wheels? I overhaul my wheels every spring and have never had any issues at all, unless you count the numerous spills from my less than stellar ice riding skills!!
sure does make a case for a single speed winter rig though.
'Rasher

How often do you service your wheels? I overhaul my wheels every spring

Sounds greek to me, I know nothing about servicing wheels other then making sure the tire is inflated. Anyways like I said, I'm told I don't have a serviceable free hub and one would cost $200 or more. Thats more then half the cost of my bike.

Is the LBS guy right? Will new lub act as a solvent on the old lub? If so is that the case with all lub types?
Or do you still feel strongly that I need to use solvent first and why?

??? anyone? This topic almost reached the next page before I bumped it.

Sounds like what's happening is, as you try to coast, the pawls in the freewheel disengage and let the wheel spin but then they're so frozen they can't lock back on, so your wheel just spins free of the hub in the drive direction.
Perhaps time for a fixed gear in extremely cold temperatures.

It really sounds it's merely a question of too thick grease, as suggested. I ride quite often in those temps and have not experienced this problem. There is no reason why your rear hub should not work at -20-30C when properly lubed, so I don't think a fixie is a requirement. You might want to go single speed, however, as gear mechanics tend to freeze too. This depends a lot on what kind of shifters you have, as some designs are more prone to freezing than others.

I don't have the technical knowledge to comment the two claims your LBS makes, namely that your hub is not serviceable and that no solvent is needed. I do know that other sources (such as the Icebike site) disagree, see for example the winterizing your freehub (http://www.icebike.com/Equipment/freehub.htm) -article.

It seems to me you have three choices: 1) do what your LBS suggests (no big cost there and it might work), 2) find another LBS willing to completely overhaul the hub or 3) learn to do it yourself as described in the Icebike article.

--J

Great article thanks Juha, I've been looking for a site like Ice Bike for a long time.

'Rasher