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Did my hub break? Is it worth replacing?

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Did my hub break? Is it worth replacing?

Old 05-09-12, 01:45 PM
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Did my hub break? Is it worth replacing?

I have a 21-speed Schwinn Mountain Bike. I'm thinking it's about 15 years old. Yesterday I was crossing a street from a stop (waiting for the crossing light). I was about halfway across the intersection when I heard a loud snap and then hit the pavement.

I believe my right foot was just past the top of it's path around and my weight was on it when I heard the snap. After picking myself up and getting out of the street and doing an assessment (dislocated finger, scraped hands, banged knee, nothing too serious) I checked the bicycle over.

It now pedals forward or backward without driving the wheel. There are occasional moments of resistance where it feels like it's trying to grab, but doesn't.

If this is a broken hub, is there something that can be done to prevent this from happening in the future and is it worth Fixing, or should I just look at replacing the bike? I use it primarily on the road and biking paths around, only occasionally taking it off pavement. I don't jump it or anything like that. When I was crossing the road (slightly uphill), I had the front gear on #3 (hardest) and the back on #2 (I think, out of 7).

Best regards,
Fizziii
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Old 05-09-12, 01:58 PM
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It sounds like your freewheel pawls (or the last remaining working pawl) broke. In that case, the freewheel can be replaced.
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Old 05-09-12, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by desertdork
It sounds like your freewheel pawls (or the last remaining working pawl) broke. In that case, the freewheel can be replaced.
+1
You may want to try soaking it in WD40 or something like that to free up the pawls. I am not sure that I would trust it though without actually disassembling for inspection. Easy enough to replace though.

Glad you weren't injured badly

- G
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Old 05-09-12, 02:42 PM
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If it's only 15 years old, it may have a freehub and not a freewheel. If it's a freewheel, you can try to fix the freewheel as suggested above, or just get a new one (less than $20). If it's a freehub and simple lubing doesn't free up the pawls, you need a new hub; a whole new wheel would probably be the easiest way to go there. You can get a new wheel for about a hundred dollars at a bike shop (nothing fancy, but good enough). I got a replacement wheelset (front and back) for my hybrid commuter for about $120 and it held up pretty well. Nothing brand namey, just bike shop supply type wheels.
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Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
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Old 05-09-12, 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
If it's only 15 years old, it may have a freehub and not a freewhee.
Yep, 15 years ago was 1997. Sobering, isn't it?
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Old 05-09-12, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
If it's only 15 years old, it may have a freehub and not a freewheel. If it's a freewheel, you can try to fix the freewheel as suggested above, or just get a new one (less than $20). If it's a freehub and simple lubing doesn't free up the pawls, you need a new hub; a whole new wheel would probably be the easiest way to go there. You can get a new wheel for about a hundred dollars at a bike shop (nothing fancy, but good enough). I got a replacement wheelset (front and back) for my hybrid commuter for about $120 and it held up pretty well. Nothing brand namey, just bike shop supply type wheels.
Shimano freehubs
house the pawls in the body
new ones cost twenty

Purchase of body
is cheaper than a new hub
and a wheel rebuild.

https://www.treefortbikes.com/home#na...22354036___595
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Old 05-09-12, 03:40 PM
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Ah... you can replace just the body? Score!

I learned something new. I've never had a freehub fail on me, at least not yet.
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Old 05-09-12, 03:43 PM
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Here, I thought that I
was the only one to write
haiku. Wow! Who knew?


Originally Posted by surreal
Shimano freehubs
house the pawls in the body
new ones cost twenty

Purchase of body
is cheaper than a new hub
and a wheel rebuild.

https://www.treefortbikes.com/home#na...22354036___595
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Old 05-09-12, 03:44 PM
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yes, indeed, you can
STX-RC is cheap!
hyperglide-C, too.
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Old 05-09-12, 03:46 PM
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Check Doohickie's sig;
many of us like haiku.
bikes as poetry!
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Old 05-09-12, 06:25 PM
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I just found a 1997 seven speed STX-RC body on eBay for $20. There were several available.
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Old 05-09-12, 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by surreal
Shimano freehubs
house the pawls in the body
new ones cost twenty

Purchase of body
is cheaper than a new hub
and a wheel rebuild.

https://www.treefortbikes.com/home#na...22354036___595
Before I realized it was a haiku, I thought you were doing a fietsbob impression.
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Old 05-10-12, 05:22 AM
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Originally Posted by silver_ghost
Before I realized it was a haiku, I thought you were doing a fietsbob impression.
The funny thing is
The whole haiku obsession
Started with this post:

Originally Posted by fietsbob
The Venerable, Sturmey AW3 , you only need to unscrew the cable
from the indicator chain.
Ring locknut, left in place, should get it back in adjustment easily.

and loosen the axle nuts, which are 15mm,
like a lot of fixies and pedals and such.

Now that there are lots of fixies ,
the combo of wrench and bottle opener
are your hot new thing.
Originally Posted by surreal
Hello there, fietsbob!
Might you rewrite future posts
To become haiku?

-rob

(if you, don't i totally will)
=P
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Old 05-10-12, 06:16 AM
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Freewheels or freehubs,
all mortals yield to time in
these cycles of life.
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Old 05-11-12, 02:58 AM
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Ah, haiku lens works
Understanding fietsbob;
It falls into place
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Old 05-11-12, 06:05 AM
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My guess is, given that its a schwinn mountain bike. It's likely a department store mtb-ish bike. With a freewheel style rear hub.
Sounds like the freewheel has failed, snapping sound of pawls/teeth shearing off.
7 speed freewheels cost about 20-25$ at a bike shop, have them replace it.

Also, injury could have been prevented by Not Standing up on the pedals to accelerate from a stop. Since you were standing to sprint a large amount of force was on the drivetrain, and when it did break it got released all at once, hence you got thrown.
When you approach a stop, gear down (easier gears), so that when it is time to move again you can pedal without having to use such heavy force. Ideally not even needing to getting out of the saddle.

3front, 2rear, is not a good gear combo, as it is cross chaning - the chain is fored to run at a diagonal angle. ideally you try to coordinate front and rear gears to keep the chain roughly parralel to the bike.
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Old 05-11-12, 02:17 PM
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Xenologer - Thank you for your input. I was standing because I didn't gear down and figured I may have been putting too much force on it.... well, I figured that after I got thrown.

I e-mailed Schwinn about it and they said it could have been caused by several things "If your derailleur was not adjusted properly, if the nut on the rear wheel is on too tight it won't allow for the correct spin, chain could have caught for some reason or the free wheel could have just broken loose and should not have been caused by your weight"

They also said they'll send me a new rear gear assembly, so it looks like it may be cheaper than $20 even. My e-mail didn't mention that it was as old as it is, so hopefully as long as I can get the model # and date code this will still hold up.

Thanks to everyone for all the info and the Haikus.
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Old 05-11-12, 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Fizziii
Xenologer - Thank you for your input. I was standing because I didn't gear down and figured I may have been putting too much force on it.... well, I figured that after I got thrown.

I e-mailed Schwinn about it and they said it could have been caused by several things "If your derailleur was not adjusted properly, if the nut on the rear wheel is on too tight it won't allow for the correct spin, chain could have caught for some reason or the free wheel could have just broken loose and should not have been caused by your weight"

They also said they'll send me a new rear gear assembly, so it looks like it may be cheaper than $20 even. My e-mail didn't mention that it was as old as it is, so hopefully as long as I can get the model # and date code this will still hold up.

Thanks to everyone for all the info and the Haikus.
Impassioned plea
Ignatz's successors respond -
Back riding again
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Old 05-11-12, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by xenologer
3front, 2rear, is not a good gear combo, as it is cross chaning - the chain is fored to run at a diagonal angle. ideally you try to coordinate front and rear gears to keep the chain roughly parralel to the bike.
Biggest Chainring x 2nd biggest cog isn't all that cross-chainy on a 6-speed setup, IMO. Usually not too bad on 7-sp either. Starts getting bad on 8-sp.
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Old 05-11-12, 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by surreal
The funny thing is
The whole haiku obsession
Started with this post:

=P
Ha, I knew it. Next haiku, try to include a recommendation for Magura hydraulic rim brakes.
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Old 05-12-12, 07:47 AM
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Originally Posted by silver_ghost
Ha, I knew it. Next haiku, try to include a recommendation for Magura hydraulic rim brakes.
Excellent advice
Some enhanced braking power?
Better poetry!

I am blown away
German Hydraulic Rim Brakes
are my hot new thing

Last edited by surreal; 05-12-12 at 07:48 AM. Reason: ocd
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Old 05-12-12, 01:30 PM
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Old 05-12-12, 02:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
If it's only 15 years old, it may have a freehub and not a freewheel. If it's a freewheel, you can try to fix the freewheel as suggested above, or just get a new one (less than $20). If it's a freehub and simple lubing doesn't free up the pawls, you need a new hub;
Not necessarily.

Shimano sells replacement freehubs and they swap with a hex key. Campagnolo even sells replacement springs and pawls separately.
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Old 05-12-12, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Drew Eckhardt
Not necessary.
Shimano sells replacements
freehubs take hex keys

Campag even sells
Separate replacement springs
and pawls to fix them.
Fixed.
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Old 05-12-12, 11:17 PM
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Mechanix forum
makes me wish folks would read whole
thread before response.

Mechanix forum
gives new appreciation
for Google searches.

Mechanix forum
shows folly of indexed gears
and worth of bike shops.
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