Originally Posted by
indybiker01
I can take it like a man
I just want the damn thing fixed...first 8 miles everything is somewhat smooth...then it is like a switch is thrown and the bike is pedaled through mud.
Some of the checks suggested by BCRider are good, but do them right when you feel the bike getting sluggish - i.e. turn the bike over and see if both wheels spin freely. If one of both don't then investigate further to determine where the excess friction is. If the wheels spin ok then check how freely the chain rotates backwards, and also take the chain off the chainrings and spin just the crank to see how the BB bearings are. That should help isolate the problem to a particular component. BTW, one possibility is a loose cassette lockring that rubs on the inside of the frame. I've had that cause extra friction but it usually gets much worse rather quickly and locks up completely.