While finishing a ride with @Wildwood the other day I suddenly felt some grinding and then jerky pedaling. The grinding was coming from the rear hub on the driveside. I looked back and saw the FW was at a cockeyed angle to the direction of travel. I stopped immediately with what I knew was a ride-ending, walk-of-shame mechanical.

Stuart rode the mile to where his car was and drove over to pick me up, saving me about a mile walking in cleats. When we got back to the apartment, this is what I found after I removed the rear wheel (bearings spilling out onto the floor not shown):











I've cracked a cog or two and damaged some removal prongs but I've never seen a failure of this sort. Is this common? Btw, I removed it using my Regina/Zeus thin-walled remover, no muss, no fuss. FW had so little wear it could be called new. What's really unfortunate is that this was my lowest-ratio unit, so I'll be heading off for Ebay in search of a replacement. I'll save the cogs for spares.

DD