ever had a freewheel/cluster slip?

[Philphine]

took my 'hood cruiser for it's longest ride ever, about 25-30mls.

about halfway out, i started gettin the occassional pop, like when the derailleur isn't quite aligned with a particular gear. i'd move the shifter back and forth to adjust it some (not positron, just a friction 5sp muscle bike shifter), but it kept getting worse.

i had a couple of tools with me so tightened my front crank (one piece) 'cause i could feel a little play in it and i thought maybe it was getting far enough out of line to make the chain pop. i also rotated the derailleur back a bit thinkng maybe the chain had to much slack. neither worked and it seemed to get progressively worse.

i was almost home when the idea of the cluster slipping occured to me. it happened most when i was pushing harder. i don't think i've ever had it happen, but i can't think of anything else. think i need to start looking for a new one?

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Sometimes if the cluster gears are not tight they can slip, or if the teth that hold them on the cluster are worn down they can slip.

 

[bicycleguy]

It's happend to me before a couple times, check the threads on the hub to see if there stripped or the freewheel itself might be messed up internally.

 

[deorman]

Just the other day, I rode up the street on a buddy's bmx, and almost planted myself :shock: on the dad blasted pixie-like contraption , because of worn, sticking, or otherwise faulty ratchet pawls/springs in the freewheel. First time in decades of riding that it's ever happened to me. :?

 

[Philphine]

the threads aren't striped, i think. the bikes been together for a while, and painted and reassembled about last spring. i changed the cluster at that time and it's been fine. i'm just thinking the long ride maybe brought out a weakness.

 

[Bendix]

the threads aren't striped, i think. the bikes been together for a while, and painted and reassembled about last spring. i changed the cluster at that time and it's been fine. i'm just thinking the long ride maybe brought out a weakness.

if it's making a harsh, skipping sound the 2 most common culprits are a chain and freewheel with different amounts of wear- typically if one is new, one is old. this will be most noticeable under load. you mentioned changing the freewheel recently- i'd start there. skipping is also common on freewheels with sticking springs/pawls inside the freewheel. if this seems likely try dribbling a little triflow into the mechanism and see if it loosens those little boogers up.....

less likely, but if it's a one piece crank silent slipping or spinning can be due to a missing/broken chainring peg, allowing the ring to rotate on the crank.

let us know what you find!

 

[Korporal]

The axel nuts might a hair loose. When you really wail on the pedals, the wheel could be moving in the dropout.

 

[CCR]

does it do it in all gears or just one ?

im gonna guess its either a worn sprocket on the rear, or maybe the chain. if its the freewheel cluster you should see some wear on it though

 

[beatcad]

Just the other day, I rode up the street on a buddy's bmx, and almost planted myself :shock: on the dad blasted pixie-like contraption , because of worn, sticking, or otherwise faulty ratchet pawls/springs in the freewheel. First time in decades of riding that it's ever happened to me. :?

sorry dude. i fixed that yesterday :wink:
i trashed those mags and put on a good set of spoked rims 8)

 

[Philphine]

it did it in all the gears (5sp cluster). i kinda thought a particular gear might be the problem 'cause when i'm doing the usual couple mile cruise around the neighborhood i hardly shift it, where that day i shifted pretty constantly but even in third where i keep it most of the time it popped just as much.

i kinda wondered about the dropout slip too. i looked at it and it looks a little cocked, but i don't remember if i did that on purpose with the initial build (to clear the tire or something) or it slipped a little when i was foolin' with the derailleur or what. i haven't ridden or messed with it since that ride. probaly this weekend i may try to line it up better and see if it goes away, like if it slipped during the ride and i didn't pick up on it.

i took the long ride 'cause i missed a local for fun bike ride that i miss every time for one reason or another. i wanted to see how my bike would do for maybe next time, plus i was off on labor day with nothing to do. maybe it was a good thing. it wasn't like i was stranded but still, i'd hate to be in a crowd and have a breakdown.