Frozen gears!

[TonyEnjoyD]

Well, first time for everything.

My birthday yesterday so had a day off being pampered(ish) and it was allegedly -5.
TodayApparently -6 at home and -8 over where I work up by Newcastle Airport.
So, hopped on my MTB to tootle into work at 07:15 to find my rear mech inoperative due to freezing .
Not having time to mess on, off I tootled and after about a mile eventually it freed up 3 gears (4th-6th) and the front shift was fine.

Was definitely fun trying to manouvre the ice and cleared roads with the limited gearing but I still really enjoyed the commute - apart from the physical pain of cold fingers that is.

Methinks a defrost and GT83 spray down of the rear mech tonight may be advisable.

 

[MrJamie]

I think when mine does that it's the cables that freeze up, or rather some moisture in them.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Thanks @MrJamie,
The shifter was working, just not transferring back to the mech.
As well as blasting the mech with GT85, on your advice I'll run some through the outers.

Tony

 

[Herzog]

Methinks a defrost and GT83 spray down of the rear mech tonight may be advisable.

That's what I do and it works; I also store the bike in a storage area rather than outside exposed to the elements.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

That's what I do and it works; I also store the bike in a storage area rather than outside exposed to the elements.

I had it under a lean-to that I built for two bikes, but I had to remove it for building work that we've just had done and getting more done at the end of Feb (providing we can finance it that is)

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Fixie is the way forward.You're welcome.

 

[hoski]

Fixie is the way forward.You're welcome.

+1 ... and it makes you look cool.

Disclaimer: I am joking. And I ride fixed.

 

[ricnott]

Last winter I had the rear mech 'sieze' on my road bike. It turns out that following a wet spell water had got into the cable and then frozen in the very cold temperatures.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Currently got something vaguely similar with my rear derailuer area. Whilst I can change up & down quite happily, at the moment, I can't pedal backwards, say to pull the pedals round at lights when I'm stationary (the chain just hangs loose & jams). Only happens when below freezing outside and if the bike has been in the house overnight it is fine until it gets cold again outside... also suspect water, but no clue on where to look because the bit sof the rear derailuer below it which I can not think of the name of for the life of me (jockey pulley & idler?) has been stripped down, cleaned and regreased at the weekend as part of the new chain and general clean.

 

[fossyant]

Currently got something vaguely similar with my rear derailuer area. Whilst I can change up & down quite happily, at the moment, I can't pedal backwards, say to pull the pedals round at lights when I'm stationary (the chain just hangs loose & jams). Only happens when below freezing outside and if the bike has been in the house overnight it is fine until it gets cold again outside... also suspect water, but no clue on where to look because the bit sof the rear derailuer below it which I can not think of the name of for the life of me (jockey pulley & idler?) has been stripped down, cleaned and regreased at the weekend as part of the new chain and general clean.

This will be your freehub I am afraid. Hub to bits, freehub off, run lube through it, re-assemble - or just buy a new freehub.

 

[eck]

snsso, what you describe sounds to me more likely to be your freehub, rather than your rear mech, not playing nice. I keep my bikes in the garage, so it's bloody freezing, and one* of my bikes always has that problem first thing in cold weather. Just turn the cassette back by hand a couple of times to free it before you set off, and maybe freewheel occasionally.

*The only one with a Shimano freehub.

More or less what he said ^^^. Careful what you lube it with though....

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Currently got something vaguely similar with my rear derailuer area. Whilst I can change up & down quite happily, at the moment, I can't pedal backwards, say to pull the pedals round at lights when I'm stationary (the chain just hangs loose & jams). Only happens when below freezing outside and if the bike has been in the house overnight it is fine until it gets cold again outside... also suspect water, but no clue on where to look because the bit sof the rear derailuer below it which I can not think of the name of for the life of me (jockey pulley & idler?) has been stripped down, cleaned and regreased at the weekend as part of the new chain and general clean.

Short term get around. When fully stopped, foot down, front brake on and push forward, back end should lift allowing you to spin the pedals forward to correct position.

Apologies if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

This will be your freehub I am afraid. Hub to bits, freehub off, run lube through it, re-assemble - or just buy a new freehub.

snsso, what you describe sounds to me more likely to be your freehub, rather than your rear mech, not playing nice. I keep my bikes in the garage, so it's bloody freezing, and one* of my bikes always has that problem first thing in cold weather. Just turn the cassette back by hand a couple of times to free it before you set off, and maybe freewheel occasionally.

*The only one with a Shimano freehub.

thanks - I suspected as much. Any links on how to dismantel it - have managed the wheel hubs at last weekend, but not sure I have a cassette removal tool yet, though the thing I got for the BB looks ever so similar... but knowing my luck it probably won't have a dual purpose!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Short term get around. When fully stopped, foot down, front brake on and push forward, back end should lift allowing you to spin the pedals forward to correct position.

Apologies if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs.

no not at all, still getting the hang of derailuers again after a rohloff hub - thing is I don't like leaving my tourer outside a college for 3 hours whilst I have a lesson or 2... and whilst I am totally at home servicing a my tourer, I am having to learn some of the 'other side of life' with derailers. Currently I was just coasting off pushing away with what is usually my good leg and then pedaling once it all sorted itself. doen't work up hill though might do my arm muscles the world of good when I have the panniers on the rear!

 

[eck]

Some (older) Campag BB and cassette tools are the same as each other, as I discovered a few years ago when I bought a tool to remove a Chorus BB, little knowing that I already had the same thing, which I'd bought to take cassettes off.Don't know about Shimano though.