I've got a fixie. But not on purpose!

[Gary E]

My freehub has seized on my work bike. I've got a replacement on order but until it arrives I've been having to pedal constantly. It's made me look at fixie riders with new found admiration
Of course I have the added handicap of still having the rear mech fitted which skips about when I forget to pedal but hopefully all will be well in the next day or so

 

[colly]

Don't they do oil in Oxfordshire ?

 

[Gary E]

OK I was trying to simplify things, it's not actually totally seized but it keeps snatching when I try to free wheel. I've tried soaking the freehub body in oil to try to free it up but to no avail. I think the internal mechanism might be damaged but without the tool to actually split it open I can't tell.
A replacement freehub will definitely sort it, whereas buying the tool and splitting the freehub body might sort it. Freehubs are cheap enough so decided to replace it.
Decided to put it back on so that I can use the bike while I'm waiting for the new one. So far it's been interesting to say the least.

 

[colly]

Often wondered if anyone has ever marketed as freewheel that can be locked to make it fixed up until the point where you want to freewheel.
Sort of a fixed/freewheel on off device.

 

[Gary E]

You'd have to lock the rear mech too otherwise (as I've found out) if you stop pedaling the chain gets pulled round by the locked cassette and yanks the cage up which makes the chain very slack along the top

 

[Gary E]

OK, the replacement free hub body arrived, it's been fitted and it's working a treat.

So, with nothing to loose, I decided to do a bit of forensic investigation on the old one. Managed to get it apart and found this ....

The pawl on the right is what it should look like!

No amount of lubrication would have worked

 

[palinurus]

of course I have the added handicap of still having the rear mech fitted which skips about when I forget to pedal but hopefully all will be well in the next day or so

I've had that. It's not quite like riding fixed.

 

[colly]

OK, the replacement free hub body arrived, it's been fitted and it's working a treat.

So, with nothing to loose, I decided to do a bit of forensic investigation on the old one. Managed to get it apart and found this ....

View attachment 24935
The pawl on the right is what it should look like!

No amount of lubrication would have worked

There's a technical term for that.

Begins with an F and ends with a D.

 

[Gary E]

Fettled?