Pedals not turning wheel.

[LarryDuff]

I was out riding this morning and while going up a hill I suddenly noticed that pedals weren't turning the back wheel. At first I thought the chain had come off but it hadn't.

The pedals go round and round but the back wheel doesn't.

Any ideas?

 

[ianrauk]

The pawls in your freehub are broken/stuck open so not engaging.

 

[dellzeqq]

I was out riding this morning and while going up a hill I suddenly noticed that pedals weren't turning the back wheel. At first I thought the chain had come off but it hadn't.

The pedals go round and round but the back wheel doesn't.

Any ideas?

stick to downhill rides.

 

[ColinJ]

The pawls in your freehub are broken/stuck open so not engaging.

Or (much less likely), you've 'done a ("Legs of steel") colly' and ripped a sprocket through the splines!

 

[biggs682]

how far did you get on the ride ?

 

[LarryDuff]

how far did you get on the ride ?

I had planned on doing about 30 but had only got 14 when the problem occurred. Was ablr to free wheel another mile but then had to phone my wife to come and fetch me.
At least it was sunny and I could catch a few rays while waiting.

 

[biggs682]

I had planned on doing about 30 but had only got 14 when the problem occurred. Was ablr to free wheel another mile but then had to phone my wife to come and fetch me.
At least it was sunny and I could catch a few rays while waiting.

good old wifey rescue services then

 

[LarryDuff]

She is a gem!

 

[GrasB]

Or (much less likely), you've 'done a ("Legs of steel") colly' and ripped a sprocket through the splines!

A Campy hub or some badly contrived Mavic standard?

 

[ColinJ]

A Campy hub or some badly contrived Mavic standard?

You'd have to ask @colly that!

It was quite comical watching him launch into a steep little climb only for his legs to spin round and the bike to come to a dead stop! I assumed that it was a problem with the pawls, but then we found that it was only one sprocket that did it. (It wasn't riveted to the rest of the cassette.)

 

[GrasB]

You'd have to ask @colly that!

It was quite comical watching him launch into a steep little climb only for his legs to spin round and the bike to come to a dead stop! I assumed that it was a problem with the pawls, but then we found that it was only one sprocket that did it. (It wasn't riveted to the rest of the cassette.)

The combination of cheap aluminium freewheel body & custom cassettes with un-connected sprockets can be rather interesting. Even Shimano spline can be destroyed but if you didn't notice you'd be an idiot imo.

 

[LarryDuff]

As Ian said above the hub was indeed banjaxed.

They replaced the whole rear wheel under warranty.

 

[Pale Rider]

At the risk of stating the obvious, a quick temporary fix for sticking pawls is to shock them - bounce the back wheel off the ground a few times.

 

[LarryDuff]

At the risk of stating the obvious, a quick temporary fix for sticking pawls is to shock them - bounce the back wheel off the ground a few times.

I must admit I did feel like bouncing the whole bike off the road in annoyance but thought better of it.

 

[captain calves]

I too have this issue, but it started very very gradually. ie suddenly the pedalswould turn with no weight (ie chains, cogs, pedals, everything, but completely freely -nearly fell off), but when I turned the pedals the other way for a second, then started pedalling normally, I got bite back again. This would happen once every 5 or 10 minutes.
It has been like this for about ten cycle trips. Today, however, cannot get any "bite" back at all, and had to get off the bike and walk to work, pushing it.
I did notice, while pushing, that once in a while, I span the pedals forwards with my hand to see if there was any bit, and occasionally there was, but as soon as I jumped on and tried to pedal with legs/feet, totally free.
From reading this thread and reading around, and thinking about the "gradual" nature, Im speculating that perhaps gunk or someything inside is preventing the pawls from coming out properly.
Ah well, I'll drop it off at a bike shop to sort.