stiff pedals? cause?

[dimples]

Wondering if anyone can advise.

Over the past few days I noticed whenever I rode my Triban 3 it would squeak everytime I pedal. I sprayed GT85 around everything and after a mile it would squeak at the same spot in each rotation then almost constantly squeak. It's occurance is only when pedaling under load. Today I noticed that i could not smack the pedal and it rotate freely in 'reverse'. I can only assume that it's somewhere around the crank area.

Any thoughts? how likely is it that the bearings are gone? (i'm hoping not) In november I will have owned it for 5 years however I don't do mega miles, perhaps 2-3 miles every few days. I have no idea where I would find/match up a correct replacement part if need be or how to fix. Is it a complex one to repair/replace? I did manage to replace a gear cable in the past, put new brake pads and replace the wheels with aftermarket ones in the past.

This all seemed to occur after riding it on 2 occasions in one of the heavy 3minute downpours that happen during the summer period. it is rather dirty so the first step might be to give it a wash. After riding it yesterday you wouldn't notice the stiffness was imperceptable whilst pedaling and there didn't seem to be any noise.

thanks in advance.

 

[vickster]

Are you sure it's the pedals not the bottom bracket for example? Mine did the same recently, sorted by lots of grease in the BB
Take it to Decathlon, get them to check it over

 

[Heigue'r]

Perhaps it just needs a bit of tlc...maybe a bit of grease in the crank area...the cranks are pretty easy to remove,youtube will be your friend here...is it the crank that is stiff or just the actual pedal?...pedals maybe could do with some grease,also if your drivedrain is dirty,give that some attention too,clean chain,front rings and cassette

 

[dimples]

Perhaps it just needs a bit of tlc... ...is it the crank that is stiff or just the actual pedal?...

If it was the pedal I wouldn't be worried! I think it's somewhere near the crank. If I turn the bike upside down and rotate it in reverse it requires a little more effort then usual. to turn. I know it's not the rear wheel as I can spin that freely.

I guess I'll get the press hose out and give it a (gentle) blast to clear dirt and take it from there.

 

[Heigue'r]

Yes but it could also be your drive train gunked up,this would slow the rotation of the crank down alot unless you have the chain off the rings and it is still slow then yes it would point towards the bb area

 

[vickster]

I wouldn't use a power hose on a bottom bracket unless you can fix and regrease afterwards

Why not get it checked by Decathlon/LBS? Shouldn't cost much of anything for diagnosis

Have you ever (had it) serviced the bike fully?

 

[dimples]

Against common sense I had to use the bike just now for an hour in the rain, after a mile it became very hard to pedal for a few metres. The chain then moved at the front from the largest cog to the middle cog and loosened up back to the stiffness that it was previously. I ended up having to ride a couple of miles slowly like that. I was unable to shift my front gear into the largest cog, the cable however still seemed tight.

I wouldn't use a power hose on a bottom bracket unless you can fix and regrease afterwards

Why not get it checked by Decathlon/LBS? Shouldn't cost much of anything for diagnosis

Have you ever (had it) serviced the bike fully?

As much as I would like to take it to one of those my nearest decathalon is too far away. 10+ miles away from the lakeside branch and 9+miles away from the one in surry queys (docklands). nearest places to me are halfords which is 2 miles away. I don't have a car.

I've never really done a full service on it *puts up flame shield*. at the start of this year I had the rear gears adjusted by halfords whilst the gear cable was put in.

Just now I've propped the bike upside down and taken the chain off the front chainrings. It's so stiff that to try and turn it with just one hand has you lifting up/moving the bike. I have to rest my foot on the top tube to stop it moving around in order to rotate the bottom bracket.

 

[vickster]

Get Halfords to check it? They sorted mine out (a Boardman)

Sounds like the BB is fooked. Get an Uber to LBS?

 

[Tim Hall]

Get Halfords to check it? They sorted mine out (a Boardman)

Sounds like the BB is fooked. Get an Uber to LBS?

@dimples , I'd agree with vickster's diagnosis. A square taper BB, which I think is what your bike has, costs 12 quid or so. You'll need a special tool to remove the old and refit the new, which will cost a few quid more. Cab or walk with it over your shoulder to Halfords for them to fix it might be the simplest approach.

 

[dimples]

I suppose I'll just take it halfords, there's nothing I can do to it myself. Thanks guys.

Now the gears..... is this in any way related to it? out of nowhere it shifted itself into the middle cog when I rode it last. No amount of pushing my gear lever would get it back into the big cog. I have the bike upside down and even pulling at the gear cable does not shift it into the largest cog. so something wrong with the derauiler?

with the bike upside down I click the front gear lever all the way down to the smallest cog. i click it up and it stays in the small cog (where it should be in the middle one). i click it up again and it moves to the middle cog (where it should be in the top one).

 

[vickster]

Could be an issue with cables, the mech or the shifter

Best get everything thoroughly checked and some tlc

Where in London are you? Surprised there's no other shops within a few miles (maybe we're just spoilt for choice in the SW)

 

[dimples]

Could be an issue with cables, the mech or the shifter

Best get everything thoroughly checked and some tlc

Where in London are you? Surprised there's no other shops within a few miles (maybe we're just spoilt for choice in the SW)

Would it really be the shifter? if it was then by me pulling the gear cable that's running along the frame would make it shift, but it doesnt seem to shift. It probably moves a couple of mm but not enough to move it into the largest.

I want to get it looked at, my only worry will be if it ends up costing me!

99% of the time I use the large cog anyway, and I never use the smallest. I wonder if there is a way in which I can just keep it locked/stuck in the large cog until I can get it looked at? I did a simlar thing when my rear gear cable snapped and I rode around on the smallest cog/highest gear for afew months.

as for where I'm based, around barking & dagenham, so my closest options are halfords. apparently a decathalon is to open soon in beckton. dunno when.

 

[Globalti]

Quite possibly the BB is so badly goosed that the chainset has become displaced and the front derailleur can't get the chain onto the big ring. Or the cable is frayed or rusted solid.

If you persist with your cheapskate attitude to servicing and maintenance the bike is going to end up costing you a lot more. Ever heard the expression "A stitch in time saves nine"?

 

[vickster]

Would it really be the shifter? if it was then by me pulling the gear cable that's running along the frame would make it shift, but it doesnt seem to shift. It probably moves a couple of mm but not enough to move it into the largest.

I want to get it looked at, my only worry will be if it ends up costing me!

99% of the time I use the large cog anyway, and I never use the smallest. I wonder if there is a way in which I can just keep it locked/stuck in the large cog until I can get it looked at? I did a simlar thing when my rear gear cable snapped and I rode around on the smallest cog/highest gear for afew months.

as for where I'm based, around barking & dagenham, so my closest options are halfords. apparently a decathalon is to open soon in beckton. dunno when.

Bikes cost money to maintain, they are cost effective but not free transport

 

[Globalti]

If you don't want to pay a professional to fix your neglected bike (and believe me, there's nothing worse for a pro than to be asked to fix a bike that the owner has neglected and expects them to put right) why don't you go on a bike maintenance course and learn to do it yourself? There's huge satisfaction in maintaining and repairing your own bike and keeping it running nicely and that will give you the skills to fix it if something happens on the road.